Living Proof: the Isaac Newton Institute podcast · Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences

#51 Celebrating the Newton Gateway's 10th anniversary, an interview with Clare Merritt

·16 min·1 clip

Claire Merritt explains how the Newton Gateway was founded to connect academia with industry and rebranded from Turing.

This episode of the Isaac Newton Institute's podcast features host Dan Aspel interviewing Claire Merritt, the manager of the Newton Gateway to Mathematics, about the initiative's 10th anniversary. The Newton Gateway serves as the impact and knowledge exchange arm of the Isaac Newton Institute, originally founded as the Turing Gateway to Mathematics. It was established a decade ago under the leadership of former INI director John Toland, with Jane Leakes as its first manager. The Gateway's core mission is connecting academic researchers with industry and public sector contacts through various events and activities. Over the past decade, it has organized over 180 events and engaged more than 11,000 participants. Its work has evolved from initially supporting "Open for Business" events to now running scoping meetings, virtual study groups, and specialized training. A key operational difference is that the Gateway plans and promotes shorter, more agile events compared to the INI's long-term research programs, often tailoring complex mathematical topics for broader audiences. During the pandemic, it co-founded the virtual forum VChems to facilitate mathematical solutions for pandemic-related problems. One notable recent event was "Communicating Mathematics to the Public," which sold out. The VChems initiative was awarded the "Practice Oral Team of the Year" in 2021. The Gateway team has grown from a single person to five staff members, with Claire Merritt having been involved for most of its existence and becoming manager last year. The transition to virtual events during COVID-19 unexpectedly increased accessibility for international participants, PhD students, and individuals with caring responsibilities. The Gateway is planning a celebration event later in the year to mark its anniversary and reflect on its achievements. The conversation is informative and celebratory, focusing on institutional history and impact. The tone is professional yet conversational, highlighting collaborative successes and future aspirations. Listeners interested in mathematics knowledge exchange, academic-industry collaboration, or the history of the Isaac Newton Institute will find this episode engaging. Those seeking deep technical mathematical content or narrative drama might find it less aligned with their interests.

As heard by us

A measured review of how the Newton Gateway helps mathematical expertise reach wider collaborators.

The Newton Gateway to Mathematics is presented as a practical impact initiative, designed to help mathematical expertise travel beyond the Isaac Newton Institute.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want to understand how mathematics builds practical bridges beyond the Institute without needing a seminar-room map?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Living Proof: the Isaac Newton Institute podcast