Introducing Dr Tom Crawford



Dr Tom Crawford joins the Department as Public Engagement Lead and Departmental Lecturer (STEM subject). Tom is a mathematician, with extensive experience and expertise in demystifying maths, and in sharing his passion with a wide audience. 

Tom, who also holds a position as Fellow by Special Election at St Edmund Hall, has commented, ‘I may have been teaching at the university for the past six years, but it has always felt like I didn’t have a home – until now. The Department for Continuing Education feels like the perfect fit for my work in outreach and public engagement and I’m really excited to see what we can achieve together. The opportunity to work with [the Department’s Director] Matthew and the rest of the Department to help turn Oxford Continuing Education into the 'go to’ place for high-quality online learning is exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for in the next stage of my career. I cannot wait to get started!’

Tom joins the Department having spent the last five years building a public engagement and outreach programme entitled ‘Tom Rocks Maths’. He has over 20 million views on YouTube, two TEDx talks, and has worked with Duolingo, the BBC, the Royal Institution and New Scientist (amongst others).

The Public Engagement Lead is a new role in Oxford Continuing Education. Tom will be working with Departmental staff to help bring their wealth of passion and expertise in their subjects to the public in more accessible and engaging ways. With a particular focus on online learning, this will open up transformative opportunities for lifelong learning to a diverse and global audience.

Director Professor Matthew Weait has expressed his delight that Tom has joined the Department: ‘He brings with him not only a wealth of experience in public engagement but a commitment to making mathematics accessible to as wide an audience as possible. I am excited to work with Tom in supporting colleagues who wish to develop their own public engagement work, and on developing our STEM curriculum over the coming years.’

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Published 16 October 2023