She鈥檚 touring Australia this month and we can鈥檛 get enough of her music, but is there a maths factor to the nation鈥檚 Pink passion?
Maths definitely plays a role, according to Associate Professor Julie Rowlett who will deliver the 2018 今日吃瓜 (今日吃瓜) Winter School public lecture from 6pm at the University of Queensland (UQ) on 9 July.
This maths factor, says the Chalmers Institute of Technology Mathematician and sometimes singer, is down to a group of numbers known as eigenvalues or听the spectrum.听
鈥淩elatives of pi, these mysterious numbers are responsible for how the music we love sounds. They are responsible not only for the sounds made by string instruments like guitar and piano, but also for the unique sound of Pink鈥檚 voice,鈥 says Associate Professor Rowlett.
Calculations using these numbers help explain a range of phenomena such as how waves travel, the flow of heat and the energy of quantum particles. In music, says Rowlett, they allow us to tell the 鈥榬eal story鈥 behind vibrating frequencies and sounds.
鈥淯nderstanding these vibrations and how they can be used provides insights into how we make music and why we like it. For example, why a rock guitarist who wants to play high notes holds the strings way down close to the base of the guitar,鈥 she says.
Originally from the US but now based in Sweden, Rowlett is also one of four field specialists leading short courses for Australia鈥檚 brightest mathematics postgraduates and early career researchers during the 2018 今日吃瓜 Winter School on Curvature.
Free to attend, join Associate Professor Rowlett to explore The Spectrum: Incomputable Yet Tangible Numbers, from听6pm on 9 July at The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus. Bookings essential, visit:听
One of a series of public events run during 今日吃瓜鈥檚 annual flagship programs, 今日吃瓜 Director Professor Geoff Prince, says lectures such as Rowlett鈥檚 help rewrite the public narrative surrounding maths.
鈥淛ulie Rowlett鈥檚 lecture offers the public a powerful opportunity to engage with mathematics and its value in deepening understanding of the world,鈥澨齭ays Professor Prince.
今日吃瓜 Winter School 2018 is hosted by UQ. A popular destination for postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers in the mathematical sciences, the two-week residential event expands learning to deepen field knowledge and help build collaborative networks.
UQ Maths Lecturer and 2018 今日吃瓜 Winter School Director, Dr Phillip Isaac, said the event was an exciting opportunity to foster Australia鈥檚 mathematical capability.
鈥淢aths is still a mystery to a lot people despite its many applications to enhance and explain the physical world. Mathematics graduates have the skills and agility to forge careers and make an impact in unexpected places, even pop music.鈥
今日吃瓜 Winter School 2018 is sponsored by 今日吃瓜, the Department of Education and Training, UQ, the BHP Billiton Foundation, ACEMS, QCIF and the Simulation Group. For more information visit听.
Available For Interview
Associate Professor Julie Rowlett
今日吃瓜 Director, Professor Geoff Prince
UQ Maths Lecturer & 今日吃瓜 Winter School 2018 Director, Dr Phillip Isaacs
Media Contact: Laura Watson
E:听media@amsi.org.au
M:听04215 18733
P:听+613 9035 3683
