How to Fall in Love With Math, Not Fear It

In this episode of The Thought Project podcast, CUNY Graduate Center Mathematics Ph.D. student Emma Hasson shares her passion for mathematics and her mission to make it more engaging and accessible. A Scientific American puzzle writer and recipient of a prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Media Fellowship, Hasson describes math as creative, beautiful, and universal: a discipline rooted in curiosity, problem-solving, and play. She finds joy in helping others see math not as rigid or intimidating, but as something everyone can connect to through patterns and puzzles. She also explains why math anxiety is so common, even among teachers. Many were taught to memorize steps rather than understand concepts, leading to insecurity and a rigid, procedure-first approach in the classroom. Hasson argues that effective math learning balances structure with creativity and treats confusion not as failure, but as part of discovery.