“Being a mathematician, I am not afraid of failure”: Prof Asha Rao, the first mathematician to be 2019 superstar of STEM by the Australian Government

Interviewed by Nidhi Kumari

Professor Asha Rao, Associate Dean (Mathematical Sciences)  School of Science, RMIT is one of the three Indian origin women scientists who has been awarded by the Australian Government for exceptional work in Mathematics.

Asha Rao started her academic career as an Associate Lecturer at RMIT in 1992, rising through the ranks to become Professor in 2016.  Asha is a trans-disciplinary researcher with a number of diverse research partnerships, ranging from mathematics and communication technologies to social media and architecture.

As Program Director for Information Security, she brought management and business into a mainly technical degree, making many links with the cyber security industry. As the founding chair of the Women in Maths, she put in place a number of initiatives to improve gender equity within the mathematical sciences. As a cybersecurity expert, she appears regularly on audio visual and print media and has won RMIT Media star awards.

She tells us about being one of the superstars of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ), her research work, her message for all women out there and a lot more in an exclusive interview with Indus Age. Read on to know more.

Many congratulations to you for being recognised as one of the superstars of STEM by the Australian Government, you are truly a role model. Your comments on that:

It is exciting to be part of this inspiring program – to be the first mathematician to be chosen. I believe that society will benefit if more girls (and boys) did higher level mathematics in high school. Being named a 2019 superstar of STEM means that I will get the chance to showcase this importance of mathematics to a much wider audience than previously.

Tell us about your interest in Science and research and why you wanted to become a scientist?

Very early on, a cousin gave us (my brothers and I) some Time Life books, and I loved browsing them and reading about what was being achieved with science. Thus, science has always fascinated me. In addition, mathematics was easy, and I loved working on the problems – every time I got one right, it gave me a real buzz.

Enlighten us more about your research work and its applicability?

The word that best sums up my research is “cyber mathematics”. It encompasses the use of mathematics to tackle a vast array of problems within the cyber domain, to improve and secure communications both those that exist as well as that which is coming; from using social media to better communicate a message to better securing the smart objects in the internet of things (IoT). Some particular examples of the research I do include detecting money laundering; researching how to campaign better using Facebook; better predictions of popularity of items, etc.

We do not see many women takers for STEM (especially in India). What do you think is the reason behind this skewed interest and how can we improve the same?

The perception that mathematics and science is a male attribute persists. Parents and teachers also help to sustain this myth, telling daughters and students, that they cannot do engineering, for example. This conditioning starts at an early age, in primary school. The only way to overcome this, is to have more role models. As the US Justice Ruth B. Ginsburg said, I believe it is important that women in all their complexities become more involved in STEM, so that we are more than a curiosity.

Tell us how your area of scientific discovery is relevant for the ordinary citizen?

The research I do is of utmost importance in the current age. With the proliferation of devices, it is necessary that our information is secure. Just as the invention of the wheel improved the chances of the criminal getting away from the scene of the crime, the advances in technology make it easier for rogue elements to deprive us of privacy and to use our data against us. My research will help protect the ordinary citizen in ways that she/he will not even notice. The best security is that which is part of the design of things, and that is what my research is all about.

What’s the most interesting thing that you’ve learned while doing your research work?

The most interesting thing I have learnt is that ideas can come from very unexpected places. For example, I used methods used for calculating the risks in heart surgery, to come up with ways in which a politician could measure the success of their social media campaigning. I realised that one needs to be always open to learning new things from areas very different to what is normal to oneself.

What excites you the most about your work?

I am excited about what new learnings each new day will bring – from my students, my colleagues and the world at large.

What has been your inspiration all these years?

My main inspiration has been my mother – she always believed that I could be whatever I wanted to be.

How do you look at Indo-Aussie relationship in the field of science and research?

There is a lot of collaboration between India and Australia in the field of science, and research. The links are being built and strengthened by all the bilateral awards and enriching the research culture of both countries.

Which moment of your life would you call as the turning point?

I pursued a master’s degree when my son was 2 years old. I had wanted to do a master’s in analytical chemistry but chose pure mathematics instead because it did not have practicals. All I needed was paper, pencil and my brain! That was when my interest in mathematics really sharpened, and I realised that it was so fundamental to everything, and gave you deep insights into the problems in all aspects of not only science, but other fields as well – finance, medicine etc.

Has there been any obstacle or challenge that you faced in your work?

The main obstacle I faced was when I arrived here after my PhD. I found that there were no researchers in my PhD area at RMIT (or in Melbourne). That was also a positive thing, as I learnt to reinvent myself, and that is something I have been doing on a regular basis. 

How do you look at- ‘Success’ and ‘Failure’?

Being a mathematician, I am not afraid of failure. It has always been a part of my life – it just gives me a chance to do things again – get a better solution, solve a bigger problem. Success could lead us to stop growing – failure always challenges me. Why did I fail? What did I learn? How I can change what looks like failure into success? I have to say that I have learnt more from my failures than I have ever learnt from my successes.

What is it that you like to do when you are not working?

I am a keen sewer. I love making my own clothes. Because there is a lot of mathematics in sewing. These days I find new challenges in using high level mathematics to create fashion, such as using the principles of hyperbolic geometry to create an evening ensemble.

Your message for young and aspiring brains:

My message for young and aspiring brains, is “Life was not meant to be easy”. But this is what makes it more rewarding. You need to persevere to be able to get the most beautiful insights, whether it is in studies or at work. Look for the silver lining in every cloud.

Your message for all women who look up to you as an inspiration?

My message to all women who look to me for inspiration is to find your own path. Every path is different, and what fits someone else may not fit you. Have confidence in yourself, and you can move mountains.