Ionica Smeets (born 8 October 1979) is a Dutch mathematician,

science journalist Science journalism conveys reporting about science to the public. The field typically involves interactions between scientists, journalists and the public. Origins Modern science journalism originated in weather and other natural history obs ...

, columnist, television presenter and professor in

science communication Science communication encompasses a wide range of activities that connect science and society. Common goals of science communication include informing non-experts about scientific findings, raising the Public awareness of science, public awar ...

Leiden University Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince of Orange as a Protestantism, Protestant institution, it holds the d ...

Biography

Ionica Smeets was born in

Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...

, where she completed her propedeuse in

computer science Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...

at the

Delft University of Technology The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft; ) is the oldest and largest Dutch public university, public Institute of technology, technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. It specializes in engineering, technology, computing, design, a ...

. She switched studies and graduated in

applied mathematics Applied mathematics is the application of mathematics, mathematical methods by different fields such as physics, engineering, medicine, biology, finance, business, computer science, and Industrial sector, industry. Thus, applied mathematics is a ...

. Smeets was working on her thesis in mathematics, on a subject within

number theory Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers and arithmetic functions. Number theorists study prime numbers as well as the properties of mathematical objects constructed from integers (for example ...

, at Leiden University when she started the blog ''Wiskundemeisjes'' (Math girls'''), on 14 March 2006, together with Jeanine Daems. The website has been awarded in 2007 with two ''Dutch Bloggies''. Since 2010, the two 'math girls' ran a

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

in ''

De Volkskrant ''De Volkskrant'' (; ), stylized as de Volkskrant, is a Dutch daily morning newspaper. Founded in 1919, it has a nationwide circulation of about 250,000. Formerly a leading centre-left Catholic broadsheet, ''de Volkskrant'' today is a medium- ...

'' for several years. Currently, Smeets writes a weekly piece titled "''Ionica zag een getal''" ("''Ionica saw a number''") in the periodical ''Sir Edmund'' (a magazine from ''

''). She completed her PhD at Leiden in 2010; her dissertation, ''On Continued Fraction Algorithms'', was supervised by Robert Tijdeman and Cornelis Kraaikamp. After this, Smeets became a science journalist. She performs research, together with Bas Haring, on successful methods to explain science to the general audience. In this function, she appeared on Dutch television, such as in '' De Wereld Draait Door''. On 19 October 2011, the book ''Ik was altijd heel slecht in wiskunde'' (''I have always been bad at mathematics'') appeared, which she wrote together with Jeanine Daems. Begin 2012, Smeets co-presented eight editions of the KRO-program ''De Rekenkamer'', replacing Sofie van den Enk. In 2013, Smeets presented the mathematics program ''Eureka'', together with Van den Enk. On 17 August 2014 she was guest in the Dutch television program ''Zomergasten''. Furthermore, she participated in the

NCRV NCRV (Nederlandse Christelijke Radio Vereniging) (English: Dutch Christian Radio Association) was a public radio and television broadcaster in the Netherlands, mostly transmitting on NPO 1 and NPO 2. On 1 January 2014, NCRV merged with KRO to f ...

's television quiz ''De Slimste Mens'' in August 2014, almost reaching the final round. In July 2015, Smeets was appointed professor in Science Communication at the University of Leiden.De Volkskrant (4 juli 2015): Van 'wiskundemeisje' tot hoogleraar communicatie
/ref> In December 2015, she started presenting the

VPRO The VPRO (stylized vpro; originally an acronym for ''Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep'', lit. 'Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcaster', nowadays known as ''Omroepvereniging VPRO'') is a Netherlands, Dutch Public broadcasting, public broadca ...

television program ''de Nationale Wetenschapsquiz'' (''the National Science Quiz''), which she has presented together with Pieter Hulst up until now.

Selected publications

* Ionica Smeets: ''Zoete kinderen eten geen suiker''. Amsterdam, Uitgeverij Nieuwezijds, 2016. * Ionica Smeets: ''Het exacte verhaal''. Amsterdam, Nieuwezijds, 2014. * Jeanine Daems & Ionica Smeets: ''Ik was altijd heel slecht in wiskunde. Reken maar op de wiskundemeisjes''. Amsterdam, Nieuwezijds, 2011. * Ionica Smeets & Bas Haring: ''Vallende kwartjes. Een slimme selectie van leesbare wetenschap''. Amsterdam, Nijgh & Van Ditmar 2010. 5th print 2012: * Ionica Smeets: ''On continued fraction algorithms''. Enschede, Ipskamp Drukkers, 2010. (Proefschrift Universiteit Leiden) No ISBN. Digital version

References

External links

Personal website

Wiskundemeisjes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smeets, Ionica 1979 births 21st-century Dutch mathematicians Delft University of Technology alumni Dutch women mathematicians Dutch television presenters Dutch bloggers Leiden University alumni Academic staff of Leiden University Living people Number theorists People from Delft Dutch science journalists Dutch women journalists 21st-century women mathematicians Dutch women bloggers Dutch women television presenters