Breaking Math Podcast

This discussion Autumn and Gabe delves into Ismar Volic's personal background and inspiration for writing the book, “Making Democracy Count” as well as the practical and theoretical aspects of voting systems. Additionally, the conversation explores the application of voting systems to everyday decision-making and the use of topological data analysis in understanding societal polarization. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including data visualization, gerrymandering, electoral systems, and the intersection of mathematics and democracy. Volic, shares insights on the practical implications of implementing mathematical improvements in electoral systems and the legal and constitutional hurdles that may arise. He also discusses the importance of educating oneself about the quantitative underpinnings of democracy and the need for interdisciplinary discussions that bridge mathematics and politics.Keywords: math podcast, creativity, mascot, background, Matlab, ranked choice voting, elections, author's b