Chris Ferrie:“This is how I tell children about science.”

The general public discovered him because of a photo showing Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, in the guise of a father intent on reading one of his books to his son, who was born just over a year ago. A book that aroused much curiosity, since the title was “Quantum Physics for Children.” Chris Ferrie in everyday life is involved in machine learning applied to computational computing at the University of Technology, Sydney. In his spare time, however, he writes science books for children between the ages of 0 and 5, approaching extremely complex topics: from quantum physics, precisely, to artificial intelligence; from climate change to electromagnetism. We interviewed him.

You are a university lecturer, working on machine learning applied to computational computing, and have obtained a Phd in Applied Mathematics. Why did you decide to write popular science books for children aged 0 to 5?

When I started, I did it for my children. If I didn’t have children, I would never have done it. As a scientist, I was looking for science books to read to my children but could not find them. So I thought I would write them.

But at that age is it not too early to deal with such complex topics as quantum physics or the theory of relativity?

Books for such young children are not about teaching specific knowledge and notions. Instead, they are functional in fostering positive association with reading, listening and the questions that may arise from there. The topic is secondary.

Our relationship with learning is changing profoundly, and continuous learning is already a reality. How do you think “classical” education, the education provided by schools and universities, will change?

The current compulsory education system that exists in most countries is very efficient in teaching basic skills and knowledge. Teaching children to read, write and count will always be necessary. What needs to change is the vocational orientation of secondary and post-secondary education. We cannot train young people for a job that they will have for 40 years and from which they will then retire with lasting benefits.

In Italy, compared to the rest of Europe, Stem education still has very limited impact. What suggestion would you make to young people who are concerned about these kinds of disciplines?

I want my children to succeed. I want them to have the tools they need to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives. But more importantly, I want them to be eager and committed lifelong learners. The world is complex, and many people are not equipped to deal with this complexity. Integrated STEM learning makes it easier to tackle complex problems. And ultimately, I want my children not only to have the training they need to handle this complexity, but also to have fun.

You have chosen homeschooling for your children. Why?

This was mostly due to our situation rather than a choice related to a philosophical approach to education. The education model in Australia is quite rigid. Homeschoolers have to learn the same curriculum, but they have much more flexibility.