THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 398 December 2010

Society LMS COUNCIL DIARY to have a special Strategy Day in February. Among the issues to Meetings 8 October 2010 be discussed are the recommen- and Events At its meeting on 8 October, dations from the Membership Council noted with regret the Working Group led by Garth 2010 resignation from Council with Dales. In particular, do we want Monday 6 December immediate effect of Simon to increase the membership of Society Meeting, Chandler-Wilde, due to pres- the LMS, and if so, in what way? ICMS, Edinburgh sure of work in his new role as How do we make membership [page 3] Head of the School of Mathe- of the LMS more attractive while matical and Physical Sciences at staying within the charity law 2011 Reading. Thus I am writing this which states that the overall cost Council Diary in his stead. of members’ benefits must not  Friday 25 February Among the substantial mat- exceed the total subscriptions Mary Cartwright ters before Council was the paid? Since any large change in Lecture, Oxford job of considering and approv- membership may alter the char- [page 20] ing the annual accounts and acter of the Society irrevocably, Friday 6 May trustees’ report. This is perhaps it is important to think carefully Women in Mathematics our single most important le- before making changes. Day, London gal duty as trustees, and Brian Ken Brown led a discussion on [page 21] Stewart, the Treasurer, ably the three research policy docu- led us through the mass of ments (see article on page 2), Tuesday 17 May figures, clearly pointing out to which had been substantially LMS–Gresham Lecture, us where to find the real fig- updated since they were dis- London [page 21] ures in amongst the accounting cussed by Council in July. They Friday 1 July fictions. The overall picture is were generally agreed to be London that the Society is in a healthy very helpful in arguing the case Tuesday 19 July position financially, with a for mathematics, and they were Northern Regional small recovery in invested capi- formally approved by Council. Meeting, Leeds tal, and a significantly greater These documents also fed into profit from publications than the LMS submission to the cur- Friday 18 November expected this year. Neverthe- rent International Review of LMS AGM, London less, the continued economic Mathematics being undertaken uncertainty means that con- by EPSRC. The LMS made a stant vigilance is still required. strong case that mathematics It is one of the jobs of Coun- in the UK is highly successful, NEWSLETTER cil to make decisions on policy despite serious and chronic and strategy, but there is never underfunding relative to both ONLINE: enough time at ordinary Council comparator countries and com- Go to www.lms.ac.uk/ meetings to discuss these matters parator disciplines. newsletter properly. We decided therefore John Greenlees reported on

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

the regular meeting between the CMS and invited us to start thinking about the 150th EPSRC, which had little cheer for mathe- anniversary of the founding of the LMS, matics, as various nightmare scenarios were which occurs in 2015. Stephen Huggett played out in front of us. In the event, the reported on the slow progress on the new Government’s Comprehensive Spending Re- website, but since the Council meeting view has protected the overall cash spent there has been more movement, and there on research in STEM subjects, but it is too are signs that we might actually have at early to say what will happen to the share least a skeleton of a brand new website be- of this currently allocated to mathematics. fore long. We then came to a discussion of policy on Robert Wilson school education, which continues to gen- erate great controversy. Numerous bodies with the word ‘mathematics’ in their title RESEARCH POLICY have widely differing views. After much discussion, Council decided that in repre- COMMITTEE senting its members, the LMS represents The Research Policy Committee, as a part of university mathematics, and that it was the LMS input into the International Review quite legitimate for us to have a different of Mathematics, has produced three papers.  view from other bodies which have differ- These are now available on the LMS website ent constituencies. We therefore declined at www.lms.ac.uk/activities/research_policy. to support initiatives which we felt would The statements are: be detrimental to university mathematics. • Research and Teaching in Symbiosis On a happier note, June Barrow-Green This paper aims to set out the context in

which research and training in the mathe- LMS Newsletter www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter matical sciences are currently carried out Editorial office: [email protected]; London Mathematical Society, in UK higher education. De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655) • UK Government Funding for Mathematical Events calendar: please send updates and corrections to [email protected] Sciences Research This paper sets out the methods by which General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) research in the UK is financially supported. Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) • Doctoral Training Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) This paper sets out the current issues surrounding doctoral training in the mathe- Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. matical sciences in the UK. Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the Initial drafts of these statements were made first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. available during the summer on the LMS Advertising: for rates and guidelines, see www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/ratecard.html website for comment. Seventy responses of a News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, very high quality were received and the com- although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter mittee is grateful for the input provided by are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author or photographer for the rights to individual LMS members, their departments reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. and other organisations in the mathematical Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. sciences. There is no doubt that many people Charity registration number: 252660. engaged constructively with the debate that the committee’s work prompted.

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invited us to start thinking about the 150th anniversary of the founding of the LMS, LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY which occurs in 2015. Stephen Huggett reported on the slow progress on the new website, but since the Council meeting MEETING there has been more movement, and there are signs that we might actually have at Monday 6 December 2010 least a skeleton of a brand new website be- ICMS, 15 South College Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AA fore long. Robert Wilson Speakers: Yujiro Kawamata (Tokyo) RESEARCH POLICY Yum-Tong Siu (Harvard) COMMITTEE The LMS Meeting will take place on the first day of the conference Birational Geometry, to be held at the Institute of Geography, University of The Research Policy Committee, as a part of Edinburgh, from 6 to 10 December. Further information can be found at the LMS input into the International Review of Mathematics, has produced three papers. www.maths.ed.ac.uk/cheltsov/shokurov/index.html. These are now available on the LMS website There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of  at www.lms.ac.uk/activities/research_policy. members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting. Contact The statements are: Isabelle Robinson ([email protected]) for further information. • Research and Teaching in Symbiosis This paper aims to set out the context in All are welcome to attend.

which research and training in the mathe- Although these statements were prepared LMS Newsletter www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter matical sciences are currently carried out with the IRM panel in mind we hope that Editorial office: [email protected]; London Mathematical Society, in UK higher education. they will be of use to anyone concerned with De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655) • UK Government Funding for Mathematical the position of the mathematical sciences Events calendar: please send updates and corrections to [email protected] Sciences Research in UK higher education. Please feel free to This paper sets out the methods by which print and distribute copies as you wish (while General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) research in the UK is financially supported. – of course – giving due acknowledgement to Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) • Doctoral Training their provenance). Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) This paper sets out the current issues The Committee expects to revise the papers surrounding doctoral training in the mathe- in the light of developments, so any com- Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. matical sciences in the UK. ments, corrections, suggestions for updates, Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the Initial drafts of these statements were made etc. are extremely welcome. Moreover, the first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. available during the summer on the LMS Committee will be working on further papers Advertising: for rates and guidelines, see www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/ratecard.html website for comment. Seventy responses of a in the coming months, and so suggestions for News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, very high quality were received and the com- topics to be covered in future are very wel- although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter mittee is grateful for the input provided by come. All such feedback should be sent to are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author or photographer for the rights to individual LMS members, their departments Duncan Turton at the LMS (lmspolicy@lms. reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. and other organisations in the mathematical ac.uk). Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. sciences. There is no doubt that many people Ken Brown Charity registration number: 252660. engaged constructively with the debate that LMS Vice President the committee’s work prompted. Chair, Research Policy Committee

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

LMS SUBSCRIPTION version has been processed by the LMS, your email address will be passed to Oxford Uni- Reminder versity Press who will contact you with details Members are reminded that their annual sub- on how to access the journals. scription, including payment for publications, Isabelle Robinson for the period November 2010 – October 2011 Group Head (Society & Grants) was due on 1 November 2010, and should be paid by 31 December 2010 at the latest. In the case of members who already have a LMS PRIZES 2011 Direct Debit set up, no action need be taken. Call for Nominations All members should now have received a reminder via email or letter, detailing how The London Mathematical Society welcomes to pay their subscription. If you have not re- nominations for the 2011 prizes to recognise ceived a reminder, please contact the Mem- and celebrate the achievements in and con- bership department (email: membership@ tributions to all aspects of mathematics, in- lms.ac.uk; tel. 020 7291 9973/7). cluding applied mathematics, mathematical physics and mathematical aspects of compu- Rates ter science.  The annual subscription to the London Mathe- In 2011 the LMS Council expects to award: matical Society for 2010–11 is: • The Pólya Prize in recognition of out- • Ordinary membership £51.50 standing creativity in, imaginative exposi- • Concessions on Ordinary membership: tion of, or distinguished contribution to, – Reciprocity £25.75 mathematics within the United Kingdom – Career break or part-time working £13.50 • The Senior Whitehead Prize for work in, • Associate membership £13.50 influence on or service to mathematics, or Members also have the option to pay their recognition of lecturing gifts in the field European Mathematical Society subscription of mathematics via the LMS (£23) and subscribe to the Journal • The Naylor Prize and Lectureship in Applied of the EMS (£88). Mathematics for work in, and influence on, The member prices of the Society’s journals and contributions to applied mathematics for 2011 are: and/or the applications of mathematics, Print Online* Print+Online* and lecturing gifts Bulletin 53.00 42.00 64.00 £ £ £ • The Berwick Prize in recognition of Journal £101.00 £81.00 £121.00 an outstanding piece of mathematical Proceedings £106.00 £85.00 £127.00 Nonlinearity (except N. America) (N. America) research by an LMS member and actually published by the Society during the eight £72.00 £93.00 JCM (electronic) — free — years ending on 31 December 2010 (*inclusive of VAT) • The Whitehead Prizes for work in and Members now have the choice of taking an influence on mathematics electronic subscription to the Bulletin, Jour- The closing date for nominations is Friday nal or Proceedings of the LMS at a discount 14 January 2011. of 20% on the standard price for a print sub- For further information and nomination scription. Alternatively, members may receive forms, visit the LMS website (www.lms.ac.uk) both the print and electronic versions for an or contact Elizabeth Fisher, Secretary to the additional 20% above the price of the print Prizes Committee at the Society (tel: 020 7927 subscription. Once an order for an electronic 0807, email: [email protected]).

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version has been processed by the LMS, your email address will be passed to Oxford Uni- versity Press who will contact you with details on how to access the journals. Isabelle Robinson Group Head (Society & Grants)

LMS PRIZES 2011 Call for Nominations The London Mathematical Society welcomes nominations for the 2011 prizes to recognise and celebrate the achievements in and con- tributions to all aspects of mathematics, in- cluding applied mathematics, mathematical physics and mathematical aspects of compu- ter science. In 2011 the LMS Council expects to award:  • The Pólya Prize in recognition of out- standing creativity in, imaginative exposi- tion of, or distinguished contribution to, mathematics within the United Kingdom • The Senior Whitehead Prize for work in, influence on or service to mathematics, or recognition of lecturing gifts in the field of mathematics • The Naylor Prize and Lectureship in Applied Mathematics for work in, and influence on, and contributions to applied mathematics and/or the applications of mathematics, and lecturing gifts • The Berwick Prize in recognition of an outstanding piece of mathematical research by an LMS member and actually published by the Society during the eight years ending on 31 December 2010 • The Whitehead Prizes for work in and influence on mathematics The closing date for nominations is Friday 14 January 2011. For further information and nomination forms, visit the LMS website (www.lms.ac.uk) or contact Elizabeth Fisher, Secretary to the Prizes Committee at the Society (tel: 020 7927 0807, email: [email protected]).

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

LMS SPECIAL We would therefore welcome any further information that members may have on the COLLECTIONS PROJECT current location of any books from Hardy’s With the help of two Library Science postgradu- library (please email Janet Foster at archivist@ ate students from City University, the Society’s lms.ac.uk). Library Committee has begun a project to The Philippa Fawcett Collection was gen- catalogue two of the Society’s Special Collec- erously donated in 2008 to the Society by tions: the Hardy Collection and the Philippa Dr A.E.L. Davis. The collection is named in Fawcett Collection. Housed in the Verblunsky honour of Philippa Fawcett who, in 1890, Members’ Room at De Morgan House, these was the first woman to come top of the final collections offer two very different insights examinations of the Mathematical Tripos at into current and past mathematics. Cambridge University. This feat would have The Hardy Collection contains over 300 earned her the title “Senior Wrangler” but volumes from G.H. Hardy’s personal library as this was reserved for men only, Phillippa of books, which were used by him at various Fawcett was instead known as “above the points throughout his career. As such, one can Senior Wrangler”. get a glimpse of the authors who influenced The Philippa Fawcett Collection focuses on his thinking or caught his attention. Many of the lives and work of female mathematicians.  these volumes contain Hardy’s signature and From Hypatia through to Emmy Noether, the in some cases they also contain a dedication. collection charts the significant contributions According to Hardy’s will, the primary to mathematics made by women throughout recipient of his collection following his death the ages. In addition, there are books which ex- in 1947 was J.E. Littlewood, with the remain- amine the role of women in other related dis- der going to New College ciplines, such as astronomy Oxford. In 1971, a Cambridge and physics. The collection book dealer, Galloway & also includes a pamphlet Porter, bought most of the by Philippa Fawcett her- books from the Littlewood self which was published collection to sell on to the by the League of Nations public. Aston University in 1938. Among the more obtained a large part of recent works is Caroline the collection and in 1998, Series’ co-authored book the Society bought some with David Mumford and 300 volumes from Aston David Wright, Indra’s Pearls: University to house at De The Vision of Felix Klein. Morgan House. Both collections are im- Since then, the Hardy portant to the history of Collection has been ex- the LMS, and the project tended through various to catalogue them is part generous donations from of the Library Committee’s members and through wider aim to build a com- further acquisitions. How- plete database of the So- ever, the collection is not Philippa Fawcett ciety’s archives and special complete and the Society collections. would like to build an overall picture of the Elizabeth Fisher whereabouts of as much of it as is possible. Grants & Activities Administrator

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We would therefore welcome any further information that members may have on the current location of any books from Hardy’s library (please email Janet Foster at archivist@ lms.ac.uk). The Philippa Fawcett Collection was gen- erously donated in 2008 to the Society by Dr A.E.L. Davis. The collection is named in honour of Philippa Fawcett who, in 1890, was the first woman to come top of the final examinations of the Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge University. This feat would have earned her the title “Senior Wrangler” but as this was reserved for men only, Phillippa Fawcett was instead known as “above the Senior Wrangler”. The Philippa Fawcett Collection focuses on the lives and work of female mathematicians. From Hypatia through to Emmy Noether, the  collection charts the significant contributions to mathematics made by women throughout the ages. In addition, there are books which ex- amine the role of women in other related dis- ciplines, such as astronomy and physics. The collection also includes a pamphlet by Philippa Fawcett her- self which was published by the League of Nations in 1938. Among the more recent works is Caroline Series’ co-authored book with David Mumford and David Wright, Indra’s Pearls: The Vision of Felix Klein. Both collections are im- portant to the history of the LMS, and the project to catalogue them is part of the Library Committee’s wider aim to build a com- plete database of the So- ciety’s archives and special collections. Elizabeth Fisher Grants & Activities Administrator

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

CHRISTOPHER ZEEMAN MEDAL FOR COMMUNICATION OF MATHEMATICS Call for Nominations

The Councils of the London Mathematical Society and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications are delighted to invite nominations for the 2011 award of the Christopher Zeeman Medal, which is the UK award dedicated to recognising excellence in the communication of mathematics. The IMA and LMS wish to honour mathe- maticians who have excelled in promot- ing mathematics and engaging with the general public. They may be academic mathematicians based in universities, mathematics school teachers, industrial  mathematicians, those working in the fi- nancial sector or indeed mathematicians from any number of other fields. Most importantly, these mathematicians will have worked exceptionally to bring mathematics to a non-specialist audience, whether it is through giving public lec- tures, writing books, appearing on radio or television, organising events or through an entirely separate medium. The LMS and IMA want to celebrate the achievements of mathematicians who work to inspire others with their work. The medal is awarded triennially. Nomi- nations are now invited for the second award which will be made in 2011. In a joint statement, the LMS and IMA said “We are delighted to be able to show how much we need and value mathema- ticians who can promote their subject successfully. This role is vital to inspiring the next generation of mathematicians as well as helping the wider public to enjoy mathematics.” The award is named after Professor Sir Christopher Zeeman, FRS, President of the LMS from 1986 to 1988. His notable career has been pioneering not only in the fields

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CHRISTOPHER ZEEMAN MEDAL FOR COMMUNICATION OF MATHEMATICS Call for Nominations

The Councils of the London Mathematical of topology and catastrophe theory but Society and the Institute of Mathematics also because of his ground breaking work and its Applications are delighted to invite in bringing his beloved mathematics to the nominations for the 2011 award of the wider public. Christopher Zeeman Medal, which is the UK Sir Christopher was the first mathema- award dedicated to recognising excellence tician to be asked to deliver the Royal in the communication of mathematics. Institution Christmas Lectures in 1978, a The IMA and LMS wish to honour mathe- full 160 years since they began. His Mathe- maticians who have excelled in promot- matics into pictures lectures have been ing mathematics and engaging with the cited by many young UK mathematicians general public. They may be academic as their inspiration. They also led to the mathematicians based in universities, creation of the Ri’s Mathematics Master- mathematics school teachers, industrial classes, weekly lectures delivered to school mathematicians, those working in the fi- children across the UK via a network of 50  nancial sector or indeed mathematicians centres. from any number of other fields. Sir Christopher’s skill as a communica- Most importantly, these mathematicians tor has long been recognised in the wider will have worked exceptionally to bring community. In 1988, he was the third re- mathematics to a non-specialist audience, cipient of the Royal Society’s Faraday whether it is through giving public lec- Prize, awarded annually to a scientist or tures, writing books, appearing on radio engineer who has excelled in communicat- or television, organising events or through ing science to public audiences. His award an entirely separate medium. The LMS and was made “for the contributions he has IMA want to celebrate the achievements made to the popularization of mathe- of mathematicians who work to inspire matics”. In recognition of both his work others with their work. as a mathematician and his contribution The medal is awarded triennially. Nomi- to the UK mathematics community, Sir nations are now invited for the second Christopher received the LMS–IMA David award which will be made in 2011. Crighton Medal in 2006. In a joint statement, the LMS and IMA The first award of the Christopher Zeeman said “We are delighted to be able to show Medal was made to Professor Ian Stewart, how much we need and value mathema- FRS. ticians who can promote their subject To put someone forward for the medal, successfully. This role is vital to inspiring please contact the IMA for a nomination the next generation of mathematicians as form by writing to The Secretary to the well as helping the wider public to enjoy Christopher Zeeman Medal, The Insti- mathematics.” tute of Mathematics and its Applications, The award is named after Professor Sir Catherine Richards House, 16 Nelson Street, Christopher Zeeman, FRS, President of the Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1EF, or email LMS from 1986 to 1988. His notable career [email protected]. Forms should be has been pioneering not only in the fields returned by Friday 11 February 2011.

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

ROYAL SOCIETY 2011 Cecil King MEDALS AND AWARDS Travel Scholarship Call for nominations

The London Mathematical Society annually awards a £5000 Cecil King The Royal Society medals, awards and prize Travel Scholarship in Mathematics to a young mathematician of outstanding lectureships provide an opportunity to cel- ebrate outstanding scientific achievement and promise. The Scholarship is awarded to support a period of study or research are an important part of their work in recognis- abroad, typically for a period of three months. ing excellence in science across the disciplines. The award is competitive and based on a written proposal describing the • Biological Sciences intended programme of study or research abroad and the benefits to Royal Medal, Buchanan Medal, be gained from such a visit. A shortlist of applicants will be selected for Croonian Medal, Francis Crick Lecture, interview. Kavli Lecture • Physical Sciences Applicants should normally be nationals of the UK or Republic of Ireland, Copley Medal, Rumford Medal, Royal Medal, Davy Medal, Sylvester Medal, either registered for or having recently completed a doctoral degree at a Hughes Medal, Bakerian Lecture, 10 UK University. Clifford Paterson Lecture • Interdisciplinary Sciences Applications should be made using the form available on the Society’s Royal Medal, Gabor Medal website (www.lms.ac.uk/activities/cecil_king/index.html) or by contacting • Women in Science [email protected]. The closing date for applications is Friday 25 February Rosalind Franklin Award 2011. It is expected that interviews will take place in London in late April • Science Communication or early May. Michael Faraday Prize and Lecture, Royal Society Kohn Award The Cecil King Travel Scholarship was established in 2001 by the Cecil • Philosophy and History of Science King Memorial Fund. The award is made by the Council of the London Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture • International Mathematical Society on the recommendation of the Cecil King Prize Royal Society Pfizer Award Committee, nominated by the Society’s Education Committee. The closing date for nominations is Monday 14 February 2011. Prize lectures awarded in 2011 will be delivered in 2012. Full details of IMU VOLUNTEER LECTURER PROGRAM all awards can be found at http://royalsociety. org/awards. If you have any queries contact The International Mathematical Union’s visit (Scheme 5) may be used to fund a Vol- [email protected]. Volunteer Lecturer Program (VLP) offers in- unteer Lecturer, with matching funding tensive 3–4 week courses in mathematics at coming from the IMU. This means that math- the advanced undergraduate or master’s ematicians from the UK may now take part ROSALIND FRANKLIN level to universities in developing countries. in the VLP. Further details can be found at www.math. For further details on applying for an inter- AWARD 2011 ohio-state.edu/~imu.cdc/vlp. national short visit grant, please see the LMS Invitation to nominate The London Mathematical Society has website at www.lms.ac.uk/grants. reached an agreement with the IMU where- Dr Stephen Huggett The Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award by an LMS grant for an international short LMS Programme Secretary is designed to promote women in Science,

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ROYAL SOCIETY 2011 Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and is funded by the Department MEDALS AND AWARDS for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Call for nominations The award, consisting of a medal and £30,000, is made annually to an individu- The Royal Society medals, awards and prize al for an outstanding contribution to any lectureships provide an opportunity to cel- area of STEM. As part of the nomination ebrate outstanding scientific achievement and process, nominees are asked to put for- are an important part of their work in recognis- ward a proposal for a project that would ing excellence in science across the disciplines. raise the profile of women in STEM in their host institution and/or field of exper- • Biological Sciences tise in the UK. The recipient of the award Royal Medal, Buchanan Medal, will be expected to spend a proportion of Croonian Medal, Francis Crick Lecture, the £30,000 award fund on implementing Kavli Lecture their project. There are no restrictions on • Physical Sciences the age of nominees, but it is anticipated Copley Medal, Rumford Medal, that the award will be made to someone Royal Medal, Davy Medal, Sylvester Medal, in their mid-career, up to 20 years full time Hughes Medal, Bakerian Lecture, equivalent years in work since PhD and Clifford Paterson Lecture 11 actively involved in scientific research. • Interdisciplinary Sciences Nominations are welcomed for both Royal Medal, Gabor Medal women and men. For full details of the • Women in Science award and guidelines for nomination, Rosalind Franklin Award including the online nomination forms, • Science Communication visit the website at http://royalsociety.org/ Michael Faraday Prize and Lecture, franklin or email [email protected]. Royal Society Kohn Award Closing date for nominations is Monday 14 • Philosophy and History of Science February 2011. Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture The winner of the 2010 Royal Society • International Rosalind Franklin Award is Professor Royal Society Pfizer Award Katherine Blundell, Professor of Astro- The closing date for nominations is Monday physics at the University of Oxford, on the 14 February 2011. Prize lectures awarded in basis of her scientific achievements, her 2011 will be delivered in 2012. Full details of suitability as a role model and her exciting IMU VOLUNTEER LECTURER PROGRAM all awards can be found at http://royalsociety. proposals to promote women in STEM. org/awards. If you have any queries contact visit (Scheme 5) may be used to fund a Vol- [email protected]. unteer Lecturer, with matching funding EUROPEAN CONGRESS coming from the IMU. This means that math- OF MATHEMATICS ematicians from the UK may now take part ROSALIND FRANKLIN in the VLP. The 6th European Congress of Mathematics, For further details on applying for an inter- AWARD 2011 under the auspices of the European Mathe- national short visit grant, please see the LMS Invitation to nominate matical Society, will take place in Kraków, website at www.lms.ac.uk/grants. Poland from 2 to 7 July 2012. For further in- Dr Stephen Huggett The Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award formation and to pre-register, visit the web- LMS Programme Secretary is designed to promote women in Science, site at www.6ecm.pl.

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

ROYAL COMMISSION FOR THOMAS KÖVÁRI PATRICK MARTINEAU

THE EXHIBITION OF 1851 Dr Thomas (Tamás) Kövári, who was elected a Dr R.P. Martineau, who was elected a mem- Research Fellowships member of the London Mathematical Society ber of the London Mathematical Society on on 20 February 1958, died on 12 September 17 November 1966, died on 6 September 1851 Research Fellowships are intended 2010, aged 80. 2010, aged 66. to give young scientists or engineers of ex- W.K. Hayman writes: Tamás was a rising Brian Stewart writes: Patrick’s mathemati- ceptional promise the opportunity to conduct star in the superheated world of Hungarian cal talent was nurtured at home (his father a research project of their own instigation. Mathematics and Science, winning national a wrangler as well as a bishop) and at school Approximately eight awards are made each contests, Olympiads and accolades. He was (Liverpool Institute). Elected a Scholar at Wad- year. The awards are for a duration of three in many ways happy in his beloved Budapest ham College in 1962, he remained as Mathe- years, subject to annual renewal. and the intellectual excitement he felt among matics Fellow from 1968 until retirement. The Fellowships are open to candidates the lifelong friends and colleagues he bonded After finals Patrick joined Higman’s research in any of the physical or biological scienc- with. However, he and his wife Judit left for group, writing a thesis under the supervision of es, in mathematics, in applied science, or England in 1957, where he spent the rest of Martin Powell, giving “odd characterisations” in any branch of engineering. Candidates his working life as lecturer and later Reader at of the Janko group and of the Suzuki groups. in science subjects must be in possession of Imperial College until his retirement in 1995. This developed later into studies of the repre- a PhD degree or in the final stages of their Thomas’s work was mainly in Complex Anal- sentations of the Suzuki groups, the splitting 12 PhD studies. These must be successfully ysis. He made significant contributions to the of group representations, and how groups of completed before the award of a Fellow- growth of entire functions with gappy power automorphisms affect the structure of a group. ship can be confirmed. Candidates offer- series, extending to functions of infinite order Patrick’s writing was clear and austere, at the ing engineering and not in possession of a results previously known only for finite order. right level of abstraction. (One reviewer notes PhD must provide evidence of experience He also worked on the distribution of Fekete that “the ideas used are so clear and simple equivalent to PhD level. points, which are n points on a continuum, that this paper could be read with benefit be- The Research Fellowship stipend payable the product of whose mutual distances is fore the many other papers on this subject”.) in 2011 is £30,000 for the first year, and maximal. He was an excellent and popular lec- In his lecturing and teaching Patrick adopted £31,500 for the second and third years. In turer, but not always patient with the less bright the same clear style. But he brought also a real addition a London (Overseas) Weighting of students. However, he was the life and soul of concern that all his students should make the £2,500 per annum is payable in appropriate our seminars and always produced pertinent transition to real mathematics, while tolerating cases. Final-year fellows are also sponsored and interesting comments and questions. no nonsense when he suspected that someone to attend a Royal Society communica- He loved to travel in Israel, Turkey, Europe was in danger of squandering their talents. tion skills course. Stipends are reviewed and North America but particularly back to his Wadham chose Patrick as the University’s annually. A candidate must be a citizen beloved Budapest, where he was a charming Junior Proctor for 1975–76. His colleagues then of the United Kingdom or the Common- and thoughtful host. He loved classical music elected him Estates Bursar in 1977; from then wealth, or of the Republics of Ireland or and films and built a library of 5,000 books on he devoted his time and energy to strength- of Pakistan. in his house in Wimbledon. He was keen on ening the finances of the college. The wider Applications are made online via the sweets and would often have two desserts in- university also benefitted, especially during website www.royalcommission1851.org and stead of a main course. He was also a member his tenure of the secretaryship and then the must include two references, together of a chocolate tasting club. chairmanship of the Estates Bursars Committee. with a letter from the institution at which Thomas was a devoted and kind father, Although inclined to play his cards close to his the Fellowship is to be held. Applica- decent and honest to a fault. Even in his last chest, fledgling bursars were assisted by frank tions must be received by 5 pm Thursday and difficult year he showed surprising flash- (but unattributable) advice. 17 February 2011. Appointments to the es of empathy. He is survived by his children, Patrick’s last few years were dominated by Fellowship will be made during June 2011. Michael and Esther, to whose eulogy at his the illness that had led to his retirement in Fellowships commence at the beginning of funeral this memoir is greatly indebted, and 2004. But occasionally the old Patrick sparked October in the year of award. four grandchildren. into life: during a chance meeting last year on

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THOMAS KÖVÁRI PATRICK MARTINEAU my way to lecture I was given a two minute tutorial on how to treat the adjoint “so that Dr Thomas (Tamás) Kövári, who was elected a Dr R.P. Martineau, who was elected a mem- those in the Last Chance Saloon will understand member of the London Mathematical Society ber of the London Mathematical Society on you, Brian”. on 20 February 1958, died on 12 September 17 November 1966, died on 6 September Patrick is survived by his wife Sylvia, and their 2010, aged 80. 2010, aged 66. twin children Karen and David. W.K. Hayman writes: Tamás was a rising Brian Stewart writes: Patrick’s mathemati- star in the superheated world of Hungarian cal talent was nurtured at home (his father PHILIP CHATWIN Mathematics and Science, winning national a wrangler as well as a bishop) and at school contests, Olympiads and accolades. He was (Liverpool Institute). Elected a Scholar at Wad- Professor Philip Chatwin, who was a member in many ways happy in his beloved Budapest ham College in 1962, he remained as Mathe- of the London Mathematical Society from 2000 and the intellectual excitement he felt among matics Fellow from 1968 until retirement. to 2008, died on 10 September 2010, aged 68. the lifelong friends and colleagues he bonded After finals Patrick joined Higman’s research Nils Mole writes: Philip made seminal contri- with. However, he and his wife Judit left for group, writing a thesis under the supervision of butions to research into environmental fluid England in 1957, where he spent the rest of Martin Powell, giving “odd characterisations” mechanics. He will be particularly remembered his working life as lecturer and later Reader at of the Janko group and of the Suzuki groups. for his extensions to the theory of longitudinal Imperial College until his retirement in 1995. This developed later into studies of the repre- dispersion (originally due to G.I. Taylor), and for Thomas’s work was mainly in Complex Anal- sentations of the Suzuki groups, the splitting advances to the basic understanding of turbu- ysis. He made significant contributions to the of group representations, and how groups of lent diffusion. In his research he made extensive 13 growth of entire functions with gappy power automorphisms affect the structure of a group. use of probabilistic and statistical methods, and series, extending to functions of infinite order Patrick’s writing was clear and austere, at the was particularly keen on fostering closer links results previously known only for finite order. right level of abstraction. (One reviewer notes between the fields of applied mathematics and He also worked on the distribution of Fekete that “the ideas used are so clear and simple statistics. He also placed great importance on points, which are n points on a continuum, that this paper could be read with benefit be- the education of future mathematicians, and the product of whose mutual distances is fore the many other papers on this subject”.) for many years was involved in the marking and maximal. He was an excellent and popular lec- In his lecturing and teaching Patrick adopted setting of A-level papers. turer, but not always patient with the less bright the same clear style. But he brought also a real Philip graduated from Trinity Hall, Cam- students. However, he was the life and soul of concern that all his students should make the bridge with a degree in Mathematics, and our seminars and always produced pertinent transition to real mathematics, while tolerating then took Part III of the Mathematical Tripos. and interesting comments and questions. no nonsense when he suspected that someone In 1967 he completed his PhD under the super- He loved to travel in Israel, Turkey, Europe was in danger of squandering their talents. vision of George Batchelor at Cambridge. Fol- and North America but particularly back to his Wadham chose Patrick as the University’s lowing a research fellowship at the University beloved Budapest, where he was a charming Junior Proctor for 1975–76. His colleagues then of Grenoble, he was Lecturer and then Senior and thoughtful host. He loved classical music elected him Estates Bursar in 1977; from then Lecturer in the Department of Applied Mathe- and films and built a library of 5,000 books on he devoted his time and energy to strength- matics and Theoretical Physics at the University in his house in Wimbledon. He was keen on ening the finances of the college. The wider of Liverpool (1968–85). Thereafter he became sweets and would often have two desserts in- university also benefitted, especially during Professor of Mathematics at Brunel University stead of a main course. He was also a member his tenure of the secretaryship and then the (1985–90) and Professor of Applied Mathemat- of a chocolate tasting club. chairmanship of the Estates Bursars Committee. ics at the University of Sheffield (1991–2003), in Thomas was a devoted and kind father, Although inclined to play his cards close to his both of which institutions he served as Head of decent and honest to a fault. Even in his last chest, fledgling bursars were assisted by frank Department. After retirement he continued to and difficult year he showed surprising flash- (but unattributable) advice. teach fluid mechanics at Sheffield. es of empathy. He is survived by his children, Patrick’s last few years were dominated by Philip will be remembered by all who knew Michael and Esther, to whose eulogy at his the illness that had led to his retirement in him for his outspoken enthusiasm. He is sur- funeral this memoir is greatly indebted, and 2004. But occasionally the old Patrick sparked vived by his wife Luisella and daughters Diana four grandchildren. into life: during a chance meeting last year on and Simona.

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BENOÎT MANDELBROT MATHEMATICS POLICY education is funded, moving away from the current model to one where those who ben- Benoît Mandelbrot, the father of fractals, ROUND UP efit make a greater contribution to the cost. died on 14 October 2010 aged 85. He was a Browne Review on Higher Education This means the overall resource budget for visionary mathematician, with the distinction The Browne Review of England’s higher edu- higher education, excluding research funding, of having a feature of mathematics that has cation system, Securing a sustainable future will reduce from £7.1 billion to £4.2 billion, a become part of everyday life named after him for higher education, was published on 12 40%, or £2.9 billion, reduction by 2014–15. The – the Mandelbrot set. Mandelbrot worked in October and recommends sweeping changes Department will continue to fund teaching for industry with IBM for over 30 years before to the university funding system. Some of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathe- retiring and taking a teaching position at main recommendations are outlined below. matics (STEM) subjects. Yale University. Mandelbrot put together his • Under the new Student Finance Plan, no The government will ensure the UK remains famous book The fractal geometry of nature students will pay anything until they grad- a world leader in science and research. To do in the early 1980s, which brought the idea uate and are in work. this it will continue support for the highest- of fractional dimensions to a wide audience • Graduates will only begin repaying when they value scientific research, maintaining the sci- and illustrated these fractals with spectacular reach annual earnings of over £21,000 a year, ence budget in cash terms over the Spending graphics. up from £15,000 under the current system. Review period with resource spending of £4.6 For more detailed obituaries visit the web- • The current cap on fees of £3,290 per year billion a year by 2014–15. A ring fence will be sites of The Guardian (http://tinyurl.com/ will be removed. A tapered levy on institu- maintained by the Department for Business to 14 25kyqwj), The Daily Telegraph (http://tinyurl. tions charging more than £6,000 per year ensure continuity of investment in science and com/2angbtu) and the BBC (http://tinyurl. will ensure that those institutions that research.” com/369blmy). charge the most contribute more to sup- The exact breakdown has not yet been de- porting the poorest students. In addition, cided but the rough numbers would include: VISIT OF universities that wish to charge more will • £2.75bn for research councils be required to demonstrate to the regula- • £1.6bn in ‘QR’ funding that is to go directly PROFESSOR V. SCHOMERUS tor and to their students both improved to universities based on the quality of Professor Volker Schomerus (DESY, Ham- standards of teaching and fair admission. their research burg, Germany) is visiting the UK from 1 No- • A 10% increase in student places will be • £100m for national academies such as the vember 2010 to 31 January 2011. Professor factored into the system over the next four Royal Academy of Engineering Schomerus’ work addresses a wide range of years. The complete Spending Review is available topics in conformal field theory and string • Careers advice is in need of a radical overhaul. at http://tinyurl.com/39a52bh. theory. He will give seminars at: Part of empowering our young people is en- • Durham University, 10 December; contact suring they have the right information, advice Responses to the Comprehensive Spending Kasper Peeters (kasper.peeters@durham. and guidance to make the correct choice. This Review ac.uk) means careers advice in all schools of the kind The freeze on science research funding was • Durham University, 13 December; contact currently being given in the private sector. generally accepted by professional bodies Patrick E. Dorey ([email protected]) The full report is available at http://tinyurl. and learned societies as being a positive re- • Imperial College London, Triangular Semi- com/27ehsdo. sult, with several organisations responding to nar, 15 December; contact Sakura Schafer- the CSR. These include: Nameki ([email protected]) Comprehensive Spending Review • The Royal Society at • University of Edinburgh, 19 January; con- The Chancellor George Osborne presented http://tinyurl.com/38afjfv tact José Figueroa-O’Farrill (J.M.Figueroa@ the government’s Comprehensive Spending • The Royal Academy of Engineering at ed.ac.uk) Review on 20 October. The areas of particular http://tinyurl.com/38nq2sb Professor Schomerus will be based in interest are in higher education and research • The Institute of Physics at London during his stay, hosted by Andreas spending. http://tinyurl.com/36zoqg8 Recknagel ([email protected]). The “In line with the Browne recommendations, • The Royal Society of Chemistry at visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. the government is changing the way that higher http://tinyurl.com/3aenyr7

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MATHEMATICS POLICY education is funded, moving away from the Rise in Mathematics Students at University current model to one where those who ben- The number of mathematics students in ROUND UP efit make a greater contribution to the cost. higher education has risen to 7259, a 5.1% Browne Review on Higher Education This means the overall resource budget for increase on 2009, according to UCAS figures. The Browne Review of England’s higher edu- higher education, excluding research funding, In other STEM subjects, chemistry saw a cation system, Securing a sustainable future will reduce from £7.1 billion to £4.2 billion, a 10.4% increase to 4290, while the number of for higher education, was published on 12 40%, or £2.9 billion, reduction by 2014–15. The biology students increased by 6.6% to 4971 October and recommends sweeping changes Department will continue to fund teaching for and physics increased 2.8% to 3657. More to the university funding system. Some of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathe- information is available at http://tinyurl.com/ main recommendations are outlined below. matics (STEM) subjects. 32237b9. • Under the new Student Finance Plan, no The government will ensure the UK remains students will pay anything until they grad- a world leader in science and research. To do National HE STEM Programme uate and are in work. this it will continue support for the highest- Former Economic Secretary to the Treasury • Graduates will only begin repaying when they value scientific research, maintaining the sci- and Science Minister Ian Pearson has been reach annual earnings of over £21,000 a year, ence budget in cash terms over the Spending appointed Chair of the National Higher Edu- up from £15,000 under the current system. Review period with resource spending of £4.6 cation STEM Programme Advisory Forum. The • The current cap on fees of £3,290 per year billion a year by 2014–15. A ring fence will be National Higher Education STEM Programme will be removed. A tapered levy on institu- maintained by the Department for Business to works in partnership with higher education tions charging more than £6,000 per year ensure continuity of investment in science and institutions, professional bodies and learned 15 will ensure that those institutions that research.” societies in England and Wales. It builds on charge the most contribute more to sup- The exact breakdown has not yet been de- existing achievements and encourages new porting the poorest students. In addition, cided but the rough numbers would include: approaches to recruiting students and de- universities that wish to charge more will • £2.75bn for research councils livering programmes of study within the be required to demonstrate to the regula- • £1.6bn in ‘QR’ funding that is to go directly science, technology, engineering and mathe- tor and to their students both improved to universities based on the quality of matics disciplines. The programme also aims standards of teaching and fair admission. their research to make a significant contribution to -meet • A 10% increase in student places will be • £100m for national academies such as the ing the skills needs of local economies. The factored into the system over the next four Royal Academy of Engineering three-year £21 million programme is funded years. The complete Spending Review is available by the Higher Education Funding Councils • Careers advice is in need of a radical overhaul. at http://tinyurl.com/39a52bh. for England and Wales and is hosted by the Part of empowering our young people is en- University of Birmingham. suring they have the right information, advice Responses to the Comprehensive Spending Dr John Johnston and guidance to make the correct choice. This Review Mathematics Promotion Unit means careers advice in all schools of the kind The freeze on science research funding was currently being given in the private sector. generally accepted by professional bodies EDUCATION & INNOVATION The full report is available at http://tinyurl. and learned societies as being a positive re- com/27ehsdo. sult, with several organisations responding to Readers may be interested to note that Pro- the CSR. These include: fessor Chris Budd (University of Bath) recently Comprehensive Spending Review • The Royal Society at took part in an online debate run by the The Chancellor George Osborne presented http://tinyurl.com/38afjfv Economist defending the motion: the government’s Comprehensive Spending • The Royal Academy of Engineering at “This house believes promoting maths Review on 20 October. The areas of particular http://tinyurl.com/38nq2sb and sciences education is the best way to interest are in higher education and research • The Institute of Physics at stimulate future innovation.” spending. http://tinyurl.com/36zoqg8 To read Professor Budd’s submissions visit “In line with the Browne recommendations, • The Royal Society of Chemistry at www.economist.com/debate/debates/overview/ the government is changing the way that higher http://tinyurl.com/3aenyr7 183.

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THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Gallery on the Technology of the Internet, the venue contains a 98- plus hands-on micros from the 1970s and seat lecture theatre, break- OF COMPUTING 1980s and a retro-programming classroom. out facilities, a large range Bletchley Park Capital Partners (BPCP) and BPCP established the Bletchley Park Science of audio visual equipment its associates have donated £100,000 to The and Innovation Centre in 2004 in conjunc- and full disabled access for National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) tion with the Bletchley Park Trust to foster its workshop and research- to help secure its future and enable its fur- the growth and development of dynamic in-groups activities. ther development. Officially opened in 2008, knowledge-based businesses by providing With financial aid from TNMOC now ranks amongst the top three serviced commercial offices and support on EPSRC, the lecture theatre dedicated computer museums in the world. Bletchley Park. systems were upgraded in Visitors can see and sometimes even use rare For more information about BPCP visit the May. In addition to the tra- or unique working exhibits spanning seven website at www.bpsic.com and for The Na- ditional blackboards and decades of computing development. tional Museum of Computing at Bletchley other display equipment, we The BPCP funding will be used to help pay Park visit the website www.tnmoc.org. are now happy to be able the Museum’s running costs and to help se- to offer projection of two cure its long-term future and independence. NEWS FROM ICMS simultaneous presentations, BPCP will also provide resources to redecorate a smart board and video con- the Museum building, the historic Block H 2010 has been a year of big changes at ferencing via the internet. 18 which, as home to the war-time Colossus the International Centre for Mathematical On 22 June the new facilities machines, was the world’s first purpose-built Sciences (ICMS). In January, ICMS moved were put to the test. As part computer centre. The growing range of dis- from its much-loved Georgian town house to of the workshop Mathe- plays at the Museum include a rebuild of larger and more practical premises just south matical challenges and modelling of hydro- Colossus Mk II acknowledged as the world’s of the city centre. Now situated in 15 South elasticity, a talk was given by Professor Roger first modern computer, the ongoing restora- College Street, Edinburgh, ICMS shares this Hosking from a lecture room at his home insti- tion of the WITCH-Harwell computer of the accommodation with the National e-Science tution of University of Waikato in New Zealand. 1950s, mainframes of the 1960s, the NPL Institute. A converted 19th century church, Although the 11 hour time zone difference meant that Roger had to start his talk at 21.00 local time to fit with the 10.00 UK time slot, the lecture was successful and ICMS is delighted to have this new, flexible way of delivering talks. Senior staff changes were also a feature of 2010. Jane Walker joined as Executive Secretary and Centre Manager in April, Keith Ball, Astor Professor of Mathematics at University College London took up his post as new ICMS Scien- tific Director in September and Dawn Wasley, the new Knowledge Transfer Officer, arrived in November. Now settled in its new home and under this new leadership, ICMS continues to expand and develop as can be seen from the forthcoming scientific programme.

ICMS Scientific Programme in 2011 The following have been approved by the pro- © www.tnmoc.org © gramme committee. As it becomes available, The Colossus information about these events, together with

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Gallery on the Technology of the Internet, the venue contains a 98- plus hands-on micros from the 1970s and seat lecture theatre, break- 1980s and a retro-programming classroom. out facilities, a large range BPCP established the Bletchley Park Science of audio visual equipment and Innovation Centre in 2004 in conjunc- and full disabled access for tion with the Bletchley Park Trust to foster its workshop and research- the growth and development of dynamic in-groups activities. knowledge-based businesses by providing With financial aid from serviced commercial offices and support on EPSRC, the lecture theatre Bletchley Park. systems were upgraded in For more information about BPCP visit the May. In addition to the tra- website at www.bpsic.com and for The Na- ditional blackboards and tional Museum of Computing at Bletchley other display equipment, we Park visit the website www.tnmoc.org. are now happy to be able to offer projection of two NEWS FROM ICMS simultaneous presentations, a smart board and video con- 2010 has been a year of big changes at ferencing via the internet. the International Centre for Mathematical On 22 June the new facilities ICMS © 19 Sciences (ICMS). In January, ICMS moved were put to the test. As part The Atrium: one of the new ICMS break-out areas from its much-loved Georgian town house to of the workshop Mathe- larger and more practical premises just south matical challenges and modelling of hydro- details of postgraduate training and public of the city centre. Now situated in 15 South elasticity, a talk was given by Professor Roger lectures, will be posted on the ICMS website at College Street, Edinburgh, ICMS shares this Hosking from a lecture room at his home insti- www.icms.org.uk. accommodation with the National e-Science tution of University of Waikato in New Zealand. • Torsors: theory and applications, 10–14 Jan Institute. A converted 19th century church, Although the 11 hour time zone difference • The Kervaire invariant and stable homotopy meant that Roger had to start his talk at 21.00 theory, 25–29 Apr local time to fit with the 10.00 UK time slot, the • Oscillatory integrals in harmonic analysis, lecture was successful and ICMS is delighted to 6–10 Jun have this new, flexible way of delivering talks. • Stabilization of dynamical systems and Senior staff changes were also a feature of processes, 13–17 Jun 2010. Jane Walker joined as Executive Secretary • Geometric analysis, 20–24 Jun and Centre Manager in April, Keith Ball, Astor • New developments in non-commutative Professor of Mathematics at University College algebra and applications, 26 Jun – 2 Jul London took up his post as new ICMS Scien- • Signal processing with adaptive sparse tific Director in September and Dawn Wasley, structured representations, 27 Jun – 1 Jul the new Knowledge Transfer Officer, arrived • Theories of infinity (ICMS–ESF meeting), in November. Now settled in its new home and 4–8 Jul under this new leadership, ICMS continues to • Numerical relativity beyond astrophysics, expand and develop as can be seen from the 11–15 Jul forthcoming scientific programme. • Mathematical imaging in interaction with biomedicine, 5–9 Sep ICMS Scientific Programme in 2011 • Networks: stochastic models for The following have been approved by the pro- populations and epidemics, 12–16 Sep © www.tnmoc.org © gramme committee. As it becomes available, • Hyperbolic conservation laws and related The Colossus information about these events, together with analysis with applications, 19–23 Sep

Dec10-NL.indd 19 23/11/2010 16:58:58 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY DAY 2011 The Women in Mathematics Day is an annual event organised by the London Mathemati- MARY CARTWRIGHT MEETING cal Society. The 2011 event will be held at De Morgan House, Russell Square, on Friday Friday 25 February 2011 6 May. The invited speakers are: • Claire Gilson (Glasgow) Oxford University Museum of Natural History • Joan Lasenby (Cambridge) • Rowena Paget (Kent) The day will include talks and posters by women mathematicians in a variety of ap- Programme: pointments and at different career stages. Further details will follow in the January 3.30 Opening of the meeting Newsletter.

Peter Donnelly (Oxford) LMS–GRESHAM 20 Modelling Genes COLLEGE LECTURES Gresham College in London has been pre- 4.30 Tea senting mathematics lectures to the public 5.00 Mary Cartwright Lecture since 1598, when Henry Briggs (co-inventor of logarithms) was appointed the first Gresham Alison Etheridge (Oxford) Professor of Geometry. Later holders of that Chair have included Isaac Barrow, Robert Evolution in a Spatial Hooke, and more recently Sir Christopher

Continuum Post Evening Wales South the of Courtesy Zeeman, Ian Stewart and Sir Roger Penrose. The current position now covers all areas of Mary Cartwright mathematics, not just geometry. In 2007, the London Mathematical Society and Gresham College established a yearly joint lecture with the Society providing the speak- A reception will be held after the meeting at the Mathematics Institute ers while Gresham provides the attractive followed by a dinner at the Ashmolean Museum at a cost of £30 per venue and covers the costs of the lecture and person, inclusive of wine. Contact Isabelle Robinson (isabelle.robinson@ a reception. These events have proved highly popular. lms.ac.uk) by Friday 18 February 2011 if you would like to attend. The 2011 Lecture will be held on Tuesday 17 May given by Professor Angus Macintyre, There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the ex- FRS (Queen Mary University of London; LMS penses of members of the Society or research students to at- President) on Undecidable and Decidable Prob- tend the meeting. Contact Duncan Turton/Elizabeth Fisher lems in Mathematics: A survey and some reflections, for the centenary of Turing’s birth. ([email protected]) for further information. For further information about the lectures visit the website at www.lms.ac.uk/activities/ education_com/gresham.html.

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WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS YOUNG RESEARCHERS DAY 2011 IN MATHEMATICS The Women in Mathematics Day is an annual CONFERENCE event organised by the London Mathemati- cal Society. The 2011 event will be held at Building on the success of the first two con- De Morgan House, Russell Square, on Friday ferences held at Cambridge University in 2009 6 May. The invited speakers are: and 2010, the Young Researchers in Mathe- • Claire Gilson (Glasgow) matics Conference (YRM) is moving to the • Joan Lasenby (Cambridge) University of Warwick in 2011 taking place • Rowena Paget (Kent) from 14 to 16 April. Organised entirely by PhD The day will include talks and posters by students, this is a conference for doctoral and women mathematicians in a variety of ap- post-doctoral researchers, aiming to facilitate pointments and at different career stages. networking and collaboration between early Further details will follow in the January career research mathematicians from differ- Newsletter. ent institutions. The main component of the conference will be student talks within paral- LMS–GRESHAM lel subject-specific tracks. Each track will also have a keynote talk. The tracks and associated 21 COLLEGE LECTURES keynote speakers (subject to change) are: Gresham College in London has been pre- • Algebra – Martin Bridson (Oxford) senting mathematics lectures to the public • Algebraic Geometry – Burt Totaro (Cambridge) since 1598, when Henry Briggs (co-inventor of • Analysis & PDEs – John Ball (Oxford) logarithms) was appointed the first Gresham • Combinatorics – Peter Cameron (Queen Mary) Professor of Geometry. Later holders of that • Complexity – Jeff Johnson (Open Chair have included Isaac Barrow, Robert University) Hooke, and more recently Sir Christopher • Differential Geometry – Nigel Hitchin Zeeman, Ian Stewart and Sir Roger Penrose. (Oxford) The current position now covers all areas of • Dynamical Systems – Mary Rees (Liverpool) mathematics, not just geometry. • Financial Mathematics – David Hand In 2007, the London Mathematical Society (Imperial) and Gresham College established a yearly joint • Mathematical Biology – Raymond Goldstein lecture with the Society providing the speak- (Cambridge) ers while Gresham provides the attractive • MathsPhys – Sandra Chapman (Warwick) venue and covers the costs of the lecture and • Number Theory – Kevin Buzzard (Imperial) a reception. These events have proved highly • Probability & Statistics – Saul Jacka (Warwick) popular. • Topology – Caroline Series (Warwick) The 2011 Lecture will be held on Tuesday The deadline for registration is 14 January 17 May given by Professor Angus Macintyre, 2011 for those requesting accommodation, FRS (Queen Mary University of London; LMS and 31 January otherwise. Visit www.go. President) on Undecidable and Decidable Prob- warwick.ac.uk/YRM2011 for further informa- lems in Mathematics: A survey and some tion and to register. For enquiries contact reflections, for the centenary of Turing’s birth. the organisers at youngresearchersinmaths@ For further information about the lectures gmail.com. The conference is supported visit the website at www.lms.ac.uk/activities/ in part by an LMS Scheme 8 Postgraduate education_com/gresham.html. Research Conference grant.

Dec10-NL.indd 21 23/11/2010 16:58:58 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

BRITISH POSTGRADUATE • Pieter Blue (Edinburgh) • Eugenia Cheng (Sheffield) MODEL THEORY • Nema Dean (Glasgow) CONFERENCE • Jörg Fliege (Southampton) • Meinolf Geck (Aberdeen) The first British Postgraduate Model Theory • Nick Higham (Manchester) Conference (BPMT) will take place from 19 to • Roman Kotecky (Warwick) 21 January 2011 at the University of Leeds. • Andy Lewis (Leeds) The organisers aim to provide a platform for • Paul Sutcliffe (Durham) postgraduate students and postdocs work- • Corinna Ulcigrai (Bristol) ing in and around model theory to meet and • Sarah Zerbes (Exeter) discuss their work in a relaxed environment. The LMS and IMA have generously provid- The organisers would like to encourage all ed financial backing of this event, allowing participants to contribute a talk or bring a the organisers to support approximately 50 poster. Although BPMT is aimed at UK-based final-year mathematics students from differ- students, it is also open to those abroad. ent universities in the UK. Application is open There will be a short course given by John to students throughout the UK, but there is Truss (Leeds) and plenary talks will be given a deadline of 1 December in order to be con- 22 by Elisabeth Bouscaren (Université Paris- sidered for support. Full details can be found Sud 11) and Angus Macintyre (Queen Mary, at the conference’s website http://ecos.maths. London). ed.ac.uk/Prospects2010. Further details and registration informa- tion are available at the conference website PODE 2011 http://tinyurl.com/3xm5psz. Enquiries should be addressed to [email protected]. The Progress on Difference Equations 2011 The deadline for registration is 15 December conference will take place at Dublin City 2010. This conference is funded by an LMS University, Ireland from 22 to 27 May 2011. Scheme 8 Postgraduate Research Conference The topics of the conference are difference grant and by the British Logic Colloquium. equations, discrete dynamical systems, and their applications in all fields; a special theme PROSPECTS IN will be applications to financial mathe- matics. The confirmed plenary lecturers MATHEMATICS are: The sixth Prospects in Mathematics Confer- • John Appleby (Dublin City) ence will take place at ICMS in Edinburgh • Christopher Baker (Chester & Manchester) from 17 to 18 December 2010. This is a sympo- • Saber Elaydi (Trinity University, USA) sium for potential research students with the • István Győri (Pannonia, Hungary) goal to introduce high-quality mathematics • Des Higham (Strathclyde) students to the many and varied opportuni- • Gerry Ladas (Rhode Island University, USA) ties for research in mathematics that exist in • Eduardo Liz (Vigo, Spain) universities in the UK. • Xuerong Mao (Strathclyde) There will be a dozen lectures, split over • Milhály Pituk (Pannonia, Hungary) two half-days. Each will survey a different • Christian Pötzsche (Munich University of research area and highlight opportunities in Technology, Germany) the UK for potential research students. The For further information visit the website speakers include: www.dcu.ie/maths/pode2011.

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• Pieter Blue (Edinburgh) • Eugenia Cheng (Sheffield) • Nema Dean (Glasgow) • Jörg Fliege (Southampton) • Meinolf Geck (Aberdeen) • Nick Higham (Manchester) • Roman Kotecky (Warwick) • Andy Lewis (Leeds) • Paul Sutcliffe (Durham) • Corinna Ulcigrai (Bristol) • Sarah Zerbes (Exeter) The LMS and IMA have generously provid- ed financial backing of this event, allowing the organisers to support approximately 50 final-year mathematics students from differ- ent universities in the UK. Application is open to students throughout the UK, but there is a deadline of 1 December in order to be con- sidered for support. Full details can be found 23 at the conference’s website http://ecos.maths. ed.ac.uk/Prospects2010. PODE 2011

The Progress on Difference Equations 2011 conference will take place at Dublin City University, Ireland from 22 to 27 May 2011. The topics of the conference are difference equations, discrete dynamical systems, and their applications in all fields; a special theme will be applications to financial mathe- matics. The confirmed plenary lecturers are: • John Appleby (Dublin City) • Christopher Baker (Chester & Manchester) • Saber Elaydi (Trinity University, USA) • István Győri (Pannonia, Hungary) • Des Higham (Strathclyde) • Gerry Ladas (Rhode Island University, USA) • Eduardo Liz (Vigo, Spain) • Xuerong Mao (Strathclyde) • Milhály Pituk (Pannonia, Hungary) • Christian Pötzsche (Munich University of Technology, Germany) For further information visit the website www.dcu.ie/maths/pode2011.

Dec10-NL.indd 23 23/11/2010 16:59:01 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

YORKSHIRE AND DURHAM GEOMETRY DAYS A Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day will be held on Wednesday 8 December 2010 in Room CM 107, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Durham. The speakers are: • Aram Karakhanyan (Edinburgh) Reflector design problems • Ben Lambert (Durham) Boundary value problems for mean curvature flow • Scott Thomson (Durham) Systoles of hyperbolic manifolds • Giuseppe Tinaglia (KCL) The geometry of constant mean curvature surfaces embedded in R3 • Peter Hornung (Bath) Regularity for minimizers of the Willmore functional 24 Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Days are jointly organised by the Universities of Durham, Leeds and York, and occur at a frequency of three meetings per academic year. Financial support is provided by an LMS Scheme 3 grant, currently administered by the University of York. The local organisers are John Bolton

“I wish there was some way of finding out how long this street is.”

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YORKSHIRE AND DURHAM ([email protected]) and Wilhelm Klingenberg (wilhelm.klingenberg@durham. GEOMETRY DAYS ac.uk). For further information visit the web- A Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day will site http://maths.dur.ac.uk/~dma0wk/ydgd. be held on Wednesday 8 December 2010 in html. Room CM 107, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Durham. The speakers are: FIFTH DE BRÚN WORKSHOP • Aram Karakhanyan (Edinburgh) Reflector design problems The Fifth De Brún Workshop on Groups, • Ben Lambert (Durham) Boundary value Combinatorics, Computing will take place at problems for mean curvature flow The National University of Ireland, Galway • Scott Thomson (Durham) Systoles of from 11 to 16 April 2011. The primary aim of hyperbolic manifolds the workshop is to bring together experts in • Giuseppe Tinaglia (KCL) The geometry group theory and combinatorics, to discuss of constant mean curvature surfaces computational and algorithmic aspects that embedded in R3 have recently emerged at the interface of • Peter Hornung (Bath) Regularity for both subjects. minimizers of the Willmore functional Three short lecture courses will be delivered Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Days are by leading experts and there will also be con- 25 jointly organised by the Universities of Durham, tributed research talks. The workshop will be Leeds and York, and occur at a frequency of beneficial and suitable both for early-stage three meetings per academic year. Financial researchers (including PhD students) and support is provided by an LMS Scheme 3 grant, those who are more established. The principal currently administered by the University of lecturers are: York. The local organisers are John Bolton • Martin Liebeck (Imperial College London) • Cheryl Praeger (University of Western Australia) • Leonard Soicher (Queen Mary University of London) For further informa- tion visit the website at http://larmor.nuigalway. ie/~detinko/DeBrun5. To indicate interest in attend- ing the workshop, send an email to dane.flannery@ nuigalway.ie. There is no registration fee nor formal registration process. The workshop is funded by the de Brún Centre for Com- putational Algebra at NUI “I wish there was some way of finding out how long this street is.” Galway. The organizers are Alla Detinko, Dane Flannery © ScienceCartoonsPlus.com and Eamonn O’Brien.

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

26

Dec10-NL.indd 26 23/11/2010 16:59:05 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 398 December 2010

ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

REPRESENTATION OF SURFACE GROUPS AND HIGGS BUNDLES 14–18 March 2011 MATHEMATICAL INSTITUTE, OXFORD in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled Moduli Spaces (4 January – 1 July 2011)

Organisers: O. García-Prada (CSIC, Madrid), W. Goldman (Maryland), P.E. Newstead (Liverpool), T. Hausel (Oxford), N. Hitchin (Oxford) and R. Thomas (Imperial College London)..

Theme of conference: The workshop will concentrate on the relationship of moduli spaces to topology, Teichmüller theory and hyperbolic geometry – this relationship takes place in the study of representations of a surface group in a real Lie group and involves Higgs bundle theory, bounded cohomology, Anosov systems, cluster varieties, tropical algebraic geometry; there is a very rich geo- metric structure and the various points of view are complementary, the relationship between them yet to be understood. 27 The event is also being sponsored by the Interactions of Low-Dimensional Topology and Geometry with Mathematical Physics (ITGP) network of the European Science Foundation and the London Mathematical Society.

Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ programmes/MOS/mosw02.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 17 December 2010.

DISCRETE HARMONIC ANALYSIS 28 March –1 April 2011 in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled Discrete Analysis (10 January – 8 July 2011)

Organisers: I. Dinur (Weizmann), K. Oleszkiewicz (Warsaw), F. Barthe (Toulouse).

Theme of conference: The goal of this workshop is to bring together researchers who are interested in harmonic analysis in a discrete setting: in particular, properties of Fourier–Walsh expansions, influences of variables, Sobolev-type inequalities and isoperimetry or concentration estimates.

Such analysis plays a role in many fields and has applications to combinatorics, theoretical computer science, probability theory, statistics and number theory. Several talks will be devoted to the inter- play between the continuous and discrete settings (for example the implementation of log-concavity or curvature methods in the discrete case, geometric properties of Gaussian measures and so on.)

Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ programmes/DAN/danw02.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 3 January 2011.

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NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

CHAOS 2011 More information on the programme about the latter type, with particular empha- and registration procedure will appear on sis on novel constructions of J.S. Wilson and of An international conference on Chaotic Mod- http://toricmethodsbelfast.110mb.com in due M. Ershov and A. Jaikin-Zapirain. Prospective eling, Simulation and Applications (CHAOS course. speakers are: 2011) will take place in Agios Nikolaos, The meeting is supported by an LMS Con- • Benjamin Klopsch (Royal Holloway) Crete, Greece from 31 May to 3 June 2011. ference grant and by EPSRC research project • John S. Wilson (Oxford) The general topics and the special sessions EP/H018743/1. • Colin D. Reid (Aachen) proposed for the conference include but are The meeting is part of the South England not limited to: NEW DEVELOPMENTS Profinite Groups Meetings which are sup- • Chaos and nonlinear dynamics ported by an LMS Scheme 3 grant. Limited • Stochastic chaos IN NONCOMMUTATIVE funds are available to reimburse travel ex- • Chemical chaos ALGEBRA AND ITS penses of UK-based students and young • Data analysis and chaos mathematicians. • Hydrodynamics, turbulence and plasmas APPLICATIONS For more details see www.ma.rhul.ac.uk/ • Optics and chaos A meeting honouring the 60th birthdays of profinite_groups/meetings.html or contact • Chaotic oscillations and circuits Ken Brown and Toby Stafford will be held at B. Klopsch ([email protected]). • Chaos in climate dynamics Sabhal M�r Ostaig, a Gaelic college in Sleat, • Geophysical flows the southern region of the Isle of Skye, from POPULAR LECTURES 2010 • Biology and chaos Sunday 26 June to Saturday 2 July 2011. 28 Report • Neurophysiology and chaos The meeting will focus on noncommutative • Hamiltonian systems algebra in its broadest sense, and will empha- On Wednesday 29 September 2010, Birming- • Chaos in astronomy and astrophysics sise the most recent developments within the ham University welcomed Dr Dorothy Buck • Chaos and solitons field as well as its most exciting interactions and Mr Matt Parker to give exciting lectures to • Micro- and nano- electro-mechanical with other topics of mathematics including mathematical students and teachers from the systems symplectic geometry, noncommutative ge- whole area. • Neural networks and chaos ometry and representation theory. Dr Dorothy Buck’s lecture Modelling the Circle • Chaos, ecology and economy Further details are available at the Inter- of Life: How Maths Untangles Knotty Ques- • Algorithmic music composition national Centre for Mathematical Scienc- tions of DNA introduced us to the fascinating For more information, abstract/paper sub- es website (www.icms.org.uk/workshop. subject of knot theory. She discussed the ‘big mission and special session proposals visit the php?id=163). questions’ which still needed to be answered conference website at www.cmsim.org. including a particular invariant which could HEREDITARILY JUST apply to all knots when distinguishing between TORIC METHODS IN them. She also revealed the fantastic applica- INFINITE GROUPS tions knot theory has to medicine, by explain- HOMOTOPY THEORY A one-day meeting on Hereditarily Just ing how circular bacterial DNA strands (which A conference on toric methods in homotopy Infinite Groups will be held on Friday 17 are knots) need an enzyme called Topoisomer- theory and related subjects will be held in December 2010 at Royal Holloway, University ase II to break the knot formed when bacterial the Pure Mathematics Research Centre of of London. The classification of finite simple DNA multiplies. She explained how this may Queen’s University Belfast, from Monday 18 groups is one of the greatest achievements replace antibiotics in the future since if you July to Wednesday 20 July 2011. Main speakers of 20th century mathematics. In the category kill Topoisomerase II then bacterial DNA will include: of profinite (or subcategory of pro-p groups), not be able to multiply. Finally a question was • Jack Morava (Johns Hopkins University, USA) the ‘simple’ objects are the so-called just in- raised as to how the Topoisomerase II knows • Taras Panov (Moscow State University, finite groups. Loosely speaking, the study of how to unknot the DNA. Overall the talk really Russia) these groups reduces to the study of branch emphasised the application of maths to the • Sam Payne (Yale University, USA) groups and hereditarily just-infinite groups. real world in a fascinating manner and showed • Alex Suciu (Northeastern University, USA) The meeting will focus on what is known how there is much yet to be discovered.

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More information on the programme about the latter type, with particular empha- Mr Matt Parker’s lecture Clutching at Ran- and registration procedure will appear on sis on novel constructions of J.S. Wilson and of dom Straws enlightened the theatre to the http://toricmethodsbelfast.110mb.com in due M. Ershov and A. Jaikin-Zapirain. Prospective wonder of ubiquitous patterns and the dangers course. speakers are: of human pattern seeking. Mr Parker initiated The meeting is supported by an LMS Con- • Benjamin Klopsch (Royal Holloway) his talk by discussing an archaeological sites ference grant and by EPSRC research project • John S. Wilson (Oxford) graph, where the arcs joining the historical EP/H018743/1. • Colin D. Reid (Aachen) sites seemed to form perfect equilateral tri- The meeting is part of the South England angles. However he then highlighted the inac- NEW DEVELOPMENTS Profinite Groups Meetings which are sup- curacies of finding such patterns by comparing ported by an LMS Scheme 3 grant. Limited it with a Woolworth stores graph which also IN NONCOMMUTATIVE funds are available to reimburse travel ex- had perfect equilateral triangles with each ALGEBRA AND ITS penses of UK-based students and young Woolworths as a vertex. It became apparent mathematicians. that if one has enough data any pattern can APPLICATIONS For more details see www.ma.rhul.ac.uk/ be discovered. Next Mr Parker questioned the A meeting honouring the 60th birthdays of profinite_groups/meetings.html or contact audience as to how many people would be Ken Brown and Toby Stafford will be held at B. Klopsch ([email protected]). needed in a room so that the probability of Sabhal M�r Ostaig, a Gaelic college in Sleat, two of them sharing a birthday was over 50%. the southern region of the Isle of Skye, from POPULAR LECTURES 2010 He proved our natural assumptions wrong Sunday 26 June to Saturday 2 July 2011. because the number of people, 23, was much Report 29 The meeting will focus on noncommutative lower than expected. Throughout the talk, algebra in its broadest sense, and will empha- On Wednesday 29 September 2010, Birming- Mr Parker kept the content relevant to the sise the most recent developments within the ham University welcomed Dr Dorothy Buck audience by even involving pop culture. He field as well as its most exciting interactions and Mr Matt Parker to give exciting lectures to demonstrated how if you played some songs with other topics of mathematics including mathematical students and teachers from the backwards (one from Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi symplectic geometry, noncommutative ge- whole area. and Freddie Mercury’s Another One Bites the ometry and representation theory. Dr Dorothy Buck’s lecture Modelling the Circle Dust) and indicating that if one was looking Further details are available at the Inter- of Life: How Maths Untangles Knotty Ques- for certain words that were shown on the pro- national Centre for Mathematical Scienc- tions of DNA introduced us to the fascinating jector, then the brain would interpret the lyrics es website (www.icms.org.uk/workshop. subject of knot theory. She discussed the ‘big as a message whereas otherwise it would just php?id=163). questions’ which still needed to be answered sound like incoherent noise. Overall the talk including a particular invariant which could was riveting and engaging through the use of HEREDITARILY JUST apply to all knots when distinguishing between comical references and excellent examples. them. She also revealed the fantastic applica- The talks were very much enjoyed by all INFINITE GROUPS tions knot theory has to medicine, by explain- those who attended and we would like to A one-day meeting on Hereditarily Just ing how circular bacterial DNA strands (which thank the LMS, the organisers, Birmingham Infinite Groups will be held on Friday 17 are knots) need an enzyme called Topoisomer- University and the speakers Dr Dorothy Buck December 2010 at Royal Holloway, University ase II to break the knot formed when bacterial and Mr Matt Parker for enthralling the audi- of London. The classification of finite simple DNA multiplies. She explained how this may ence with the wonders of mathematics. groups is one of the greatest achievements replace antibiotics in the future since if you Aman Ubhi and Masarat Jilani of 20th century mathematics. In the category kill Topoisomerase II then bacterial DNA will King Edwards VI Camp Hill of profinite (or subcategory of pro-p groups), not be able to multiply. Finally a question was Grammar school for Girls, Birmingham the ‘simple’ objects are the so-called just in- raised as to how the Topoisomerase II knows Editorial note: The lectures were recorded for sub- finite groups. Loosely speaking, the study of how to unknot the DNA. Overall the talk really sequent release on DVD which will be available these groups reduces to the study of branch emphasised the application of maths to the from the LMS: a useful purchase for school and uni- groups and hereditarily just-infinite groups. real world in a fascinating manner and showed versity mathematics departments seeking resources The meeting will focus on what is known how there is much yet to be discovered. that will stimulate their students.

Dec10-NL.indd 29 23/11/2010 16:59:05 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

REVIEWS

You Can Count on Monsters by Richard Evan Schwartz, A.K. Peters Ltd, 2010, 244 pp, £20.00, US$24.95, ISBN 978-1-5688-578-7. With the festive season approaching, many of us will be seeking a creative solution to the problem: what to give the small children in our lives, which isn’t made of fluorescent plastic and doesn’t emit incessant beeping noises? The mathematical children’s book You Can Count on Monsters could be a promising candidate. The author, Richard Evan Schwartz, is Profes- sor of Mathematics at Brown University and is active in the area of geometry and topology. As well as research publications, he has writ- ten a few works inspired by his own children. 30 You Can Count on Monsters was apparently produced to help teach his daughters about prime numbers and factorization. The pub- lisher’s suggested age-range is 4–8 years; more generally the back cover states that it should give “children (and even older audiences) an intuitive understanding of the building blocks of numbers and the basics of multiplication”. The basic premise is that each prime number is represented by a monster, which exhibits some property relating to its number (e.g. the 3-monster has a triangu- lar face, etc). In the main part of the book, each number from 2 to 100 is represented as a scene in which the monsters from its prime factorization are intermingled and com- bined. This is preceded by a brief description of multiplication in more traditional terms, and a child-friendly definition of prime numbers; it is followed by a discus- sion of the Sieve of Eratosthenes and Euclid’s proof that there are infinitely many primes.

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REVIEWS The book is beautifully designed and pro- duced, and is more stylish than the general You Can Count on Monsters by Richard Evan run of children’s books. The graphics are an- Schwartz, A.K. Peters Ltd, 2010, 244 pp, gular and brightly coloured (variously reminis- £20.00, US$24.95, ISBN 978-1-5688-578-7. cent of Picasso in the 1930s, 1950s advertising, With the festive season approaching, many and the work of Eduardo Paolozzi). My assist- of us will be seeking a creative solution to ant reviewer, aged just below the suggested the problem: what to give the small children age-range, enjoyed looking at the monsters in our lives, which isn’t made of fluorescent and working out which of their attributes plastic and doesn’t emit incessant beeping related to their numbers. I also found it a noises? The mathematical children’s book You good starting-point for discussions with him Can Count on Monsters could be a promising about various aspects of numbers, addition candidate. and multiplication. The author, Richard Evan Schwartz, is Profes- However, I have a couple of reservations sor of Mathematics at Brown University and is about the book. Firstly, I am not convinced active in the area of geometry and topology. that it genuinely gives an “intuitive under- As well as research publications, he has writ- standing” of multiplication and prime de- ten a few works inspired by his own children. composition. Putting several prime-monsters You Can Count on Monsters was apparently together in a picture does not seem really 31 produced to help teach his daughters about to capture the essence of multiplication; if prime numbers and factorization. The pub- anything, it seems closer to representing lisher’s suggested age-range is 4–8 years; more addition. There is an attempt to ‘morph’ the generally the back cover states that it should monsters together to address this, but overall give “children (and even older audiences) an I feel that that the 2 × 3 array of dots in the intuitive understanding of the building blocks introductory page conveys more about multi- of numbers and the basics of multiplication”. plication than the picture of the 6-monster The basic premise is that each prime number made up of the 2- and 3-monsters. My other is represented by a monster, which exhibits reservation is the age-range: the age-range some property relating during which examining to its number (e.g. the pictures of monsters ap- 3-monster has a triangu- peals may not overlap very lar face, etc). In the main much with the age-range part of the book, each during which the concept of number from 2 to 100 is prime decomposition makes represented as a scene in sense! which the monsters from Overall though You Can its prime factorization are Count on Monsters is an en- intermingled and com- joyable and lively children’s bined. This is preceded book, which is good as a by a brief description of starting point for discus- multiplication in more sions, and introduces key traditional terms, and a concepts in an unobtrusive child-friendly definition way. Furthermore, it isn’t of prime numbers; it is followed by a discus- made of plastic and doesn’t make any noise! sion of the Sieve of Eratosthenes and Euclid’s Sophie Huczynska proof that there are infinitely many primes. University of St Andrews

Dec10-NL.indd 31 23/11/2010 16:59:08 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

Numbers Rule by George Spziro, 2010, Chapter 8 introduces a variant to the Bor- What’s Luck Got to Do with It? The History, Princeton University Press, 248 pp, £18.95, da count proposed by Dodgson, in which Mathematics, and Psychology of the Gambler’s $26.95, ISBN 978-0-691-13994-4. candidates can be awarded equal points if Illusion by Joseph Mazur, Princeton University The author’s intention is to present the rela- ‘equally preferred’. Press, 2010, 296 pp, £20.95, $29.95, ISBN: 978-1- tionship between mathematics and collective Chapters 9, 10 and 12 depart from election 4008-3445-7. decision making, progressing from the earliest systems and instead cover debates over the Gambling has long fascinated the human attempts to establish a ‘fair’ method of aggre- fair apportionment of seats amongst a pop- race, but at no time in history has it been more gating individual preferences, and indeed to ulation in a representative assembly. visible than now. Widespread internet access establish what is meant by a ‘fair’ voting system. Chapter 11 describes the background to has resulted in an explosion of online gaming Each chapter is presented as a history of a Kenneth Arrow’s contribution, demonstrat- sites over the last decade. Televised poker, and development in the mathematics of collective ing the impossibility of obtaining a ‘fair’ vot- shows such as Deal or No Deal, are increasing- choice, and a personal biography of the key ing system, without entering into too much ly popular. The lottery industry has shown an protagonists. Each chapter has an appendix of the mathematical detail. Finally, Chapter immunity to the global economic crisis, and it providing extra details of the personalities in- 13 illustrates the preceding chapters with a seems even to have grown in recent years. volved, or explains some of the mathematics number of case studies. The book under review is a timely account in more depth. The treatment of Arrow’s Theorem is rath- of our obsession with gambling. Written in Chapter 1 describes Plato’s discourse on er superficial, which is a little disappointing, three (more or less independent) parts, the government in Republic and Laws. This chap- given its importance to the material covered book examines the related questions of why 32 ter is the exception of the book, as it describes in the book. As I approached the chapter, I’d we are willing to place bets that have nega- Plato’s preference for a well managed, but assumed the author was planning to spend tive expectation, and what makes us feel that non-democratic society; other chapters de- some time working through the theorem we are in control of our own fortune. The first scribe the respective protagonists’ search for in an accessible manner, and the absence of part is a brief history of gambling that begins a fairer democracy. this does feel like an omission. (somewhat tenuously) in pre-historic times Chapter 2 covers Pliny’s attempt to estab- Curiously, the book also lacks a reflec- and continues all the way through to the lish a fair method of decision making by ju- tion on the importance of numbers to col- aforementioned economic crisis. The second ries, and introduces the problem of making lective decision making, which is strange part presents a mathematical analysis of some a decision amongst more than two options. given the title. Chapter 8 touches on some of the popular games of chance. Part three is a The problem of knowledge, or anticipation of these issues, e.g. the way in which voters discussion of the psychological aspects of gam- of the preferences of others, and strategic will act strategically based on the anticipat- bling. The book as a whole is nicely written voting are also introduced. ed preferences of others and the ‘rules of in a friendly, conversational style. The reader Chapter 3 introduces Ramon Llull and his the game’ to get the best realistic result for is furnished with a wealth of examples and proposal for pairwise comparison of candi- themselves. However, this ‘social compensa- dates (essentially what is known today as the tion’ for the limitations of a voting system Condorcet system). doesn’t receive much attention in the book, Chapter 4 presents an early description which might benefit from a discussion of of the Borda method for electing Popes, as whether it is such a bad thing in the first proposed by Nikolaus Cusanus. Chapter 5 place! goes on to explain the work of Borda him- Having said that, the book is thoroughly self and his discussion of ‘circular’ rankings entertaining. The writing style is lively and in aggregated group preferences. Chapter 6 the social narrative adds much colour to introduces Condorcet and provides some what could otherwise be an extremely dry background on his interactions with Borda. topic. I would happily recommend it either Chapter 7 briefly describes Laplace’s contri- as an enjoyable holiday read or a great gift bution to election theory and his proposal for for a friend or relative. run-off elections (used in many presidential Tim Storer elections). University of Glasgow

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Chapter 8 introduces a variant to the Bor- What’s Luck Got to Do with It? The History, anecdotes, and with many literary and histori- da count proposed by Dodgson, in which Mathematics, and Psychology of the Gambler’s cal references. candidates can be awarded equal points if Illusion by Joseph Mazur, Princeton University In the ‘mathematics’ part of the book, ‘equally preferred’. Press, 2010, 296 pp, £20.95, $29.95, ISBN: 978-1- Mazur discusses at length the theory relating Chapters 9, 10 and 12 depart from election 4008-3445-7. to Bernouilli’s weak law of large numbers. He systems and instead cover debates over the Gambling has long fascinated the human then analyzes the mathematics that govern fair apportionment of seats amongst a pop- race, but at no time in history has it been more various standard games of chance, such as ulation in a representative assembly. visible than now. Widespread internet access roulette and blackjack. It is hard to say what Chapter 11 describes the background to has resulted in an explosion of online gaming a typical reader will gain from his analysis: the Kenneth Arrow’s contribution, demonstrat- sites over the last decade. Televised poker, and mathematically mature reader will not find ing the impossibility of obtaining a ‘fair’ vot- shows such as Deal or No Deal, are increasing- too much of interest, while one not so fluent ing system, without entering into too much ly popular. The lottery industry has shown an in mathematical notation will probably have of the mathematical detail. Finally, Chapter immunity to the global economic crisis, and it rather a tough time of it. 13 illustrates the preceding chapters with a seems even to have grown in recent years. The author acknowledges an original motive number of case studies. The book under review is a timely account to “write about the follies of ambitious be- The treatment of Arrow’s Theorem is rath- of our obsession with gambling. Written in lief in windfall”; a desire to educate and cau- er superficial, which is a little disappointing, three (more or less independent) parts, the tion. (Any mathematician who has observed given its importance to the material covered book examines the related questions of why the sad cases arrayed on endless banks of Las in the book. As I approached the chapter, I’d we are willing to place bets that have nega- Vegas slot machines would surely share his 33 assumed the author was planning to spend tive expectation, and what makes us feel that desire!) Most adroitly he explains why those some time working through the theorem we are in control of our own fortune. The first who bet against the house will lose (and lose in an accessible manner, and the absence of part is a brief history of gambling that begins big) if they continue to play for a long period this does feel like an omission. (somewhat tenuously) in pre-historic times of time. As Mazur observes, few gamblers Curiously, the book also lacks a reflec- and continues all the way through to the have even heard of the law of large numbers, tion on the importance of numbers to col- aforementioned economic crisis. The second and fewer still interpret its meaning correctly; lective decision making, which is strange part presents a mathematical analysis of some diligent readers of his book will no longer feel given the title. Chapter 8 touches on some of the popular games of chance. Part three is a compelled to bet on red after seeing a long of these issues, e.g. the way in which voters discussion of the psychological aspects of gam- string of black! will act strategically based on the anticipat- bling. The book as a whole is nicely written Although Mazur claims ultimately not to ed preferences of others and the ‘rules of in a friendly, conversational style. The reader sermonize in his book, by his choice of topics the game’ to get the best realistic result for is furnished with a wealth of examples and he convinces the reader that gambling is folly. themselves. However, this ‘social compensa- This is clearly so for the various games tion’ for the limitations of a voting system he analyzes, but he misses opportuni- doesn’t receive much attention in the book, ties to present a more balanced view. It which might benefit from a discussion of is a shame, for example, that the book whether it is such a bad thing in the first gives such short shrift to poker, the place! game that has done most to popular- Having said that, the book is thoroughly ize gambling in recent years. There are entertaining. The writing style is lively and legions of mathematically astute online the social narrative adds much colour to poker players who are using their own what could otherwise be an extremely dry “laws of large numbers” to devastat- topic. I would happily recommend it either ing effect; in a meaningful sense, the as an enjoyable holiday read or a great gift best of these players actually are in for a friend or relative. control of their own fortune. Add to Tim Storer that the mysterious blend of mathe- University of Glasgow matics and psychology that influence

Dec10-NL.indd 33 23/11/2010 16:59:09 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected]

the individual decisions of all good poker play- CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEBRUARY 2011 ers and you have a wonderful setting for many 14-16 Workshop on Mathematics Journals, of the themes in this book. This calendar lists Society meetings and other MSRI, Berkeley, USA Minor criticisms aside, however, Mazur has mathematical events. Further information 25 LMS Mary Cartwright Lecture, Oxford written an enjoyable and very readable book. may be obtained from the appropriate His diverse choice of perspectives provides LMS Newsletter whose number is given in (398) something of interest for most readers, and brackets. A fuller list of meetings and events makes the book quite unique. is given on the Society’s website (www.lms. MARCH 2011 Peter Brooksbank ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). 14-18 Representations of Surface Groups Please send updates and corrections to Bucknell University and Higgs Bundles Workshop, Oxford (398) [email protected]. 16 One-Day Meeting in Combinatorics, ZITO THE MAGICIAN Oxford DECEMBER 2010 28 - 1 Apr Discrete Harmonic Analysis We have received the following responses to 6 LMS Meeting, ICMS, Edinburgh (398) Workshop, INI, Cambridge (398) the Zito the Magician poem published in the 6-10 Birational Geometry, ICMS Workshop, 29 The Symmetric Group: Representations November 2010 LMS Newsletter. Edinburgh (396) and Combinatorics, Royal Holloway, 6-10 Uncertainty in Climate Modelling, INI, University of London Complex matters Cambridge (395) If a = p/ + i b, then sin a = cosh b which is 34 2 6-10 Australian Statistical Conference 2010, greater than one for non-zero b. Fremantle, Australia (383) APRIL 2011 Bruce Christianson 8 Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day, 4-5 Nonlinear Waves and Solitons on University of Hertfordshire Durham (398) Lattices Workshop, ICMS, Edinburgh The student replies 13-17 PDE Models for Quantum Fluids, INI, 4-8 Computational Challenges in Partial Switching bottles is the easy part, Cambridge (395) Differential Equations Meeting, Swansea Magician; here, we want you to deceive. 17 Hereditarily Just Infinite Groups Meeting, (392) We like the practised motions of your Royal Holloway, University of London (398) 11-13 BAMC 2011, Birmingham (398) shallow art, 17-18 Prospects in Mathematics Conference, 11-16 Groups, Combinatorics, Computing tricks with insects, flowers up your sleeve, ICMS, Edinburgh (398) De Brún Workshop, Galway (398) and smile at willing courtiers well concealed 18-20 New Trends in Spectral Theory and 14-16 Young Researchers in Mathematics as hints of their true natures are revealed. Applications Workshop, Cardiff (395) 2011 Conference, Warwick (398) 18-21 BMC 2011, Leicester (398) Thoughtless imaginings and carefree words, JANUARY 2011 25-29 The Kervaire Invariant and Stable seeming contradictions in the mental air, 5-14 School on Moduli Spaces, INI, Cambridge Homotopy Theory ICMS Workshop, are honest frauds, coherent and absurd. Edinburgh (398) But real imagination reaches deep, (395) and where 10-13 UK–Japan Winter School, King’s imaginary numbers, multiples of i, College London (396) MAY 2011 10-14 Embeddings, INI, Cambridge (395) replace the real their sines, by i divided, 6 Women in Mathematics Day, London permit us to reply: 10-14 Torsors: Theory and Application ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (398) (398) sine is unbounded. 17 LMS–Gresham Lecture, London (398) Spring from your nutshell, 17 Geometry and Physics: Past, Present and 22-27 Progress on Difference Equations 2011, quit your simple home, Future, Cardiff University (398) Dublin (398) and in the complex let your magic roam. 19-21 British Postgraduate Model Theory CHAOS 2011, Crete, Greece (398) Jeremy Gray Conference, Leeds (398) 31 - 3 Jun The Open University

Dec10-NL.indd 34 23/11/2010 16:59:09 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 398 December 2010

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEBRUARY 2011 JUNE 2011 14-16 Workshop on Mathematics Journals, 6-8 Nonlinear Diffusion: Algorithms, Analysis This calendar lists Society meetings and other MSRI, Berkeley, USA and Applications Workshop, Warwick (395) mathematical events. Further information 25 LMS Mary Cartwright Lecture, Oxford 6-10 Oscillatory Integrals in Harmonic may be obtained from the appropriate Analysis ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (398) LMS Newsletter whose number is given in (398) 13-17 Stabilization of Dynamical Systems and brackets. A fuller list of meetings and events Processes ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (398) is given on the Society’s website (www.lms. MARCH 2011 20-24 Geometric Analysis ICMS Workshop, ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). 14-18 Representations of Surface Groups Please send updates and corrections to Edinburgh (398) and Higgs Bundles Workshop, Oxford (398) [email protected]. 22-24 First British Conference on Mathematics 16 One-Day Meeting in Combinatorics, of Filtering and Its Applications, Brunel Oxford 26-30 Signal Processing with Adaptive DECEMBER 2010 28 - 1 Apr Discrete Harmonic Analysis Sparse Structured Representations ICMS 6 LMS Meeting, ICMS, Edinburgh (398) Workshop, INI, Cambridge (398) Workshop, Edinburgh (394) 6-10 Birational Geometry, ICMS Workshop, 29 The Symmetric Group: Representations 26 - 2 Jul New Developments in Non- Edinburgh (396) and Combinatorics, Royal Holloway, Commutative Algebra and Applications 6-10 Uncertainty in Climate Modelling, INI, University of London ICMS Workshop, Sabhal M�r Ostaig, Isle of Cambridge (395) Skye (398) 6-10 Australian Statistical Conference 2010, 27 - 1 Jul Signal Pocessing with Adaptive 35 Fremantle, Australia (383) APRIL 2011 Sparse Structured Representation, ICMS 8 Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day, 4-5 Nonlinear Waves and Solitons on Workshop, Edinburgh (398) Durham (398) Lattices Workshop, ICMS, Edinburgh 13-17 PDE Models for Quantum Fluids, INI, 4-8 Computational Challenges in Partial JULY 2011 Cambridge (395) Differential Equations Meeting, Swansea 1 LMS Meeting, London 17 Hereditarily Just Infinite Groups Meeting, (392) 4-8 Theories of Infinity ICMS–ESF Meeting, Royal Holloway, University of London (398) 11-13 BAMC 2011, Birmingham (398) Edinburgh (398) 17-18 Prospects in Mathematics Conference, 11-16 Groups, Combinatorics, Computing 4-8 Gauge Theory and Complex Geometry, ICMS, Edinburgh (398) De Brún Workshop, Galway (398) Leeds 18-20 New Trends in Spectral Theory and 14-16 Young Researchers in Mathematics 11-15 Numerical Relativity Beyond Astro- Applications Workshop, Cardiff (395) 2011 Conference, Warwick (398) physics ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (398) 18-21 BMC 2011, Leicester (398) 18-20 Toric Methods in Homotopy Theory JANUARY 2011 25-29 The Kervaire Invariant and Stable Conference, Belfast (398) Homotopy Theory ICMS Workshop, 18-22 ICIAM 2011, Vancouver, Canada (388) 5-14 School on Moduli Spaces, INI, Cambridge 19 LMS Northern Regional Meeting, Leeds Edinburgh (398) (395) 19-22 Homogeneous Structures Workshop, 10-13 UK–Japan Winter School, King’s Leeds College London (396) MAY 2011 21-22 Twistors in Geometry and Physics, 10-14 Embeddings, INI, Cambridge (395) Oxford 10-14 Torsors: Theory and Application ICMS 6 Women in Mathematics Day, London Workshop, Edinburgh (398) (398) 17 Geometry and Physics: Past, Present and 17 LMS–Gresham Lecture, London (398) AUGUST 2011 Future, Cardiff University (398) 22-27 Progress on Difference Equations 2011, 29 - 1 Sep Algebra, Combinatorics, Dynamics 19-21 British Postgraduate Model Theory Dublin (398) and Applications, Queen’s University, Conference, Leeds (398) 31 - 3 Jun CHAOS 2011, Crete, Greece (398) Belfast

Dec10-NL.indd 35 23/11/2010 16:59:09 G. SALMON LMS member 1866–1903 Chancellor, Dublin Chancellor,

Rev. George Salmon, DD, DCL, LLD, FRS, FRSE Regis Professor of Divinity, Trinity College, Dublin Royal Medallist (1868), Copley Medallist (1889) of the Royal Society Honorary Member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society; Provost of Trinity College Dublin Corresponding member of the Institute of France, Academy of Sciences of Berlin, Royal Society of Göttingen; Foreign Member of the Royal Society of Copenhagen; Foreign Associate in Mathematics of the Reale Accademia dei Lincei;

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