Breaking Math bills itself as a podcast that breaks down difficult mathematical concepts for everyone—but spend even a few minutes with its original hosts, Sofia (Jonathan) Baca and Gabriel Hesch, and it’s clear the mission always ran deeper than explanation alone. From the beginning, Breaking Math was about curiosity, understanding, and the power that comes from finally having something click.

“I haven’t spoken to any adult who would deny that education is paramount,” Hesch once said. “The human struggle is a struggle to understand your environment—and once you understand it, that’s power.”

Hesch, an electrical engineering graduate student at the University of New Mexico, came to the podcast after years of teaching middle school math and science. Though he stepped away from the classroom to pursue graduate work, his passion for creative, concept-driven teaching never faded. The podcast became an outlet for that style—one less constrained by syllabi and more driven by wonder.

The show itself began almost accidentally. While trying to learn computer programming, Hesch met Jonathan Baca, a computer science graduate at UNM, while the two were sitting next to each other in the Student Union Building. Baca offered to tutor Hesch, and the two quickly bonded over science, math, and a shared obsession with the elusive “ah-ha!” moment.

“His ability to explain concepts and my willingness to understand them led to a lot of those moments,” Hesch said. “So many that we started talking about our favorite ones. That’s when the idea for a podcast took shape.”

That idea became reality in August 2016, with support from KUNM through NPR’s Generation Listen program—an initiative designed to connect curious minds through public radio. What began as a local project quickly grew, spreading to major podcast platforms and reaching listeners in dozens of countries.

On the show, Baca and Hesch explored topics that often felt unfathomable—dimensional space, abstraction, mathematical possibility—not to intimidate, but to invite. Their conversations were less about mastery and more about permission: permission to wonder, to struggle, and to imagine.

They were also keenly aware of the limits of audio alone. To engage visual learners, each episode was paired with original graphics, illustrations, and visual explainers published alongside the show. Baca’s skill in photo editing and visual storytelling helped solidify complex ideas and draw in new audiences.

“Our audience is people who love to learn,” Baca explained. “And people who have the potential to want to learn.”

To broaden that reach, Breaking Math invited voices from across the university and beyond—faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and community members—building a space where many perspectives could coexist around shared curiosity.

At its core, the show maintained a simple belief: mathematics isn’t separate from the world—it’s woven through it. Understanding math, they argued, was one of the most powerful ways to understand anything.

Leadership & Evolution

In 2023, Sofia suddenly passed away.

In 2024, educator and science communicator Autumn Phaneuf joined the Breaking Math team, expanding the show’s scope and strengthening its focus on storytelling, education, and interdisciplinary connection.

In 2026, following Gabriel’s retirement from the project, Autumn became CEO of Breaking Math Media, guiding the podcast’s evolution into a broader media and education platform.

That same year, mathematician and author Noah Giansiracusa joined the team, marking a new chapter for Breaking Math—one that builds on its original spirit of curiosity while expanding its reach, depth, and cultural impact.

As of December 2025, Breaking Math has over 7 million downloads across all platforms.