London Mathematical Society Report of the Trustees for the period 1 August 2017 - 31 July 2018 Cover image created by Masaaki Wada, showing the Ford isometric hemispheres for a cone manifold outside the Riley slice of Schottky space. INTRODUCTION In 2017-18 the Society has continued its work to in various data across the year, including an update support its membership, UK mathematics and UK of the 2012 survey benchmarking gender balance mathematicians. in UK mathematical sciences departments, as part of its role in advocating on behalf of the mathematical Membership continues to increase and diversify and sciences. The Society continues to work to ensure that the Society now has members from 65 countries overarching policy support and investment in UK around the world. This year a new-look Newsletter mathematics is maintained, if not improved, to ensure was launched to not only keep members up-to-date the future health of the discipline, and has provided with the Society’s activities but with improved and input into various consultations and exercises this year. increased mathematical content. The review of the Society’s publications continues with The Society continues to prioritise early career new Aims and Objectives now agreed, which focus researchers and to invest resources in this crucial on the provision of services for authors and readers, stage of the people pipeline. The Early Career leadership and representation within UK mathematics Research Committee met for the first time in 2017- publishing, and sustainability of the Society’s income 18 and will provide a strategic overview of the from publishing. The journals and books that the various schemes and activities that the Society offers Society publishes fulfil two vital objectives for the for undergraduate students through to post-doctoral Society: in publishing and disseminating quality researchers. mathematics, but also in providing an income which is then reinvested directly into UK mathematics, and The Society provides a crucial role in the mathematics without which many of the Society’s grant schemes, funding landscape in the UK through its research meetings, workshops, training and advocacy work grant schemes. This year over £400,000 was and other charitable activities would not be funded. awarded via its core grant schemes alone. The grant schemes provide vital support for mathematicians at The Society continues to actively monitor its a grassroots level, allowing for UK mathematicians governance to ensure that the systems underpinning to carry out research in pairs, organise conferences the running of the charity are the most appropriate and workshops and to invite collaborators to the UK, to help it meet its charitable objectives. The review of making available opportunities for exchange of ideas the Society’s Standing Orders is ongoing. In 2017- as well supporting research and career progression. 18 the Society has been invested in ensuring that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are met. The Society continues to work collaboratively through the Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) This report provides an overview of the full range and is actively involved in discussions regarding the of activities undertaken by the Society in meeting recommendations from the Bond Review Report, its charitable objectives during 2017-18. Further The Era of Mathematics: An Independent Review of information on the Society’s work can be found on its Knowledge Exchange in the Mathematical Sciences, and website: lms.ac.uk. the exciting possibilities that these could bring for UK mathematics. The Society has been working to gather 3 MISSION The London Mathematical Society has, since 1865, been the UK learned society for the dissemination and promotion of mathematical knowledge. Our mission is to advance mathematics through our members and the broader scientific community worldwide. The Membership 58 LMS Representatives with whom it communicates via monthly emails and an annual LMS Reps Day The membership is the core of the London in London. The LMS actively seeks to recruit more Mathematical Society. Mathematicians drive the Representatives to ensure that all UK mathematical Society, and volunteers’ contributions are vital to the sciences departments are directly engaged with the Society in defining its priorities, running its activities Society through a Representative. A network of Good and achieving its objectives. The Society at present Practice Scheme (GPS) Representatives also provides has 26 committees with 228 volunteer committee contact points between GPS Supporter departments roles and other individual roles, as well as 32 and the Society to ensure full engagement with and volunteer roles representing the Society on external communication about the Good Practice Scheme and committees. A large cross-section of the mathematical matters of good practice in gender equality. There community is directly involved in the work of the are currently 61 GPS Representatives at departments Society, engaging widely with other organisations across the UK. across the UK and beyond. The Society’s global reach is reflected in its membership, with over 20% of LMS The regular mid-month LMS e-Update keeps members members based outside the UK. informed of upcoming events and grant deadlines as well as providing a list of mathematical meetings The Society was delighted to elect Professor Maria and conferences that have received Society grants. J. Esteban (CNRS and University Paris-Dauphine) The Society hosts a number of ‘blogs’ on a variety and Professor Peter Scholze (University of Bonn) as of subjects on its website in order to provide Honorary Members in 2018. opportunities for dialogue with and between its members and the broader mathematical and scientific Communications and Engagement community, these are: Members; LMS Departmental Representatives; Open Access; Elections; Infinitesimals; Communication with members is of key importance De Morgan Forum; Research Excellence Framework. in ensuring that the Society keeps abreast of the most interesting and exciting developments in In 2017-18, the Society began a series of exchange mathematics and the mathematicians associated with articles published in the Newsletter with its reciprocal this work. The Society acknowledges achievements societies to raise awareness of LMS membership in mathematics through its prize-giving and in those around the world and to highlight to LMS members it invites to become Honorary Members, as well as the possibility of joining these societies as Reciprocity those who are invited to give lectures. Effective members. communications ensure that the Society can identify the current concerns within the community and can The LMS has three very active Twitter accounts work to help address them. The network of LMS (@LondMathSoc, @womeninmaths and Representatives across UK universities is central to @DeMorganHouse) with over 17,600 followers as these communications. As of 2017-18 the Society has well as a dedicated LinkedIn Group for UK women in 4 mathematics with 130 members. articles and micro-theses. Members are very much The Society’s Newsletter functions as a central encouraged to submit ideas for Newsletter articles resource for mathematical and Society news and and features. events. A new-look Newsletter was launched in autumn 2017. The refreshed Newsletter includes Over the past few years, the Society has been more mathematical feature articles as well as developing its online engagement with members other new types of content. The refresh brings new so that new members can join online and current opportunities for members, and the mathematical members can manage and renew their subscriptions community as a whole, to be involved in the Society. via their online LMS membership record. Online grant Contributions are welcomed from members and non- application is a new feature with different grants members alike and include, for example, feature being added to this functionality on an ongoing basis. 2017-18 highlights 2018-19 plans • 3,135 members of the Society. • Explore ways to encourage members to donate to the Society. • 401 new members in 2017-18 including 157 new female members. • Continue to develop its online engagement with members. • Professor Maria J. Esteban and Professor Peter Scholze elected Honorary Members. • Continue to strive for improved equality, diversity and inclusion in its membership • Global membership with members from and activities. over 65 countries. • Series of exchange articles with reciprocal societies published in the LMS Newsletter. 5 SUPPORTING MATHEMATICS RESEARCH Objective: to advance mathematical knowledge by enabling mathematicians to undertake research and collaboration, and by supporting them in their efforts. The Society’s grants schemes are at the centre of the year on year. The Society typically receives between Society’s work to advance mathematical knowledge 230 and 250 applications a year for research grant and support mathematicians in their research schemes 1-5 and 8-9. In particular, there has been and collaborations. There are 25 grant schemes a marked increase in applications for the financial in operation (for a full list see Annex 5) covering aid to support conference grants (Scheme 1), as various activities ranging from facilitating research well as a steady increase in the applications to conferences, to small grants supporting education support collaborative research (Schemes 3 and 4 in and teacher continuing professional development, to