Conrad Wolfram

Born in Oxford, England, in 1970, Wolfram was educated at Dragon School and Eton College where he learned to program on a BBC Micro.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15969065|title= The BBC Microcomputer and me, 30 years down the line|publisher=BBC News|year=2011|author=Anon|website=bbc.co.uk}} He was an undergraduate student at Pembroke College, Cambridge[http://www.news-gazette.com/business/2008/03/09/going_global_adds_up__champaignbasedWolfram giving away software in push into China], The News Gazette, 9 March 2008. where he studied the Natural Sciences tripos graduating with a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge.{{when|date=April 2022}}

Wolfram has been a proponent of Computer-Based Math—a reform of mathematics education to "rebuild the curriculum assuming computers exist."[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robyn-shulman-/have-we-gotten-math-educa_b_9655258.html Have We Gotten Math Education All Wrong] Huffington Post 11 April 2006[https://www.ft.com/content/bcfb1f30-6cf9-11e5-8171-ba1968cf791a Stop teaching kids to add up - maths is more important] Financial Times, 7 October 2015

[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/6719451/We-need-to-base-maths-lessons-on-computers.html We need to base maths lessons on computers], The Daily Telegraph, 3 December 2009.[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/11/world/europe/11iht-educside11.html Closing the gap between modern life and the math curriculum] New York Times, 10 February 2013 and is the founder of computerbasedmath.org.[http://computerbasedmath.org/ computerbasedmath.org].[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/michael-brooks/2012/06/despair-dissenting-government-expert The despair of the dissenting government expert] The New Statesman

He argues, "There are a few cases where it is important to do calculations by hand, but these are small fractions of cases. The rest of the time you should assume that students should use a computer just like everyone does in the real world."[http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/introducing+the+apossatnavapos+maths+exam/3257252 Introducing the 'sat-nav' maths exam], Channel 4 News, Channel 4, UK And that "School mathematics is very disconnected from mathematics used to solve problems in the real world".[http://economia.elpais.com/economia/2016/04/24/actualidad/1461527206_970734.html Students fleeing mathematics] El Pais, Spain, In an interview with the Guardian he described the replacement of hand calculation by computer use as "democratising expertise".[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/sep/02/wolfram-alpha-online-search-engine-calculations WolframAlpha Online Search Engine Calculations], The Guardian, 2 September 2009. He argues that "A good guide to how and what you should do with a computer in the classroom is what you'd do with it outside. As much as possible, use real-world tools in the classroom in an open-ended way not special education-only closed-ended approaches."[https://edtechdigest.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/interview-doing-the-math-with-conrad-wolfram/ edtech digest] 10 Dec 2010

In 2009, he spoke about education reform at the TEDx Conference at the EU Parliament.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsvPE1EqwQ8&feature=channel I calculate therefore I am], Conrad Wolfram, TedX Brussels, YouTube, 2009.{{cite web |url=http://tedxbrussels.eu/site/speakers.html |title=Speakers at TEDxBurssels 2009 |publisher=Tedxbrussels.eu |access-date=16 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720172601/http://tedxbrussels.eu/site/speakers.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }} and again at TED Global 2010 where he argued that "Maths should be more practical and more conceptual, but less mechanical,"[https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-07/19/conrad-wolfram-maths-curriculum Conrad Wolfram wants to reboot the maths curriculum] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721135433/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-07/19/conrad-wolfram-maths-curriculum |date=21 July 2010 }}, Wired Magazine, 19 July 2010. and that "Calculating is the machinery of math - a means to an end."

In August 2012, he was a member of the judging panel at the Festival of Code, the culmination of Young Rewired State 2012.[https://youngrewiredstate.org/past/festival-of-code-yrs2013/sponsors-and-judges-yrs2013 Past Judges] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004223402/https://youngrewiredstate.org/past/festival-of-code-yrs2013/sponsors-and-judges-yrs2013 |date=4 October 2013 }} youngrewiredstate.org Wolfram is also part of Flooved advisory board.[https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/committees.asp?privcapId=247145889 Company Overview of Flooved Limited, Bloomberg. Retrieved 3/10/17.]

On 10 June 2020, Wolfram released his first book, The Math(s) Fix: An Education Blueprint for the AI Age.[http://www.conradwolfram.com/home/tmf-release-day Released today: "The Math(s) Fix"][https://www.computerbasedmath.org/the-maths-fix/ The Math(s) Fix: An Education Blueprint for the AI Age][https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodberger/2022/01/21/redefining-the-value-proposition-of-math-education/?sh=79d24ba86e51 Redefining The Value Proposition Of Math Education] Forbes Jan 2022 The book summarises Wolfram's thoughts on the current state of mathematics education and sets out a vision for a new core subject based on computational thinking.

Wolfram co-founded Wolfram Research Europe Ltd.[http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/wolfram+alpha+goes+live/3148457 Wolfram Alpha goes live], Channel 4 News, Channel 4, UK. in 1991 and remains its CEO.{{cite web |first=Jamillah |last=Knowles |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/podsandblogs/2009/05/guatemala_wolfram_alpha_acquin.shtml |title=Guatemala, Wolfram Alpha, Acquine and news |publisher=Radio 5, BBC, UK |date=15 September 2009 |access-date=16 November 2010}} In 1996, he additionally became Strategic and International Director[http://www.hindu.com/biz/2009/05/25/stories/2009052550071400.htm A computational knowledge engine for factual queries], The Hindu, India, 25 May 2009. of Wolfram Research, Inc., making him also responsible for Wolfram Research Asia Ltd, and communications such as the wolfram.com website.

Wolfram Research was founded by his brother[https://web.archive.org/web/20090516231734/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/5319890/Can-Wolfram-Alpha-take-on-Google.html Can Wolfram Take on Google?], The Daily Telegraph, UK. Stephen Wolfram, the maker of Mathematica software and the Wolfram Alpha knowledge engine.[https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/anthony-doesburg-wolfram-promises-new-way-to-probe-the-web-1694293.html Wolfram promises new way to probe the web], The Independent, UK.

Wolfram has led the effort to move the use of Mathematica from pure computation system to development and deployment engine,[http://insidehpc.com/2008/12/10/wolfram-releases-free-mathematica-player-7/ Wolfram Releases Mathematica Player 7], [http://insidehpc.com/ Inside HPC], 10 December 2008.[http://www.ddj.com/hpc-high-performance-computing/212900768 Wolfram Releases Mathematic Player Pro 7], Dr. Dobb's Journal. instigating technology such as the Mathematica Player family and web Mathematica and by pushing greater automation within the system.[http://www.mathematica-journal.com/issue/v8i4/newproducts/webmathematicaj.html webMathematica Japanese Edition: Unique Product Brings Computation to the Web] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707230607/http://www.mathematica-journal.com/issue/v8i4/newproducts/webmathematicaj.html |date=7 July 2012 }}, Mathematica Journal, volume 8, issue 4.

He has also led the focus on interactive publishing technology[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/business/online-textbooks-aim-to-make-science-leap-from-the-page.html?_r=3 Making Science Leap From the Page] The New York Times, 17 December 2011 with the stated aim of "making new applications as everyday as new documents"[http://140.177.205.236/2007/10/14/the-day-that-documents-and-applications-merged/ The day that documents and applications merged], Wolfram Research. claiming that "If a picture is worth a thousand words, an interactive document is worth a thousand pictures."[http://www.wolfram.com/solutions/interactivedeployment/basics.html Interactive deployment], Wolfram Research. These technologies converged to form the Computable Document Format[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8561619/Wolfram-Alpha-creator-plans-to-delete-the-PDF.html Wolfram Alpha Creator plans to delete the PDF] The Telegraph (UK) which Wolfram says can "transfer knowledge in a much higher-bandwidth way".[https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-06/28/conrad-wolfram-computation Conrad Wolfram: computation will release data overload] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701000524/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-06/28/conrad-wolfram-computation |date=1 July 2012 }} Wired 28 June 2012

Wolfram's father Hugo Wolfram was a textile manufacturer and novelist (Into a Neutral Country) and his mother Sybil Wolfram was a professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford. He is the younger brother of Stephen Wolfram.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} Wolfram is married to primary care ophthalmology consultant Stella Hornby and has a daughter, Sophia Wolfram.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

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Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

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Category:Mathematics education