Zvezdelina is from my city and I was surprised to learn that she didn’t go to the maths high school where I studied. I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a big patriot and yet I can’t help but feel a sense of pride because of her achievements both in the academic sense and with regards to her multiple appearances on one of my all time favourite channels - Numberphile.

Thank you for your contributions to the field of Mathematics and for representing Ruse and Bulgaria as a whole!

Best wishes,
Simeon Stefanov

56:10 - “No, I don’t think my students are as tough as I was” 😂 Zvezda is awesome, a true hero in the math community today!

When Zvezdalina said that her favorite sci-fi novel is The Day of the Triffids I almost spit my coffee out. Just last night I remembered the 2009 movie based on the novel and I was like: "This is pretty obscure nowadays, I wonder if anyone still likes this?". I don't know I just thought it was pretty cool that she likes the novel.

I always enjoy listening to Zvezda, be it about math or, apparently, her biography. She is so pleasant and authentic.

Math circles in Eastern European communist countries were basically after-school math clubs. We used the same name in Romania, a country with a significantly different language to Bulgaria - the name probably originated in the Soviet Union, then was internalized by its satellite communist countries. 'Circle' was probably used due to the highly symmetrical nature of round objects, obvious not just to mathematicians, thereby a perfect metaphor for equality (King Arthur and his knights were happy to share a round table, too!)
Math was held in high regard back then in the Eastern Bloc and the math circles would attract real talent, students that would take part in math competitions, and then go on to study mathematics-related subjects at university level. The maths circles were, indeed, attracting young people who wanted to do more, not just something else, as Zvezda explained - they were math clubs with a twist.

I like the podcast but would appreciate a less flashy video background too

The interviewer is also equally excited that I liked

Doc. Stankova has such a lovely voice, it's good to hear from her again!

Wow Brady, I loved the moving map of all the locations Zvezda was referring to, wonderfully coordinated!

I revisit her triangular highway and pebbling the chessboard videos all the time. love how she explains things

I didn't even realize there was a Numberphile podcast. Cool!

That was quite a story.

There's a lot wrong with math education in the U.S.  I wish her well, we should teach it better.

And I did like the map thing.  It took me a little bit to get, but when I did, it was fun.

Absolutely wonderful interview.  Thanks for this.

Love Zvezda! She's amazing!

This lady is such a hero!

This  story is so vivid for me.. Keeping the proportions, it is very symilar to mine, and probably with dozens of other unidenfied girls and boys of that age: also struggeling  with  equating linear problems,  also having the first mathematical epiphania in the 5-th grade. Also having  marvelous, inspiring (women) teachers at my elementary  in Bucharest /Romania and attending mathematical circles (usually at 17h, on Saturdays; later, for grown-ups, at 8h on Sundays).  I always felt deeply gratefull for this. As a consequence, I always carry with me the need to share the beauty of mathematics, in particular of  geometry, which was for me the first meningful contact with mathematics: both axiomatic as well as experimental. Sadly, in order to be able to live from mathematics, I had no option other than living my country- nowadays I live in Brazil.
Zvezdelina's work and achievements are  remarcable and meaningfull!

These biographies are great. I have so many points where even my life criss-crosses them. In this video I can check off Bulgaria, Australia and the USA.

Thank you for the podcasts these are amazing Brady!

6:27 this was a bit concerning, then I realized the auto generated subtitles were a tad off.
"My father came from a small town where there were no conditions for him to study anything but violence"

Mooie Zvezdelina!