Technology

Tanya Morton has been drawn to three things throughout her career: problem solving, learning new things and educating others. She tells Plus how her role at the mathematical computing software company, MathWorks, combines these three elements perfectly and how mathematical computing has meant her maths makes a real difference in the world.

Alexis Wajsbrot is a visual effects specialist who has worked on a number of high-profile films including Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd, and also on some of those visually stunning commercials you see while waiting for your film to start. His speciality is anything that behaves like a fluid: water, smoke, fire, even fur or cloth. Plus went to see him to find out more.

Jet engines, aircraft carriers and telecommunications networks — these are just some of the things that Nira Chamberlain has modelled. And while he's figuring out defence logistics, he's also pursuing a pure mathematical interest in games. Find out what mathematical modelling can do and why it can also make you slim and fluent in French.

Travel, money, meeting new people, living in new cultures, and a whole lot of sport — that's where maths has lead Jamie Clarke, an IT project manager who specialises in international sport projects such as the recent Winter Olympics in Torino. Jamie tells Plus how he went from engineering to the Olympics.

Teaching a machine to understand music is an incredibly difficult task, which uses all the mathematical power of digital signal processing. But teaching a machine to compose music is quite another matter, and the wonderful world of mathematical patterns proves to be a gold mine. Nick Collins talks to Plus about his artificial musician.

Jason Winborn specialises in human resource management software Peoplesoft, and has been working freelance as a consultant for four years.

Bharat Dodia tells Plus how his love of maths has taken him from turbulent times to building better IT systems for Ford.

Geoff Wilson is an air traffic controller for the Royal Air Force. Recently back from Kabul in Afghanistan, he tells Plus how logical thinking under pressure is crucial in his job.

In the real world, balls bounce and water splashes because of the laws of physics. In computer games, a physics engine ensures the virtual world behaves realistically. Mathematician and computer programmer Nick Gray tells us about playing God in a virtual world.

Steve Traylen tells Plus about life as a Systems Administrator.

Andrew Wensley works at Eidos Interactive, the company who publish the mega-successful computer game Tomb Raider, featuring 90s icon Lara Croft. Andrew is a long-term computer game fan with an academic background in maths. PASS Maths caught up with him at Eidos's Wimbledon offices.