The Unexpected Intersection of Mathematics and Gerrymandering

Moon Duchin, a professor of mathematics, discovered a practical application for her abstract research in the context of political gerrymandering while teaching a course on voting theory. Initially, her focus was on helping non-majors understand complex mathematical principles, but she was struck by the real-world implications during the politically charged environment of the 2016 elections. Through her exploration of districting, she identified that the techniques used in her geometric research could significantly enhance the processes that underlie redistricting methodologies. Her work seeks to provide clarity in a field where the traditional methods faced criticism for being inefficient and partisan.