<p>Mathematics quietly shapes some of the most important decisions in public life, from redistricting and congressional apportionment to federal research funding and AI policy. In this episode, Autumn and Noah speak with Dr. Karen Saxe, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the American Mathematical Society, about how mathematical ideas influence representation, fairness, education, and the future of research. From gerrymandering and geometric compactness to life inside the U.S. Senate and the growing policy debates around AI, Karen reveals how deeply math is woven into the systems that govern everyday life.</p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 Introduction to the Conversation</p><p>01:15 The Hot Tea in DC</p><p>01:24 Gerrymandering and Mathematics</p><p>03:42 Understanding Gerrymandering and Redistricting</p><p>08:07 The Role of Mathematicians in Politics</p><p>12:19 Experiences in the Senate with Al Franken</p><p>19:32 Government Relations and the Role of Mathematics</p><p>23:01 The Impact of AI on Mathematics and Policy</p><p>28:41 Community Readiness for AI Transformations</p><p>29:22 Diversity in Education and Its Challenges</p><p>29:40 Bridging Mathematics and Politics</p><p>29:58 Career Pathways: Academia to Policy</p><p></p><p>Follow Karen Saxe on</p><p>LinkedIn (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-saxe-5015038a/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-saxe-5015038a/</a>)</p><p>Website (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ams.org/government">https://www.ams.org/government</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Breaking Math on Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://breakingmath.substack.com/">https://breakingmath.substack.com/</a>)</p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/breakingmathpod">https://x.com/breakingmathpod</a>)</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/">https://www.instagram.com/breakingmathmedia/</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/breakingmath.bsky.social</a>)</p><p>Website (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.breakingmath.io/">https://www.breakingmath.io/</a>)</p><p>YouTube (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod">https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingMathPod</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Noah on</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/">https://www.instagram.com/profnoahgian/</a>)</p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/ProfNoahGian">https://x.com/ProfNoahGian</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/profnoahgian.bsky.social</a>)</p><p></p><p>Follow Autumn on</p><p>Twitter (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://x.com/1autumn_leaf">https://x.com/1autumn_leaf</a>)</p><p>Bluesky (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/1autumnleaf.bsky.social</a>)</p><p>Instagram (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/">https://www.instagram.com/1autumnleaf/</a>)</p><p>Substack (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf">https://substack.com/@1autumnleaf</a>)</p><p></p><p>email: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></p>