The Random Sample

MACSYS

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS).  In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners: the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), the OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, the MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit therandomsample.com.au

  1. 2 days ago

    Science at Pandemic Speed: The Clinical Trial that Changed COVID Care - with Professor Thomas Jaki

    In 2020, as COVID-19 spread across the globe, researchers faced an urgent challenge: finding treatments that could save the lives of patients hospitalised with the virus. One of the most important efforts was the RECOVERY trial, a clinical trial designed to rapidly test potential therapies and generate reliable evidence at a time when the world desperately needed answers. Our guest, Professor Thomas Jaki, was part of the team behind RECOVERY from its earliest days. In this episode, he shares how the trial came together at remarkable speed, the challenges of conducting research during a global pandemic, and the key statistical and design decisions that allowed the study to deliver results quickly without compromising scientific rigour. The impact was extraordinary. RECOVERY identified five life-saving COVID-19 treatments while also showing that several commonly used therapies were ineffective. Its findings influenced clinical practice around the world and helped shape the care of millions of patients. It’s a fascinating conversation about clinical trials, decision-making under pressure, and the power of statistics to improve healthcare on a global scale. Our host for this episode is Dr Min Zhang – a biostatistician with the University of Queensland's Clinical Trials Capability (ULTRA). She also serves on The Random Sample editorial group as a representative of the Statistical Society of Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Science at Pandemic Speed: The Clinical Trial that Changed COVID Care - with Professor Thomas Jaki

  2. 12 Aug

    Academia or Industry? Why Professor Roslyn Hickson Chose Both

    It’s a question many early career researchers grapple with: academia or industry?  For Professor Roslyn Hickson, the answer is simple: why choose? Roslyn is an applied mathematician with a joint appointment at CSIRO and James Cook University, where she serves as Science Leader for Emerging Infectious Diseases. Her career has taken her across academia, the military, government and industry, before arriving at her current role bridging research and real-world application. In this episode, Roslyn reflects on the career decisions that shaped her journey, the different cultures she’s experienced across sectors, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Earlier this year, Roslyn was awarded the inaugural K.A. Landman Medal by ANZIAM, recognising her outstanding contributions to industrial and applied mathematics. She shares why the award is particularly meaningful to her and what it says about the growing importance of mathematics beyond the university setting. Our host for this episode is Dr Sophie Raynor, a lecturer in mathematics at James Cook University. Podcast Episode Page:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/roslyn-hickson/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Academia or Industry? Why Professor Roslyn Hickson Chose Both

  3. 29 July

    The Algorithm that Transformed Optimisation - with Dr Sophie Huiberts

    How do airlines schedule flights, logistics companies route deliveries, and supermarkets manage stock? Many of these challenges are examples of linear programming problems – and one algorithm has dominated their solution for decades: the Simplex Method. Widely regarded as one of the most important algorithms ever developed, the Simplex Method has helped organisations save vast amounts of time, money and resources. But despite its remarkable success, one question has puzzled mathematicians for decades: why does it work so well in practice? In this episode, Dr Sophie Huiberts from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) explores one of optimisation’s biggest open questions: why is the Simplex Method so much faster than theory often predicts? We also discuss Sophie’s research journey and how she brings her values and social awareness into her work as a mathematician. Our host is Professor Kate Smith-Miles – Director of the OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, and a Professor of Applied Mathematics at The University of Melbourne. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/simplex-method/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Algorithm that Transformed Optimisation - with Dr Sophie Huiberts

  4. 24 June

    From DNA to Discovery: How Statistics Brings the Ancient Past to Life - with Dr Adam "Ben" Rohrlach & Dr Simon "Jono" Tuke

    How are statistics and data science transforming advances in genetic sequencing into new insights about how people lived, formed families, and organised their societies thousands of years ago? Our guests are Dr Adam “Ben” Rohrlach, an Australian statistician at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, and Dr Simon “Jono” Tuke, Senior Lecturer in the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Adelaide. From their early collaboration during Ben’s PhD to their ongoing work today, they’ve combined mathematical rigour with archaeological and genetic research to help uncover patterns in ancient human life that would otherwise remain hidden. Together, they’ve applied cutting-edge statistical methods to support major discoveries – including their contribution to the 2017 Eureka Prize–winning research confirming the connection between Aboriginal Australians and their ancestral lands. In this conversation, we revisit that work and dive into their latest research, using ancient DNA to reconstruct family networks in a European society from over 1,300 years ago. It’s a fascinating look at how collaboration across disciplines – and the power of statistics – can bring us closer to understanding the lives of people from the distant past. Our host is Dr Haripriya Sridharan – a MACSYS Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne. Episode webpage:   https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/ancient-dna/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    From DNA to Discovery: How Statistics Brings the Ancient Past to Life - with Dr Adam "Ben" Rohrlach & Dr Simon "Jono" Tuke

  5. 27 May

    From Granular to Nano: Big Science at Small Scales – with Prof Natalie Thamwattana

    In this episode of The Random Sample, we explore the science of scale – from the behaviour of granular materials to the remarkable world of nanotechnology. Professor Natalie Thamwattana, an applied mathematician from the University of Newcastle, shows how studying the very small can lead to big insights across science and engineering. Her pioneering work in nanotechnology is helping unlock how some of nature’s smallest building blocks can tackle some of our biggest challenges – in medicine, energy, and electronics. In a field often dominated by heavy numerical simulations, Natalie was among the first to take a different path, developing analytical, formula-based approaches to understand the mechanics of carbon nanostructures. Alongside her research, Natalie shares a deeply personal story of growing up in Thailand and forging a path into mathematics. It’s a journey shaped by resilience, curiosity, and the support of her family – one that led to an international career at the forefront of applied mathematics. Our host is Cait Pryse – from The University of Melbourne. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/nanotechnology-natalie-thamwattana/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    From Granular to Nano: Big Science at Small Scales – with Prof Natalie Thamwattana

  6. 11 May

    Tracking the Spread of Vaccine Hesitancy - with Prof Stacey Smith?

    Mathematics is often used to model how diseases spread. But what about the spread of information – or misinformation – about those diseases and their vaccines? Professor Stacey Smith? from the University of Ottawa is a trans mathematician whose research focuses on modelling infectious diseases. Increasingly, her work has turned to the social and behavioural dynamics that shape anti‑vaccination sentiment. In this conversation, we explore how mathematical approaches can help make sense of attitudes ranging from vaccine hesitancy to outright resistance, and why understanding these dynamics is critical for effective public health responses. The episode is hosted by Eva Stadler, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Infection Analytics Program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney. Together, Eva and Stacey discuss how tools from the mathematical sciences can be applied well beyond traditional epidemiology, intersecting with psychology, sociology, and communication science. This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women – and those who identify as women – in the mathematical sciences worldwide. The other episode in the series explores how the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding women’s health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Tracking the Spread of Vaccine Hesitancy - with Prof Stacey Smith?

  7. 11 May

    What Maths can tell us about Women's Health - with Prof Alys Clark & Dr Claire Miller

    Mathematics is not often associated with women’s health, yet the mathematical sciences are playing an increasingly important role in understanding pregnancy, reproductive health, and chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women. Professor Alys Clark and Dr Claire Miller, both from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland, use mathematics to shed light on complex health challenges faced by women, including pregnancy and endometriosis. In this episode, they highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between mathematicians, biologists, and clinicians. In a twist on our usual format, Alys and Claire interview each other, offering a candid and engaging look at their research, their collaborations, and what it’s like to work at the interface of mathematics and medicine. This episode is part of a special two‑part series released to coincide with Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), celebrating the contributions of women – and those who identify as women – in the mathematical sciences worldwide.  The other episode explores how mathematics can help us understand the growing challenge of anti‑vaccination sentiment. Episode webpage:   https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/maths-womens-health/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Maths can tell us about Women's Health - with Prof Alys Clark & Dr Claire Miller

  8. 6 May

    Game Theory: The Mathematics of Strategic Choices - with Dr Maria Kleshnina

    Each year, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Program recognises a small number of exceptional female early‑career researchers in Australia and New Zealand with a prestigious fellowship. In 2025, for the first time since the program began in 2007, the award went to a mathematician: Dr Maria Kleshnina from QUT’s School of Mathematical Sciences. Maria’s research is in game theory – an interdisciplinary field grounded in the mathematical sciences that studies how people make decisions when their outcomes depend on the actions of others. In this episode, we explore why game theory matters, the kinds of real‑world problems it is designed to tackle, and how it has become a powerful way of thinking across economics, politics, and – in Maria’s area of interest – conservation. Maria is a Senior Lecturer at QUT, an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, and a Chief Investigator with the Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future initiative. We spoke with her about her research, her career journey, and what it means to be awarded a L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship. Our host is Dr James Nichols. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/game-theory/ ‎ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Game Theory: The Mathematics of Strategic Choices - with Dr Maria Kleshnina
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4.9
out of 5
63 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Random Sample - a podcast from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS).  In this podcast, we share stories about mathematics, statistics, data science and the people involved. The Random Sample is also proud to have the support of these supporting partners: the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN), the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), the OPTIMA ARC Training Centre, the MATRIX Mathematical Research Institute, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS). ACEMS created the podcast in 2018. For further resources and show notes, visit therandomsample.com.au

Information

  • Creator
    MACSYS
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ACEMS
  • Show Website
    The Random Sample

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