Four years ago, Sarah Flannery was a bright preteen, living a quiet life with her extended family in the popular tourist town of Blarney, Ireland. Each morning, she and her four brothers scrambled to complete math puzzles posted by their father on the kitchen's blackboard.

Eamonn Flannery (center) works on a math problem in the family kitchen while his father David, brother David, sister Sarah and mother Elaine watch. (In Code photo) | ZOOM |

        After winning an Intel Award for Excellence in Science in 1999, she decided to parlay her success into a brief internship to further her fascination with cryptography, the art of deciphering encoded messages. Working with Baltimore Technologies in Ireland, she developed the prize-winning Cayley-Purser algorithm. This mother of all puzzles speeds Internet transmissions 22 times faster than ever before.

        Sarah was only 16 when she received Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year award for this discovery.

A human journey

       

        How she came to international acclaim and just how deep numbers run in her veins are revealed in her book, In Code: A Mathematical Journey (Workman Publishing, $24.95), which she co-wrote with her father.

        Rather than an account of numbers and algorithms, Ms. Flannery factors the mathematical world in human terms and makes even the most equation-shy reader comfortable with her journey.

        During a recent phone interview, the second-year Cambridge University student discussed her early days, what she's doing now and how to encourage future mathematicians.

IF YOU GO

Who: Sarah Flannery, author of In Code: A Mathematical Journey     When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18     Where: Books & Co., 350 East Stroop Road, Dayton     How much: Free     More info: 937-298-6540

        Question: Why are kids taught to hate or fear math?

        Answer: I think it's more that it's not encouraged so they're turned off to it more easily. Children have so many different teachers at different stages of their lives, it's hard to embrace math.

        I was brought up with my dad giving us all puzzles to do. Everybody should be up that way. Having good teachers that are enthusiastic about math is good too. At schools now, people are more interested in the how and why of education, and they lose the fun of learning.

        Q: What are you studying at Cambridge?

        A: I'm majoring in computer science. I'd like to go on to get my masters and Ph.D but I don't know what area yet. Maybe I'll go into research. I really enjoy cryptography, so at least I'll have something to fall back on.

        Q: Does working end-oriented tasks like problem-solving raise your self-esteem?

        A. We never thought about math that way. We just had fun. We don't do things for that reason in our house. My father never thought about it for that purpose. He just gave us something fun to do, to pass on his enthusiasm for math.

        Q: Are you working on any major projects right now?

        A: Just concentrating on my degree. I don't really have time for anything else. I really enjoyed my first year at Cambridge.

        Q: What would you say to encourage girls who may be interested in mathematics?

        A: That math is interesting and fun, whether you're a girl or a boy. My father never discouraged me from solving his daily puzzles, so working with math was never considered a gender issue. I grew up with four brothers and was treated the same. I know there's a problem with the ratio of girls in math, but anyone with an interest should be accepted.

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