Outside the world of mathematics it appears that math has remained a steady and consistent field since Newton and Leibniz discovered calculus in the 17th century.  After all, 2 x 2 always equals 4 and the slope of a vertical line is always undefined. So how can mathematics really transform? In this month’s highlight article, the January Postdoc of the Month Winner, Dr. Brittany Fasy, describes her work in the new mathematical field of Topical Data Analysis (TDA). TDA is a unique combination of algebraic topology and pure mathematics that allows for topological organization of large data sets to identify areas of persistence and thus, relevance. Applications of TDA range from identifying areas of high human traffic for strategic advertising, to characterizing the organization of the universe, to diagnosing cancer.