THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
Forthcoming COUNCIL DIARY prompted a discussion on a 19 October 2007 number of questions concerned Society with membership. For example, Meetings The first Council meeting of the how can the Society encourage new academic year had a very its members to publish their best 2007 full agenda, as much had hap- mathematical research in the Thursday 6 December pened over the summer period. Society’s journals (and, converse- Spitalfields Day A large part of the meeting ly, how can we encourage those INI, Cambridge was concerned with financial who publish in our journals to [page 22] affairs, after the successful audit become members), and how can of the Society’s accounts during we recruit new members, par- 2008 the summer. Council expressed ticularly from under-represent- Monday 7 January its thanks to the Treasurer and ed areas of mathematics, such 1 JM Meeting, staff at De Morgan House for as applied mathematics? A relat- San Diego their hard work in both manag- ed issue is how to encourage [page 2] ing the Society’s finances and greater attendance at Society preparing the accounts to the meetings, and enable our pro- Friday 8 February satisfaction of the auditors. grammes of outstanding speak- Mary Cartwright Council discussed the difficulties ers to reach the widest possible Lecture, Oxford in accurately predicting our audiences. Our Regional R. Peto income, both from investments Organisers facilitate the holding V. Beral and publishing, and matching of meetings across the country, [page 3] expenditure. As a charity, the and the Society’s Programme Monday 31 March Society aims to spend its Committee proposed re-institut- Northern Regional income, but there is an inherent ing ‘LMS representatives’ in each Meeting, Manchester challenge in being financially department, to work with the prudent at the same time. Regional Organisers and also Monday 9 June Council also studied the foster the local membership. Midlands Regional Trustees’ Report, the formal Council also agreed new Meeting, Birmingham document for the Charity guidelines for the process of Commission concerning the selecting a new President of the Friday 4 July Society’s activities over the past Society, to ensure that the inter- London year, and the Annual Report on ests of the Society and its mem- Monday 15 September Activities, a more accessible bers are paramount while the SW & South Wales account, which will be mailed to confidentiality of the process is Regional Meeting, university mathematics depart- maintained. Swansea ments and freely available on Plans were agreed for a the Society’s website. Society meeting to be held dur- Friday 21 November Council examined the trends ing the Joint Mathematics AGM, London in membership numbers over Meeting in San Diego in January the past twelve years, and this 2008, taking the form of a recep- THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
tion at which there will be an opportunity for LAUNCH OF JOURNAL members to enter their signatures in the Book. The Journal of Topology will also be launched OF TOPOLOGY LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY during the Joint Meeting. The London Mathematical Society will be Council was brought up-to-date with the holding a reception and meeting for mem- ongoing business of the Council for the bers during the Joint Mathematics Meeting MARY CARTWRIGHT MEETING Mathematical Sciences (CMS). Two items may in San Diego from 6–9 January 2008. The Friday 8 February 2008, 4.30 pm be of particular interest to members. First, event will be held from 6:30 pm–7:30 pm on the CMS is working with other bodies in sci- Monday 7 January to celebrate the launch of Oxford University Museum of Natural History ence and engineering on how integrated the Society’s new journal, Journal of Parks Road, Oxford OX1 masters’ degrees fit into the Bologna Process Topology, which will publish its first issue in for the harmonisation of qualifications (see January 2008. Mathematics of medicine: CMS diary in September’s Newsletter). LMS members who have not already done breast cancer treatment and prevention Second, the CMS will be responding to a con- so will have the opportunity to include their sultation on forthcoming reductions in fund- signatures in the Membership Book which Opening of Meeting ing for universities to teach students taking a dates back to 1865. second degree at an equivalent or lower level Members who wish to attend the recep- Sir Richard Peto, FRS (Oxford) to their existing qualification. tion should apply for a free ticket to Susan and 2 Finally, at the end of such a full agenda, Oakes, the Administrator of the Society 3 Council was appreciative of the hard work ([email protected]), no later than Friday Valerie Beral, FRS (Oxford) Mary Cartwright Lecture and commitment of the staff at De Morgan 7 December. The Society hopes to entertain Valerie Beral and Richard Peto will House, without whom the Society could not as many as possible of its members, but describe worldwide evidence on the operate its extensive programme of activities. numbers may be limited by the capacity of causes and treatment of breast can- Elizabeth Winstanley the room. cer. The evidence comes from large- scale collaborations, where hun- dreds of researchers from around the world meet regularly in Oxford LMS Newsletter and contribute, for central review and analysis, information on hun- General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) dreds of thousands of women with Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) breast cancer. The findings from Reviews Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) these international collaborations Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) have changed clinical practice over the last two decades. Consequently, Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57-58 Russell Square, large reductions in mortality from London WC1B 4HS (tel: 020 7637 3686; fax: 020 7323 3655; email: [email protected], web: www.lms.ac.uk) breast cancer are being seen. Designed by CHP Design (tel: 020 7240 0466, email: [email protected], web: www.chpdesign.com) Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. There will be tea before the meeting from 4 pm at the Museum. Items and advertisements by first day of the month prior to publication. A reception and dinner will be held after the meeting. Information in the Newsletter is free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated; attribution is Contact Susan Oakes ([email protected]) for further information. requested when reproducing whole articles. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of the London Mathematical Society. of members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting. Contact Isabelle Robinson ([email protected]) for further information. Charity registration number: 252660. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY PRIZES 2008 The Whitehead Prizes are awarded to stage in their career. Grounds for the award mathematicians who, on 1 January of the may include work in and influence on mathe- In 2008, Council expects to award the Pólya Pólya Prize is awarded in recognition of out- year of the award, (i) are either normally res- matics. Members are reminded that the scope Prize, the Senior Berwick Prize, the Fröhlich standing creativity in, imaginative exposition ident in the United Kingdom or members of of the Whitehead Prizes (as of the other Prize and up to four Whitehead Prizes. of, or distinguished contribution to, mathemat- the Society mainly educated in the United Society Prizes to be awarded in 2008) includes Nominations should be made on the form ics within the United Kingdom; it may not be Kingdom, (ii) are not already Fellows of the all aspects of mathematics, and Council has available to download from the LMS website awarded to any person who has previously Royal Society, and (iii) either have fewer than emphasised that this includes applied mathe- (www.lms.ac.uk) or obtainable by contacting received the De Morgan Medal. 15 years (full time equivalent) of involvement matics, mathematical physics and mathemati- the Secretary to the Prizes Committee at the The Senior Berwick Prize is named after in mathematics at post-doctoral level, allow- cal aspects of computer science. A Whitehead Society (tel: 020 7927 0803, email: prizes@ Professor W.E.H. Berwick, a former Vice- ing for breaks in continuity, or, in the opinion Prize may not be awarded to anyone who has lms.ac.uk). Nominations should be received President of the Society, and is awarded in of the Prizes Committee, are at an equivalent won any of the Society’s other Prizes. no later than Friday 25 January 2008. even-numbered years. The Senior Berwick Prize The Prizes Committee is keen to increase for year X can only be awarded to a mathe- THE CHRISTOPHER ZEEMAN MEDAL FOR the number of nominations it receives, and matician who is a member of the Society on 1 would like to draw attention to the dispro- January of year X, and is awarded in recogni- COMMUNICATION OF MATHEMATICS portionably low numbers of women nomi- tion of an outstanding piece of mathematical nated for prizes each year. It should be noted research actually published by the Society dur- The Councils of the London Mathematical mathematicians who can promote their sub- that recent changes to the prize regulations ing the eight years ending on 31 December of Society and the Institute of Mathematics and Its ject successfully. This role is vital to inspiring 4 replace age restrictions with the concept of year X-1. The Senior Berwick Prize may not be Applications are delighted to announce the the next generation of mathematicians as 5 ‘academic age’ in order to take account more awarded to any person who has previously launch of the first UK award dedicated to well as helping the wider public to enjoy fully of broken career patterns. Nominations received the De Morgan Medal, Pólya Prize, recognising excellence in the communication of mathematics.” need not describe in detail the candidate’s Senior Whitehead Prize or Naylor Prize. mathematics, the Christopher Zeeman Medal. The award is named after Professor Sir work, as detailed references for those short- The Fröhlich Prize is awarded in even-num- The LMS and IMA wish to honour mathe- Christopher Zeeman, FRS, president of the listed will be sought. The ‘Case for Award’ bered years in memory of Professor Albrecht maticians who have excelled in promoting LMS between 1986 and 1988. His notable section of the nomination form should be Fröhlich (De Morgan Medallist 1992). The mathematics and engaging with the general career has been pioneering not only in the completed in approximately 500 words. Fröhlich Fund for this purpose was based on a public. They may be academic mathemati- fields of topology and catastrophe theory Brief descriptions of the criteria for each generous donation from Mrs Fröhlich, reflect- cians based in universities, mathematics but also because of his ground breaking Prize are given below. Council reserves the ing Professor Fröhlich’s great enthusiasm for, school teachers, industrial mathematicians, work in bringing his beloved mathematics to right not to make an award of any particular and gratitude to, the London Mathematical those working in the financial sector or the wider public. Prize in the event that no candidate of suffi- Society. The Prize is awarded for original and indeed mathematicians from any number of Sir Christopher was the first mathematician cient merit is recommended by the Prizes extremely innovative work in any branch of other fields. to be asked to deliver the Royal Institution Committee. Nominators should note that, in mathematics, and is restricted to mathemati- Most importantly, these mathematicians Christmas Lectures in 1978, a full 160 years each case, current Members of Council or the cians who, on 1 January of the year of the will have worked exceptionally to bring math- since they began. His Mathematics into pic- Prizes Committee may not be considered for award, are either (i) normally resident in the ematics to a non-specialist audience. Whether tures lectures have been cited by many young the prize, and that no-one may be awarded United Kingdom of Great Britain and it is through giving public lectures, writing UK mathematicians as their inspiration. They the same prize more than once. A list of pre- Northern Ireland, or (ii) members of the books, appearing on radio or television, also led to the creation of the Ri’s vious winners appears in the Handbook and Society mainly educated in the United organising events or through an entirely sepa- Mathematics Masterclasses, weekly lectures on the LMS website. The full regulations for Kingdom. The Prize can only be awarded to a rate medium, the LMS and IMA want to cele- delivered to schoolchildren across the UK via each prize can be obtained from the Society mathematician who has fewer than 25 years brate the achievements of mathematicians a network of 50 centres. (contact details as above). (full time equivalent) of involvement in math- who work to inspire others with their work. Sir Christopher’s skill as a communicator The Pólya Prize is awarded in those years, not ematics at post-doctoral level, allowing for The medal will be awarded triennially. has long been recognised in the wider com- numbered by a multiple of three, in which the breaks in continuity, or who in the opinion of Nominations are now invited for the first munity. In 1988, he was the third recipient of De Morgan Medal is not available for award. the Prizes Committee is at an equivalent stage award which will be made in 2008. the Royal Society’s Faraday Prize, awarded The Prize is awarded in memory of Professor G. in their career. The Fröhlich Prize may not be In a joint statement, the Presidents of the annually to a scientist or engineer who has Pólya, who was a Member (and later Honorary awarded to any person who has received the LMS and IMA said, “We are delighted to be excelled in communicating science to public Member) of the Society for about 60 years. The De Morgan Medal or the Pólya Prize. able to show how much we need and value audiences. His award was made “for the con-
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tributions he has made to the popularization nerable (SIV) – which include mathematics – of mathematics”. will be exempt from the withdrawal. The In recognition of both his work as a math- CMS welcomes the withdrawal but calls for ematician and his contribution to the UK clarity in exactly how qualifications’ mathe- mathematics community, Sir Christopher matical content is assessed in deciding if it received the LMS-IMA David Crighton falls into the SIV category. Medal in 2006. The LMS is supporting an award for new To put someone forward for the medal, writers being run by online mathematics please contact the LMS ([email protected]) for magazine Plus. The annual award encour- a nomination form or by writing to: The ages new writers of any age and from any Secretary to the Christopher Zeeman Medal, background (school students, university stu- London Mathematical Society, De Morgan dents and general public) who can explain a House, 57–58 Russell Square, London mathematical topic or application they think WC1B 4HS. Forms should be returned by the world needs to know about. The winning 31 January 2008. essays will be published in the June 2008 edi- tion of the magazine and winners will receive MATHEMATICS POLICY an iPod, an annual subscription to Nature magazine and signed copies of popular 6 ROUND-UP mathematics books. For more details see: 7 The Mathematics Promotion Unit (MPU) is http://plus.maths.org/competition. The clos- pleased to welcome Professor Marcus ing date for entries is 31 March 2008. du Sautoy, EPSRC Senior Media Fellow and Plus magazine has also launched a new professor of mathematics at the University of internet forum for mathematics on the Oxford, onto the steering group of the MPU. Nature Networks website. It aims to provide As a pure mathematician Professor du Sautoy “a platform for anyone who wants to discuss will bring added breadth to the steering maths, whether it’s actual maths, maths group whose current members are predomi- teaching, the portrayal of maths in the nantly in applied fields. It is also hoped that media, or good and bad maths content else- his emphasis on the subject rather than the where on the internet”. The address is: http:// policy or education matters surrounding network.nature.com/group/mathematics. mathematics will add an extra dimension The government has announced three new to the MPU. academic diplomas which will be piloted The Council for the Mathematical Sciences from 2011. These include a science diploma is responding to a Higher Education Funding and will go alongside the 14 vocational diplo- Council for England (Hefce) consultation mas already in the pipeline. The first diplo- Withdrawal of funding for equivalent or mas are to be introduced next year and aim lower qualifications. The consultation fol- to bridge the gap between academic and lows a request from the Department for vocational training and there is debate as to Innovation, Universities and Skills to with- whether they will actually replace A-levels in draw funding for students who are studying the future. All the diplomas have basic skills for a qualification that is equivalent to, or element, in English, mathematics and infor- lower than, a qualification that they have mation technology, but it is unclear as yet already been awarded and channel this how much mathematics will be involved in money towards getting more people to study the science diplomas. for first degrees. Hefce has said that subjects Caroline Davis designated strategically important and vul- Mathematics Policy and Promotion Officer THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
DAVID KENDALL of its fortunes, but David’s enthusiasm and generosity of outlook soon attracted col- David George Kendall, who was elected leagues and research students, and the The London to the London Mathematical Society on Laboratory, in new quarters, took on new Mathematical Cecil King 8 February 1940 and served as its President life. He particularly welcomed students Society Travel Scholarship from 1972 to 1974, died on 23 October 2007, and senior visitors from Eastern Europe, in his 90th year. with some of whom he developed lasting John Kingman writes: David Kendall was collaborations. The London Mathematical Society annually awards a £5000 the father of modern probability theory in In Cambridge his scientific direction also Cecil King Travel Scholarship in Mathematics, to a young Britain, and had an enormous influence on changed. His applications of probability had two generations of probabilists here and always been to modelling rather than data mathematician of outstanding promise. The Scholarship is overseas. He was a loyal member of the analysis, but his side interests in antiquarian awarded to support a period of study or research abroad, Society for 67 years, was its Vice-President and archaeological studies showed him that typically for a period of three months. from 1961 to 1963 before becoming there were statistical problems in which President, and was honoured with the Senior subtle geometrical or other structures could The award is competitive and based on a written proposal Whitehead Prize in 1980 and the De Morgan be exploited to improve the understanding describing the intended programme of study or research Medal in 1989. of complex data. In other words, he abroad and the benefits to be gained from such a visit. David’s career is a tale of two cities, Oxford became a statistician, though of a highly 8 and Cambridge. He read mathematics at The idiosyncratic kind. 9 A shortlist of applicants will be selected for interview. Queen’s College before World War II, and For all of these contributions, he was hon- during the war was introduced by Maurice oured by other societies too. He was elected Applicants should normally be nationals of the UK or Bartlett to statistics and applied probability. to the Royal Society in 1964 and received its Republic of Ireland, either registered for or having When he returned to Oxford in 1946, as a Sylvester Medal in 1976. The Royal Statistical recently completed a doctoral degree at a UK University. Fellow of Magdalen, he complemented the Society awarded him its Guy Medal twice, in pragmatic British approach to these subjects Silver in 1955 and in Gold in 1981. Other dis- Applications should be made using the form available on by a deep study of the rigorous probability tinctions came from across Europe. But what the Society’s website (www.lms.ac.uk/activities/cecil_king/ theory of Kolmogorov, Lévy, Feller and Doob. gave him even more pleasure, I believe, His powerful mathematical technique and was to see those with whom he had collabo- index.html) or from Isabelle Robinson at the Society scholarly approach enabled him to make sig- rated put to good effect the lessons he ([email protected]). The closing date for applica- nificant contributions both to the abstract had taught. tions is Friday 22 February 2008. It is expected that inter- theory and to the many applications of that views will take place in London in late April or early May. theory. For instance, his series of papers KARL GRUENBERG (1953-59), some with Harry Reuter, on contin- uous time Markov processes with a countable Karl W. Gruenberg, Emeritus Professor at state space played a major part in the under- Queen Mary, University of London since The Cecil King Travel Scholarship was established in 2001 standing of those mysterious animals, while 1993, who was elected to the London by the Cecil King Memorial Fund. The award is made by his landmark 1951 lecture to the Royal Mathematical Society on 17 December 1953, Statistical Society introduced the study of died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age the Council of the London Mathematical Society on the congestion and queueing to the English- of 79 on 10 October 2007. recommendation of the Cecil King Prize Committee, speaking world. Bert Wehrfritz writes: Karl was born and nominated by the Society’s Education Committee. The big change came in 1962, when he spent his early life in Vienna. After the Nazis was tempted away from Oxford college life took over, Karl and his parents all escaped to the new professorship of mathematical from Austria/Germany, but separately in statistics at Cambridge, where he settled for different directions and at slightly different the rest of his long life. The Cambridge times. Karl reached the UK on a Statistical Laboratory was then at the nadir Kindertransport in 1939, where he was
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joined later by his mother. After a less than December 1956, died on 11 June 2007. easy transition to the English school system David Gauld and John Butcher write: Born he went on to Cambridge. He did his PhD in in Auckland, John joined the academic staff Why not run a workshop at group theory under Philip Hall, after which of the University of Auckland in 1955. His the International Centre for he moved to Queen Mary College, tem- early education was in Auckland, at King’s porarily in 1953 and permanently in 1957. College and the University of Auckland. He Mathematical Sciences? He remained there all his working life apart studied in the Arts and Law faculties and from many leaves of absence. He was made obtained an MA with first class honours in Mathematical Workshops professor in 1967. He was Head of the Mathematics. He then went on to postgradu- • held at ICMS in Edinburgh Pure Mathematics Department from 1973 ate studies at Harvard University where he • generally 5 days duration to 1978. was awarded the PhD in 1955 for his thesis • attended by leading academics from around the world After leaving Cambridge he continued his entitled Some inequalities related to Hölder’s • encourages participation of young researchers research in abstract group theory into the inequality and some contributions to lattice • interdisciplinary – covering all areas of sciences 1960s but from about 1960 or so his main theory. At the University of Auckland he rose with significant mathematical content research interest moved into homological rapidly through the ranks and was appointed algebra and its applications, particularly to to the second chair in Mathematics in 1964. Closing dates at the end of March, August and December. group theory. This led him over the years Throughout his long and distinguished For further details please visit www.icms.org.uk/proposals.php towards representation theory, especially career in the Mathematics Department, John 10 integral representation theory, and more lat- was noted as a careful and precise lecturer, as ICMS, 14 India Street, Edinburgh EH3 6EZ 11 terly number theory. He published many a champion of high standards of supported by EPSRC and LMS research articles both singularly and jointly. Mathematical scholarship, and as a kind and He was a talented and very successful unpretentious person. At his retirement in teacher, especially of graduate students, and 1993 he was awarded the title Emeritus his many innovative graduate courses were Professor. John’s early research interests regularly attended by students, visitors and included lattice theory, universal algebra and staff from Queen Mary and other London nonclassical logic. Later in his career he institutions. His books, Linear Geometry became heavily involved with automated (1967, an undergraduate text written with reasoning and, in particular, he became an Alan Weir), Cohomological Topics in Group expert on the use of the OTTER software. His Theory (1970) and Relation Modules of Finite book Automated reasoning with OTTER Groups (1976), were all very well received. He appeared in 2001 and was highly acclaimed. continued his research to the end. He pub- He is remembered by his colleagues and lished a joint paper with Al Weiss in the by generations of students for his qualities Journal of Algebra in 2006, was working on of quiet and unassuming scholarship and further joint work with Al in the summer of his respect for Mathematics and for 2007 both at Queen Mary and in Canada and Mathematicians. was due to address the Queen Mary Pure Mathematics Seminar in December when his BERLIN MATHEMATICAL death intervened. As a friend, colleague and researcher Karl SCHOOL will be greatly missed. The Berlin Mathematical School (BMS), a joint graduate school of the mathematics JOHN KALMAN departments of the three major Berlin uni- versities is starting into its second academic John Arnold Kalman, who was elected to year. For further information, visit the web- the London Mathematical Society on 13 site at www.math-berlin.de. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
NOTES ON THE MEETINGS OF THE IMA-LMS JOINT PLANNING GROUP (JPG) A short report on the meeting of 6 July more than 2 candidates; so that there are 2007 appeared in the October issues of more candidates than places. Vice-Presidents Mathematics Today and the LMS Newsletter. should be proposed by the Nominating This fuller account includes also a report of Committee in consultation with the respec- the meeting of 17 October 2007 which took tive Activity Constituency Committee. The place only a short time before the copy dead- appointment of members of the Activity lines of the two publications. Constituency Committees themselves should be left undefined, to allow for variation Working groups between committees. Membership of com- Both meetings considered a number of draft mittees not directly linked to the Activity reports prepared by working groups. That on Constituency Committees (e.g. statutory, Vision and Mission was considered acceptable financial, prizes, etc.) would be decided by after a revision between the two meetings. Council. There will be a further seven seats The paper on Public Benefit was strength- on Council and candidates for these seats can ened between the two meetings to highlight be nominated by members of the society. 12 the ‘big’ issues of the role of mathematics in There could be a further three co-opted 13 the quality of life, health and wealth, and to members of Council. All elections will be by meet new requirements imposed by the the Single Transferable Vote method. Charity Commission under the Charities Act 2006. The Communications report was accept- Further points agreed on were the following: ed after minor amendment. 1. The centrality of publishing to the new society’s endeavours should be recog- Constitution nised by the Chair of the Publications The paper from the working group on the Committee or equivalent having an ex Constitution of a new society focused on the officio place on Council. way that the different groups comprising the 2. Changes to the Learned Activities Fund Council should be identified and elected. should be deemed to be a constitutional Work is proceeding on the basis that the four matter, requiring two-thirds majorities in Vice-Presidents of the new society would each votes at both Council and a General head an ‘Activity Constituency’ and chair an Meeting. associated ‘Constituency Committee’, and that The total number of members of Council the four Constituencies might be Learned would be 23, before any co-options. Activities, Professional Activities, Education, and External Policy and Promotion. Membership It was agreed that the Activity It was agreed that the main grade will be that Constituencies should be the means of ensur- of Member of the new society, with entry cri- ing that the interests of the different activity teria similar to those for membership of the areas were progressed and maintained. present societies. A Member will have full vot- Council and the membership should not, ing rights. Associate Membership will be open therefore, be able to put forward candidates to all who wish to join the society but will to stand against those proposed by the carry no voting rights. Fellowship of the socie- Activity Constituency Committees. The latter, ty will be an additional designation available however, should be expected to put forward to Members who have achieved seniority and
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who satisfy a number of prescribed conditions. YORKSHIRE AND DURHAM Fellowship will confer no additional rights or privileges. Chartered Mathematician will GEOMETRY DAY remain as a professional designation. There will be a Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day on Friday 18 January 2008 Timetable from 11:00 am to 5:15 pm in the Department A new outline timetable was agreed, under of Mathematical Sciences, Durham which a first draft of the JPG’s report would be University. Tea and coffee will be available ready for the Council meetings in March 2008, from 10:30. Talks will be given by: and a final report, addressing any concerns, • Misha Belolipetsky (Durham) received by the Councils in June 2008. If accept- • Frederic Bourgeois (Brussels) ed, the agreed final report, with appropriate • Gil Cavalcanti (Oxford) accompanying materials by the two Councils, • Femke Douma (Durham) would then be distributed to members as part • Bruno Simões (Lisbon) of a comprehensive consultation process. That All interested are welcome to attend, would include meetings around the UK, mech- although the organisers would appreciate anisms for discussion and feedback and articles your letting them know if you plan to come. in the newsletters. It was reported that so far For further information email John 14 there had been very little feedback to nsicon- Bolton ([email protected]) or 15 [email protected] (see below). Wilhelm Klingenberg (wilhelm.klingenberg@ durham.ac.uk) or visit the website New Working Groups www.maths.dur.ac.uk/dma0jb/ydgd.html. Membership and remits for new working The Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Days parties were agreed at the July meeting, and are supported by a grant from the LMS. some preliminary reports – mainly oral – con- sidered at the October meeting. Work con- COMBINATORICS MEETING tinues on these topics. (i) Support for research The 2008 Open University Winter (ii) Finances and financial structures (including Combinatorics Meeting will be held on property, the Learned Activities Fund, reci- Wednesday 30 January 2008 in the procity agreements with other countries) Christodoulou Meeting Room 11 (CMR 11) on (iii) Publishing (excluding membership the Open University campus in Milton newsletters) Keynes. All are welcome and coffee will (iv) Administration. be available from 10.15 am. The speakers Charles Evans (IMA) will include: Charles Goldie (LMS) • Anthony Hilton (Queen Mary, London) • James Hirschfeld (Sussex) Comments sought • Martin Macajˇ (Comenius, Bratislava) As this work progresses, members are invited • Gordon Royle (Western Australia) to send views directly to the group and can • Andrew Thomason (Cambridge) be assured that all comments received will be For further information visit http://pure- brought to the attention of the group at its maths.open.ac.uk/combin, or contact Mike next meeting. Although the NSI group does Grannell ([email protected]) or Terry not guarantee to reply to all messages it may Griggs ([email protected]). The organis- on occasion choose to do so. The email ers gratefully acknowledge the support of address to use is [email protected]. the British Combinatorial Committee. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
ICM 2010 • Logic and foundations (4–5 lectures) Section descriptions • Algebra (6–7 lectures) The Programme Committee of the next • Number theory (10–12 lectures) International Congress of Mathematicians • Algebraic and complex geometry (Hyderabad, India, 19–27 August 2010) has (9–11 lectures) decided – based on the scientific pro- • Geometry (10–12 lectures) grammes of former ICMs and suggestions • Topology (10–12 lectures) from mathematicians the world over – on • Lie theory and generalizations the structure of the scientific programme of (8–10 lectures) ICM 2010. The structure of the programme • Analysis (7–8 lectures) of the Congress, as decided by the • Functional analysis and applications Programme Committee at its October 2007 (5–6 lectures) meeting, is as follows: • Dynamical systems and ordinary differential equations (9–11 lectures) • The total number of one hour plenary • Partial differential equations lectures will be 18–20, plus at most (9–10 lectures) seven lectures by the winners of the • Mathematical physics (10–12 lectures) Fields medals, the Rolf Nevanlinna • Probability and Statistics 16 prize, the Gauss prize, and the Chern (12–13 lectures) 17 medal. • Combinatorics (7–8 lectures) • The number of 45-minute invited lectures • Mathematical aspects of computer will be approximately 160, distributed science (6–7 lectures) over 20 sections (defined below). In • Numerical analysis and scientific addition there will be the Emmy Noether computing (5–6 lectures) lecture. • Control theory and optimization • There is the possibility of shared lectures (6–7 lectures) among sections. • Mathematics in science and technology • The Organizing Committee is encouraged (8–10 lectures) to arrange for the possibility of short com- • Mathematics education and populariza- munications and poster sessions, as well as tion of mathematics (3 lectures +) less formal scientific events of broad inter- • History of mathematics (3 lectures) est during the congress. The latter could address ICM participants and/or the The Programme Committee will finalize general public. the descriptions in the spring of 2008 and • The Organizing Committee is requested to invites comments from the Adhering facilitate, in consultation with the AWM Organizations and mathematicians interest- (Association for Women in Mathematics), ed in helping make the ICM 2010 programme an activity regarding women. It should be as attractive as possible. scheduled either the day before or the day All Adhering Organizations and interested after the Noether Lecture with not too individuals are invited to submit proposals many parallel events. for changes to Hendrik Lenstra, chair of the ICM 2010 Programme Committee, by the end Descriptions and the number of lectures to of January 2008. Email your suggestions to: be given in each section are shown below. [email protected]. The total number of lectures (including panel Martin Groetschel discussions) is 150–176. IMU Secretary THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
ALAN BEARDON of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were RETIREMENT MEETING -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did On Wednesday 5 December 2007 there will the woman in the shop. But when she be a one-day meeting of mathematicians to scanned the card the machine said I hadn’t. I mark the retirement of Alan Beardon. The phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off meeting will be held in the Centre for with some story that -6 is higher – not lower Mathematical Sciences in the University of – than -8 but I’m not having it. I think Cambridge. Speakers to include: Camelot are giving people the wrong impres- • Dov Aharonov (Technion, Haifa, Israel) sion – the card doesn’t say to look for a cold- • Shigeyasu Kamiya (Okayama, Japan) er or warmer temperature, it says to look for • Lisa Lorentzen (Trondheim, Norway) a higher or lower number. Six is a lower num- • Patrick Tuen Wai Ng (University of Hong Kong) ber than 8. Imagine how many people have • Samuel J. Patterson (Göttingen, Germany) been misled.” The meeting will consist of short talks on A Camelot spokeswoman said the game Wednesday morning and afternoon, a buffet was withdrawn after reports that some play- lunch, and a celebratory meal at King’s ers had not understood the concept. College in the evening. For further details 18 contact John Parker [email protected] LIEGRITS WORKSHOP 19 and Ian Short [email protected] or see the webpage www.maths.nuim.ie/staff/ishort/ The final workshop of the European RTN personal/BeardonMeeting.html. The organis- training research network Flags, Quivers ers are grateful to the LMS for a Scheme and Invariant Theory in Lie Representation 1 conference grant towards this meeting. Theory (LieGrits, MRTN-CT-2003-505078) will take place at the Mathematical Institute of LOTTERY SCRATCHCARD the University of Oxford from 3 January 2008 (arrival day) to 9 January 2008 From the Manchester Evening News 3 Nov 2007 (departure day). There will be instructional A Lottery scratchcard – the Cool Cash game – and other lectures on categorification was taken out of shops yesterday after some and cluster theory, and also some other players failed to grasp whether or not they main lectures. had won. Speakers for these will include: A. Buan, To qualify for a prize, users had to scratch J. Chuang, B. Keller, R. Marsh, V. Mazorchuk, away a window to reveal a temperature M. Reineke, I. Reiten, R.Rouquier, J. Schröer, lower than the figure displayed on each card. W. Sörgel, A. Zelevinsky. There will also be As the game had a winter theme, the tem- shorter lectures and so far the following have perature was usually below freezing. But the accepted to speak: K. Baur, P.A. Bergh, concept of comparing negative numbers G. Berczy, R. Bocklandt, C. Gonzalez- proved too difficult for some. Camelot Martinez, S. Goodwin, D. Juteau, D. Madsen, received dozens of complaints on the first V. Miemietz, S. Oppermann, I. Yudin. day from players who could not understand The organizers are: K. Erdmann, how, for example, -5 is higher than -6. K.C. Hannabuss, A. Henke, F. Kirwan and the Tina Farrell, from Levenshulme, called scientific advisers: R. Marsh, R. Rouquier. For Camelot after failing to win with several further information, contact liegrits@maths. cards. The 23-year-old, who said she had left ox.ac.uk, or see the website www.maths. school without a maths GCSE, said: “On one ox.ac.uk/notices/events/liegrits-workshop. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
BACHELIER FINANCE Congress website www.bfs2008.com. The Andrew Chamblin Memorial Lecture Fund integrability is playing in our understanding closing date for submissions is 25 January (www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/gr/about/andre of many quantum systems including quan- SOCIETY 2008. The Congress Organizers are Mark w-chamblin.html), before introducing tum gravity, topological field theory, and The Fifth World Congress of the Bachelier Davis (Imperial College) and Lane Hughston Alexander Gorsky of the Institute for SUSY Yang-Mills theory. Finance Society will take place from 15–19 (King’s College London). Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Simon Hands July 2008 in London. Plenary speakers are: Moscow, who reviewed the remarkable role Swansea University • Tomas Björk (Stockholm School of Economics) LMS SPITALFIELDS DAY • Jaksaˇ Cvitanic´ (CALTECH) • Philip Dybvig (Washington Univ, St Louis) REPORT • Marco Frittelli (University of Milan) On Monday 8 October a Spitalfields Day • Jim Gatheral (Merrill Lynch, New York) event on Gauge Theory, String Theory and • Lars Peter Hansen (University of Chicago) Unification was held at the Isaac Newton • Dmitry Kramkov (Carnegie Mellon) Institute (INI), Cambridge, as part of the six- • Alex Lipton (Merrill Lynch, London) month Strong Fields, Integrability and Strings • Philip Protter (Cornell University) programme taking place there. The audience • Steven Shreve (Carnegie Mellon University) of 70, drawn both from INI programme • Nizar Touzi (Ecole Polytechnique, Paris) participants and visitors for the day, heard In addition S.R.S. Varadhan, 2007 Abel four talks from leading researchers in 20 Prize laureate, will give a special guest lec- particle physics theory, reviewing our 21 ture. The conference will begin on the after- prospects for learning about fundamental noon of Tuesday 15 July with registration and physics at the smallest scales, via both collid- two plenary talks held at the Royal er experiments and recent progress in the Geographical Society, followed by a mathematics underlying gauge field theory Reception. On the following days, plenary and string theory. talks will be held at the Royal Geographical Nick Evans of Southampton University Society and contributed talks in parallel ses- opened proceedings by previewing CERN’s sions at Imperial College. The conference Large Hadron Collider – “the greatest exper- The audience for Professor Gross’s lecture concludes with a Banquet on the evening of iment on Earth” – due to start taking data at Saturday 19 July. CERN next year and offering the best chance The Bachelier Finance Society is the main for fundamental discovery in a generation. professional society for Mathematical He was followed by Mikhail Shifman from Finance. Its objectives are to further the the University of Minnesota, who explained development of the subject and related supersymmetry (SUSY), viewed by many par- areas of stochastic analysis, optimisation, ticle theorists as the most elegant solution to statistics and computational methods, and to several outstanding problems such as the foster strong links between the academic large separation between electroweak and and practitioner communities. The Society Planck energy scales, and the origin of ‘dark was founded in 1996 and held its first World matter’. Should SUSY be discovered at Congress in Paris in 2000, the centenary of LHC, Professor Shifman stressed the the publication of Louis Bachelier’s famous tremendous breakthrough in understanding thesis Théorie de la spéculation which that would result – the universe would initiated the use of probabilistic methods have to be rethought in terms of extra in finance. ‘quantum dimensions’. Authors are invited to submit papers for After tea, Niall MacKay made a short pres- presentation at the Congress. Details of the entation on behalf of a much-missed col- © Sidney Harris submission process will be found at the league whose memory is celebrated via the Sir David Wallace, director of the INI, introduces David Gross THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
REVIEWS Donald’s wife after a long illness, he plans to travel the world again and is already LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY King of Infinite Space – Donald Coxeter, the booked to go to Sweden. He must lecture in Man Who Saved Geometry by Siobhan Cambridge and Liverpool on his way home.” Roberts, with an introduction by Douglas This he duly did in 2001, renewing his Spitalfields Day R. Hofstadter, Profile Books Ltd, paperback Fellowship at Trinity, and following his in association with the Isaac Newton Institute for 400 pp, November 2007, £14.99, ISBN-13: Liverpool colloquium lecture with a session Mathematical Sciences programme entitled Phylogenetics 1846680077 with youngsters the following morning. “Donald would love this!” said Eve at the Then the next year, though gravely ill, Frontiers of Chaos exhibition of the Peitgen he made a triumphant visit to a Yggdrasil: Reconstructing the Tree of Life & Richter pictures of the Mandelbrot set at conference in Hungary. He died in 2003, Thursday 6 December 2007, Isaac Newton Institute Liverpool’s Albert Dock in 1985. ‘Donald?’ aged 96. I asked. “My brother Donald Coxeter”, she This book starts and finishes with that replied. “Any relation of H.S.M.?” “He is Bolyai bicentenary celebration in Budapest, 13:00 – 14:00 Peter Lockhart (Massey University, New Zealand) H.S.M.!” and in between recreates the man we knew Phylogenetic models and the origins of chloroplasts Now for many of my generation, includ- and loved. There is much about his early 14:00 – 15:00 Tandy Warnow (University of Texas at Austin, USA) ing certainly John Conway, the name H.S.M. years, and the influence of his family, fol- Algorithm design for large-scale phylogenetic analysis Coxeter would be first encountered during lowed by Trinity, Cambridge, and then 22 one’s school-days as the Editor of the 3rd Toronto, Canada. And there is much about 23 15:00 – 15:30 Tea edition of Rouse Ball’s Mathematical his mathematics as well, especially his fasci- 15:30 – 16:30 John A. Rhodes (University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA) Recreations and Essays, a truly stimulating nation with reflection groups, that he Phylogenetic models and algebra mixture of art and maths. In Siobhan called kaleidoscopes, that are central to Roberts’ marvellous account of Donald’s life, much of modern Singularity Theory, and 16:30 – 17:30 Andreas Dress (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) from his early friendship with John Petrie to related areas of Mathematics. Fleshing out Phylogenetic combinatorics: analysing branching his Indian, or rather Hungarian, Summer in the narrative, there are eight Appendices patterns in evolutionary trees 2002, we learn that he went ahead with this and over 70 pages of Endnotes. John 17:30 – 18:30 Wine Reception edition in 1935, despite being told by his Conway recalls words of Walter Pater, peers that such dabbling would adversely describing art and poetry: To burn always The talks are aimed at final year undergraduate/beginning postgraduate students affect his career. But it is for Donald’s love of with this hard, gem-like flame, to maintain in biology, mathematics, and computer science, and will address the problems and the beauty of this ecstasy, is success in life. “Somehow”, challenges of reconstructing evolutionary relationships from molecular sequence Mathematics, Conway said, “that always makes me think data. The interdisciplinary nature of phylogenetic studies – biological, computa- and of high- of Donald Coxeter”. tional, and mathematical problems arise naturally – will be highlighted. er-dimen- Siobhan Roberts knew Donald in his final sional Geo- years, and has also talked with many of those Anyone interested is welcome to attend; talks will be aimed at a general metry in par- who knew him well. A journalist, she won mathematical audience. Please let Tracey Andrew at the Institute know by ticular, and an award for her profile of Donald in Friday 30 November if you intend to come: telephone (01223) 760992; his ability to Toronto Life. fax: (01223) 330508; email: [email protected]. communicate Buy this book (the British edition, as cor- to all, young rections have been made to the American There are limited funds available to assist research students to attend, please apply and old, that one), and give it as a Christmas present to by Friday 30 November to Tracey Andrew by email ([email protected]) we remem- any youngsters that you may know starting or post at the Newton Institute, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EH. ber him. out on the road to become mathematicians, Scientific enquiries may be addressed to Elizabeth Allman ([email protected]) A call from for it will inspire them and encourage them or Vincent Moulton ([email protected]). Eve in 2000. in their journey. “Following Ian Porteous the death of University of Liverpool
cont’d THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
Mathematical Mind-Benders by Peter expecting those apprentice mathematicians to rhythmic structures of Nitin Sawhney’s The Marcus concluded with a rhapsodic Winkler, A K Peters Ltd, 2007, paperback 160 construct the solutions! Considerable ingenu- Conference, Messiaen’s use of prime numbers account of the delights of doing mathemat- pp, £11.50, ISBN 978-1-56881-336-3 ity is often required, with many answers in the Quatour pour la Fin du Temps, and Jem ics, arguing that similar qualities of “beauty, Four years ago, Winkler published counter-intuitive. I particularly enjoyed the Finer’s use of mathematics to create a 1000- elegance and surprise” are found in maths Mathematical Puzzles: a Connoisseur’s Coll- demonstration that, as x D 1, the series f(x) = x year long piece Longplayer. Marcus quoted and in music. His series was valuable not just ection. This follow-up contains a hundred or – x2 + x4 – x8 + ... has no limit. Hardy proved Bach’s friend Mizler, who said that music is in showing how mathematics can be found in so problems aimed at entertaining puzzle this in 1907, but regretted the lack of a com- “the art of sounding mathematics”, but also music but in bringing out the reverse connec- lovers, both by the context offered, and the pletely elementary proof – now we have such noted the reverse influence in the musical tions too, from Indian mathematicians study- twists and surprises in their solutions. Most of a proof, thanks to the use of computing questions inspired the astonishing mathe- ing the mathematics of rhythm to Chinese them are entirely mathematical, but some, power to locate some convenient value c (c = matics of the Kerala School in 14th–16th musicians using the properties of numbers to even aside from the word game that the 0.995 works) such that f(c)> 1/2. This example century India. devise microtonal scales. author co-invented while at high school, rely is quite suitable for a first analysis course. The second programme The Music of the This series, together with Robin Wilson’s on verbal dexterity. Pleasingly, a potted his- Algebra teachers might ask their students to Spheres examined the mathematics of intona- recent appearance on Private Passions (BBC tory of each problem’s genesis is given where prove that, if the rows of a matrix are sorted, tion, with a lucid explanation of the Pytha- Radio 3) and the unlikely success of possible, and the bibliography will enable and then the columns, the rows remain sort- gorean comma and various mathematical Complicite’s A Disappearing Number, both readers to chase up omitted details. The web- ed; geometers could request the six configura- attempts to resolve the problem that a power reviewed in the October Newsletter, has site www.math.dartmouth.edu/~pw/fender- tions of four points in a plane that determine of two is never a power of three and hence done a wonderful job in communicating to benders.pdf contains extra information on just two inter-point distances; and did you tuning can never be entirely satisfactory. diverse audiences the nature of mathematics 24 some of the material, as well as a (small) realise that you could determine the form of Marcus told us about Nicolas Mercator’s pro- and the joys of mathematical creativity. Such 25 glossary of glitches. an arbitrary polynomial, with non-negative posed 53-note scale (previously used by Chinese ambassadors do an important service to Books with similar titles vary greatly in the integer coefficients, by learning its value for musicians), just intonation, and the mathe- mathematics in countering its popular repu- depth of the mathematics required. The puz- just two carefully chosen integers? Probabilists matically-based equal temperament that is tation as a dry technical subject. zles within any chapter here are of compara- will find many testing teasers, and there are widespread today: An extract from Britten’s Tony Mann ble complexity, ranging from the straightfor- also variations on the well-known problem in Serenade for tenor, horn and strings helpfully University of Greenwich ward to the fiendishly difficult. Indeed, the which prisoners will be executed unless they illustrated the composer’s use of the specific final chapter solves one problem that was can deduce the colour of the hat they wear. instrumental timbre of the natural horn. open in Winkler’s previous collection, and Winkler has a keen eye for a good mindben- Theme and Variation looked at symmetry LMS INVITED LECTURES 2008 offers nine others for which complete solu- der: the solution should be pleasing, neither and symmetry-breaking: Marcus made a fas- tions are still sought. too easy nor too difficult to find, and invoke cinating connection between Bach’s Professor Andrei Okounkov All the some generally useful mathematical idea. This Goldberg Variations and the deliberate descriptions collection offers both stimulation and enlight- imperfect symmetry in a Japanese Buddhist Random Surfaces of the prob- enment; and if it provokes sufficiently many temple. He looked at the permutations 7–11 April 2008 lems are with- readers to send him their own favourites, we underlying bell-ringing changes, and gener- in the vocabu- can look forward to him completing a trilogy. ated a random piece from the musical dice- The 2008 LMS Invited Lectures will be lary of an A- John Haigh game attributed to Mozart. given by Professor Andrei Okounkov level student, University of Sussex Composing with Numbers, the fourth pro- (Princeton) on Random Surfaces. The and most of gramme, was particularly fascinating: it Lectures will take place at the Institute the solutions The Essay, Marcus du Sautoy, 29 October – presented (in necessarily brief extracts) for Mathematical Sciences, Imperial given will be 1 November 2007, BBC Radio 3 three twentieth-century compositions based College London from 7–11 April 2008. understood This was a series of four fifteen-minutes on mathematical structures. Schoenberg’s There will also be lectures by by mathemat- essays by Marcus du Sautoy on the links Variations for Orchestra uses the symmetries Nekrasov, Szendröi and others. ics under- between music and mathematics. of the rectangle, Xenakis’s Nomos Alpha uses For further information contact Richard graduates. The first essay Counter-culture looked at two spinning cubes to determine its proper- Thomas ([email protected]) But that is a numbers and rhythm, from Steve Reich’s ties, and, remarkably, we concluded with or visit the website www.ma.ic.ac.uk/ long way Clapping Music whose shifting rhythms over- Messiaen’s Ile de Feu 2 which implicitly uses ~rpwt/LMS.html. short of lap and diverge, to the remarkable virtuosic the Mathieu group M12. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
MATHEMATICIANS VISITING THE UK IN 2007/2008
Bath University Fukaya, D. (Keio University, Japan) Number Alvarez Caudevilla, P. (University of theory, 26 Feb 06 – 25 Feb 08 La Laguna, Spain) Heterogeneous competi- Grambsch, P. (University of Minnesota) tions, 18 Sep 07 – 1 Sep 08 Biostatistics, 1 Jan – 31 Dec 07 Baldi, P. (SISSA, Italy) Variational methods, Miklos, D. (Rényi Institute, Budapest) small divisors, 1 Oct 07 – 30 Sep 08 Combinatorics, 15 Jan – 15 Jul 08 Lilli, M. (University of Augsburg, Germany) Simonovits, M. (Rényi Institute, Budapest) Bifurcation theory, Nonlinear analysis, Combinatorics, 20 Oct – 30 Nov 07 1 Feb 07 – 1 Jan 08 Taqi, A. (Kuwait University) 1 Sep 07 – Plotnikov, P. (Lavrentyev Institute for 31 Aug 08 Hydrodynamics, Siberia) Theoretical Wicker, F. (The Aerospace Corporation, CA) hydrodynamics, 1 Nov 07 – 1 Jul 08 Statistics, 12 Sep – 30 Sep 07 Cambridge University (DAMTP) Durham University Errammilli, S. (Boston University) Experimental Auchoybur, N. (Mauritius) Statistics, 7 Jan – biological physics, Oct 07 – Sep 08 7 May 08 Guba, P. (Comenius University, Bratislava) Bognor, C. (University of Mainz) Pure 26 Solidification, Jan – March 08 mathematics, 1 Sep – 31 Dec 07 27 Hong, M.K. (Boston University) Experimental Dai, B. (Shanghai University of Finance biological physics, Oct 07 – Sep 08 & Economics) Statistics, 12 Aug 07 – Kazuto, U. (Nagoya University, Japan) 12 Feb 08 Solidification, Jan 08 – Mar 08 Haslett, J. (Trinity College, Dublin) Statistics, Mariani, C. (École Polytechnique Universitaire Jan – Apr 08 de Marseille, Provence) Fluid dynamics, Hillman, J. (Sydney, Australia) Pure mathe- Feb – July 08 matics, Michaelmas term 08 Marino, B. (Instituto de Fisica Arroyo Seco, Rej, A. (MPI Bonn) Pure mathematics, Universidad Nacional del Centro, 16 Aug 07 – 15 Jan 08 Argentina) Fluid dynamics, Jan – Feb 08 Samiou, E. (Grey Fellow, Nicosia, Cyprus) Redondo, J. (Polytechnic University of Pure mathematics, Epiphany term 08 Catalonia) Fluid dynamics, Summer 08 Skulj, D. (Ljubljana, Slovenia) Statistics, Solari, C.A. (University of Buenos Aires) Easter term 08 Experimental biological physics, Feb – Souderes, I. (Paris VI) Pure mathematics, Mar 08 1 Sep 07 – 31 Jan 08 Thomas, L. (Instituto de Fisica Arroyo Edinburgh University Seco, Universidad Nacional del Centro, Feichtinger, H. (University of Vienna) Argentina) Fluid dynamics, Jan – Feb 08 Numerical analysis, 15 Jan – 30 Van Heijst, G. J. (University of Eindhoven) Jun 08 Fluid dynamics, 1 Oct 07 – 2 Nov 07 Guillermo, M (University of Mannheim) High Yuan, Y. (Chinese Academy of Sciences) performance and special purpose comput- Numerical analysis, Nonlinear optimiza- ing, 28 Oct – 19 Dec 07 tion, Computational biology, 9 Oct 07 – Hanigk, S. (Technical University of Munich) 30 Sep 08 Efficient parallel matrix operations Cambridge University (DPMMS) utilising space-filling curves and high Abouzaid, M. (MIT) Symplectic topology and performance interconnects, 29 Oct – mirror symmetry, 1 Jan – 2 Apr 08 22 Dec 07 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
Lyall, N. (University of Georgia, USA) Luo, J.S. (Tianjin University, China) Nottingham University Trewenack, A. (Melbourne) Mathematical Harmonic analysis, 5 Jan – 30 Jun 08 Theoretical and computational fluid Borichev, A. (University of Marseille, France) biology, 22 Oct – 30 Nov 07 Pott, S. (Glasgow University) Harmonic analy- dynamics, hydrodynamic instability and Analysis and functional analysis, 1 Jan – Ueda, K. (Kyoto) Reaction-diffusion systems, sis and special theory, Jan – Dec 08 transition, 22 Sep – 8 Dec 07 31 Jan 08 24 Oct – 21 Dec 07 Waecken, K. (University of Heidelberg) Maad, S. (Stockholm University, Sweden) Kurokawa, N. (Tokyo Metropolitan University, Plymouth University Dynamics of asteroids, 29 Nov – Partial differential equations, 3 Sep – Japan) Number theory, 1 – 31 Aug 08 Trinidad, J.L.B. (University of Extremadura, 15 Dec 07 31 Dec 07 Ricotta, G. (Bordeaux, France) Number Spain) Dynamical systems, 11 Feb – 30 Apr 08 Zadora, G. (Institute of Forensic Research, Parrella, F. (Università degli Studi di Genova, theory, 1 Dec 07 – 31 Aug 08 Queen Mary, University of London Krakow, Poland) Forensic statistics, 17 Nov Italy) 24 Sep 07 – 9 March 08 Suzuki, M. (University of Tokyo, Japan) Kazanidis, P. (University of the Philippines, – 14 Dec 07 Stoppa, J. (University of Pavia, Italy) Number theory, 1 Nov 07 – 29 Feb 08 Diliman) Combinatorics, 4 Sep 07 – Glasgow University Algebraic geometry, 1 Sep 07 – 1 Apr 08 Sivatski, A. (St Petersburg Electrotechnical 31 Aug 08 Bondi, A.L. (University of Palermo, Sicily) King’s College London University City) Quadratic forms & central Santos, N. (UERJ, Rio de Janeiro) General Environmental statistics, 2 Jul – Takeda, K. (Tokyo Institute of Technology) simple algebras, 15 Jan – 15 Feb 08 relativity, 1 Aug 06 – 31 Dec 07 2 Dec 07 Disordered systems in physics and statisti- Yamashita, G. (Rims, Kyoto, Japan) Number Simonovits, M. (Rényi Institute, Budapest) Hall, P. (University of Melbourne) Statistics, cal physics, June 07 – March 2008 theory, 1 Apr – 31 Oct 08 Extremal graph theory, 21 Sep – 21 Oct 07 11 Oct 07 – 12 Dec 07 Leeds University Oxford University Royal Holloway, University of London Martin, R.M. (University de Castilla-La Hooda, B.K. (Haryana Agricultural University, Barrio, R.A. (Mexico) Mathematical biology, Lin, X. (Sun-Yat-Sen University, Taiwan) Mancha) Optimum experimental designs, India) Variables selection in high dimen- 1 Oct 07 – 30 Sep 08 Pairings, Sept 07 – Aug 08 28 15 Oct 07 – 20 Feb 08 sional multivariate data analysis, 15 Sep 07 Ebert, J., (Germany) Topology of moduli Okamoto, T. (Tsukuba University Japan) 29 Imperial College London – 14 Mar 08 spaces, 1 Mar 07 – 28 Feb 08 1 Aug 07 – 10 Mar 08 Abouzaid, M. (Massachusetts Institute of Ilie, M. (Lakehead University, Ontario, Geris, L.L.J. (Belgium) Mathematical biology, Sheffield University Technology, USA) Symplectic geometry, Canada) Harmonic analysis, Fourier alge- 7 Sep – 15 Dec 07 Smith, L. (Göttingen) Invariant theory, 1 Jan – 31 Mar 08 bra, 18 Apr – 9 May 08 Guzman, T.H. (Mexico) Differential geometry, Algebraic topology, Commutative algebra, Chan, Y.M. (University of Hong Kong) Spronk, N. (University of Waterloo, Canada) 1 Jan – 31 Mar 08 Oct – Dec 07 Geometric analysis, 24 Jan 06 – 31 Feb 08 Functional analysis and abstract harmonic Jiang-Gang, Y. (Shanghai) Stochastic analysis, Southampton University Fernandez, M.G. (Consejo Superior de analysis, 25 March – 8 May 08 28 Jan – 21 Mar 08 Chen, H. (Shanghai University) Statistics, Investigaciones Cientificas Serrano, Spain) Yousefi, M.S. (Tarbiat Madares University, Kulasiri, D. (Canterbury, NZ) Mathematical Aug 07 – Mar 08 Differential geometry, 15 Jul – 15 Nov 07 Tehran) Functional analysis, Jan – Jun 08 biology, 1 Jan – 30 Jun 08 Huang, Y. (Xuzhou Institute of Architectural Garcia-Fernandez, M. (Consejo Superior Liverpool University Kurtzmann, A. (Switzerland) Stochastic Technology) Operational research, 1 Jan – de Investigaciones Cientificas Serrano, Bogaevski, I. (Independent University, analysis, 1 Sep 07 – 31 Aug 08 1 Mar 08 Spain) Differential geometry, 15 Jul – Moscow) Singularity theory, 1 Jan – Li, S. (PRC) Mathematical biology, 1 Sep 07 – Xie, S.D. (University of New South Wales) 15 Nov 07 2 May 08 1 Sep 08 Operational research, 18 Oct – 31 Dec 07 Hindberg, H. (University of Tromsø, Norway) Guo, X. (Zhongshan University, China) Moreo, P. (Spain) Mathematical and compu- Surrey University Statistics, 1 Jan – 30 Dec 07 Operational research (Markov decision tational modelling, 5 Sep – 28 Dec 07 Hamad, M. (Assiut University, Egypt) Huybrechts, D. (Universität Bonn, Germany) process), controlled Markov chains, 1 July – Pappas, P. (Vassar, NY) Model theory & alge- Symmetry methods for differential Algebraic geometry, 1 Sep 07 – 1 Apr 08 31 Aug 08 bra, sometime during academic year equations, 3 Sep 07 – 31 May 08 Its, A. (Indiana University-Purdue University, Loughborough University 07 – 08 Scheel, A. (University of Minnesota) Dynamics USA) Mathematical physics, 24 Sep 07 – Motygin, O. (Institute for Problems in Scheerlinck, N. (Belgium) Mathematical and of PDEs, Pattern formation, Nonlinear 24 Sep 08 Mechanical Engineering, Russia) computational modelling, 26 Sep 07 – waves, mid Jan – mid Mar 08 Kassabov, M. (Cornell University, NY) Uniqueness in wave diffraction problems, 15 Apr 08 Warwick University (Statistics) Combinational algebra and Kazhdan’s 1 Aug – 31 Dec 07 Shaowen, L. (PRC) Mathematical biology, Balakrishna, N. (Cochin University of Science property T for discrete groups, 20 Oct – Oshemkov, A. (Moscow State University) 1 Oct 07 – 1 Oct 08 & Technology, India) 1 May – 31 Jul 08 6 Nov 07 Integrable systems, 17 Nov – 16 Dec 07 Simon, P. (ENS Paris) Mathematical logic, York University Menhardt, S. (University of Bonn, Germany) Zheng, Z.H. (Institute of Applied Mathemat- 1 Sep – 15 Dec 07 Zhukov, M. (Rostov State University, Russia), Algebraic geometry, 20 Oct 07 – ics, Academia Sinica, China) Random Tagne Wafo, R. (Cameroun) Mathematical Applied mathematics, Fluid dynamics, 30 Mar 08 dynamical systems, 1 Nov 07 – 31 Oct 08 physics, General relativity, 15 – 31 Jan 08 Electrophoresis, 5 Oct – 31 Dec 07 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 365 December 2007
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 18 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Meeting, Edinburgh (363) ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES This calendar lists Society meetings and 21-25 Zeros of Graph Polynomials INI other events publicised in the Newsletter. Workshop, Cambridge (361) COMBINATORIAL AND PROBABILISTIC INEQUALITIES Further information can be obtained from the 30 Combinatorics Meeting, Open appropriate LMS Newsletter whose number is University (365) 23–27 June 2008 given in brackets. A fuller list of meetings and in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled events is given on the Society’s website FEBRUARY 2008 Combinatorics and Statistical Mechanics (14 January to 4 July 2008) (www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). 6 A Millennium of Mathematical Puzzles, Gresham College Lectures, London (362) Workshop organisers: Dave Wagner (Waterloo) and Graham Brightwell DECEMBER 2007 8 LMS Mary Cartwright Lecture, Oxford (365) (London School of Economics) 1 Belfast Functional Analysis Day, 15 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Theme of workshop: The workshop will be concerned broadly with Queen’s University Belfast (364) Anniversary Meeting, Edinburgh (363) combinatorial and probabilistic inequalities and their applications to 5 Alan Beardon Retirement Meeting, 27 From Hilbert’s Problems to the Future, problems arising in combinatorics, probability theory, and the analysis of Cambridge (365) Gresham College Lectures, London (362) statistical mechanics models. Examples of such inequalities include those 6 Yggdrasil: Reconstructing the Tree of Life, of Fortuin-Kasteleyn-Ginibre, of Ahlswede-Daykin, of van den Berg-Kesten- LMS Spitalfields Day, INI, Cambridge (364) MARCH 2008 Reimer, other inequalities expressing positive or negative correlations, 7 Edinburgh Mathematical Society 9-12 Mathematics and its Applications 30 inequalities on higher moments, isoperimetric inequalities, eigenvalue Meeting, Strathclyde (363) in Information Technology, Lahore, 31 inequalities, upper or lower bounds on asymptotic growth rates, critical 10-14 Integrability and the Gauge/ Pakistan (362) exponents, or critical probabilites, and so on. Such inequalities are applied String Correspondence INI Workshop, 14 Edinburgh Mathematical Society to questions on the combinatorics of graphs, matroids, and partial orders, Cambridge (358) Meeting, Dundee (363) and to probabilistic and statistical mechanical models such as percolation, 15-17 Recent Advances in Mathematics 25-28 BMC, York Potts models and random cluster models, lattice gases, exclusion processes, and its Applications International 25-28 Markov-Chain Monte Carlo Methods random matrix models, and so on. Symposium, Calcutta (360) INI Workshop, Cambridge (363) 17-18 Random Matrix Theory Workshop, 31 LMS Northern Regional Meeting, The workshop will provide a venue for some of the leading researchers in Brunel University (364) Manchester these fields to share recent ideas and to collaborate on approaches to many 17-21 Future Directions in Phylogenetic 31-4 Apr BAMC, Manchester of the unsolved problems in this area. It will also feature some survey lectures Methods and Models INI Workshop, 31-4 Apr High Dimensional Statistics in intended to provide a snapshot of the current state of the art for younger Cambridge (358) Biology INI Workshop, Cambridge (363) researchers interested in these subjects. The topics will be of interest to 18-20 Cryptography and Coding 31-4 Apr New Scaling Limits and Other combinatorialists, probabilists, mathematical and theoretical physicists, Conference, Cirencester (362) Recent Developments in Probability and computer scientists. Conference, Warwick University (364) Keynote speakers will include: Rob van den Berg (CWI), Béla Bollobás JANUARY 2008 (Cambridge, Memphis), Jeff Kahn (Rutgers), Alan Sokal (NYU, UCL) and 3-9 Flags, Quivers and Invariant Theory in Lie APRIL 2008 Dominic Welsh (Oxford). Representation Theory Workshop, Oxford (365) 7-11 LMS Invited Lectures, A. Okounkov, 7-11 Contemporary Frontiers in Imperial College London (365) Further information and application forms are available from the web at: High-Dimensional Statistical Data Analysis, 7-11 Combinatorial Identities and Their www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programmes/CSM/csmw05.html. Completed application INI Workshop, Cambridge (359) Applications in Statistical Mechanics INI forms should be sent to Tracey Andrew, Programme & Conference Secretary, 7-11 Algebraic and Symplectic Geometry Workshop, Cambridge (364) Isaac Newton Institute, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge CB3 0EH or via email to: UK-Japan Winter School, Warwick (362) 25 Edinburgh Mathematical Society [email protected]. 16 Squaring the Circle and Other Meeting, Aberdeen (363) Closing date for the receipt of applications is 29 February 2008. Impossibilities, Gresham College Lectures, London (362) MAY 2008 18 Yorkshire and Durham Geometry Day, 1 Cancer can give you Maths!, LMS- Durham (365) Gresham College Lecture, London (364) A. COCKSHOTT LMS member 1876-1912 © Tucker Collection © Tucker
Arthur Cockshott, MA Fellow and Assistant Tutor of Trinity College, Cambridge