THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

Society COUNCIL DIARY Budgetary considerations will also feed into the above strate- Meetings 3 July 2009 gic discussions. The economic and Events The Council meeting in July downturn continues to hit not marked the beginning of a only the Society’s investments, 2009 period of reflection. The main but also other sources of in- Tuesday 15 September business was to start thinking come, such as that from room Popular Lectures about the way forward, fol- hire, and the long-term future Birmingham [page 31] lowing the resignations of the of publications income remains President and Treasurer (as uncertain. At the same time, Wednesday reported in July’s Newsletter), our expenditure is ever-increas- 16 September and the subsequent rejection ing owing to inflation and the Midlands Regional by members of the propos- wide range of activities under-  Meeting, Leicester al for a new mathematical taken by the Society. [page 11] society with the IMA. Coun- Members have an important Friday 20 November cil was delighted that Sir role to play as the Society maps AGM John Ball FRS has taken on out its plans. A consultation Presidential Address the role of Interim President (whose precise form has yet London until the Council elections in to be decided) is planned, and November. views on the direction the So- 4–6 December Over the next nine months, ciety should be taking will be Joint meeting Council will be reviewing all welcome. Council is also keen to with the Belgian the activities of the Society and increase the membership of the Mathematical Society, determining its strategic prior- Society, and members’ thoughts Leuven ities for the coming years. We on how we can achieve this need to think about how the would be helpful. Society sees its future and the Council also heard about re- role it will play in promoting cent meetings of the Council and advancing mathematics. for the Mathematical Sciences How we develop our collabo- and a very successful gathering ration with the IMA and other of Presidents of Mathematical bodies is an important part of Societies under the auspices of this, and Council will also fo- the European Mathematical So- cus on wider issues of working ciety. A common theme in these for the benefit of mathemat- meetings was the need to cham- ics, including mathematical pion the cause of ‘blue skies’ re- research and mathematics ed- search, developing a vision for ucation. It is anticipated that the future of mathematics and Council will hold a Retreat at promoting this to politicians, the beginning of next year to policy makers and the public. consider this in depth. Elizabeth Winstanley THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

FUTURE COLLABORATION HONORARY MEMBERS LMS PRIZES 2009 DR MARKUS OWEN, of the University of Nottingham, is awarded a Whitehead Prize BETWEEN THE SOCIETY The London Mathematical Society has elected The winners of the LMS prizes for 2009 were for his contributions to the development of AND THE IMA Professor Charles Fefferman of Princeton Uni- announced at the Society Meeting on 3 July. multi-scale modelling approaches in systems versity, USA, and Professor László Lovász of The Society extends its congratulations to medicine and biology. The Council of the London Mathematical So- Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, to Honor- the winners, and its thanks to all nomina- ciety (LMS) met on 3 July 2009 after the Spe- ary Membership of the Society. tors, referees and members of the Prizes cial General Meetings on 21 April and 29 May Professor Charles Fefferman’s contributions Committee for their contributions to the APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM which led to the rejection of the motion to and ideas have had impact on the develop- Committee’s work this year. create a new unified mathematical society ment of modern analysis, differential equa- PRESIDENT AND TREASURER with the Institute of Mathematics and its Ap- tions, mathematical physics and geometry, PROFESSOR ROGER HEATH-BROWN, FRS, of Council is pleased to announce that Sir plications (IMA). with his most recent work including his sharp the University of Oxford, is awarded the John Ball, FRS, Sedleian Professor of Natural Council confirmed that it would continue (computable) solution of the Whitney exten- Pólya Prize for his many contributions Philosophy, University of Oxford, will take to develop its fruitful and positive collabora- sion problem. within analytic number theory, and his dy- on the role of President in place of Professor tion with the IMA. The Council will seek to Professor László Lovász has helped to devel- namic application of analytic methods in Brian Davies, FRS, who resigned in May strengthen those links and its cooperation op the areas of graph theory, combinatorics wide-ranging investigations of problems on the grounds of ill-health. Sir John will with other bodies in mathematical sciences, and theoretical computer science. Lovász has spanning number theory and arithmetic serve as President until the Society’s Annual as part of the Council for the Mathemati- also contributed to the mathematical com- geometry. General Meeting on 20 November 2009.  cal Sciences and as a member of the Science munity in other ways, for example, by serving Dr Brian Stewart, of Exeter College, Oxford,  Council. It will endeavour to ensure that the as President of the International Mathemati- PROFESSOR VLADIMIR MAZ’YA, FRSE, of the and the Mathematical Institute, University of views and interests of mathematics in its wid- cal Union. University of Liverpool, is awarded the Senior Oxford, will take on the role of Treasurer, est form are voiced and reflected in matters Full citations for Professor Fefferman and Whitehead Prize in recognition of his con- in place of Professor Nick Woodhouse, also of policy for mathematics, mathematics re- Professor Lovász will appear in the LMS tributions to the theory of differential serving to 20 November 2009. search and mathematics education. Bulletin. equations. QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PROFESSOR PHILIP MAINI, of the University of HONOURS LIST LMS Newsletter Oxford, is awarded the Naylor Prize and Lec- tureship in Applied Mathematics in recogni- We extend congratulations to Elmer Rees, General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) tion of his contributions to, and influence on, FRSE, Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) the field of mathematical biology. the University of Bristol, and Emeritus Profes- Reviews Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) sor, University of Edinburgh, on the award DR MIHALIS DAFERMOS, of the University of of a CBE. Professor Rees served as LMS Vice- Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) Cambridge, is awarded a Whitehead Prize for President for the period 1994–96, was the Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, his work on the rigorous analysis of hyper- Forder Lecturer for 1995 and a member London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655; e: [email protected], w: www.lms.ac.uk) bolic partial differential equations in general of LMS Council 1987–90 and 1996–99; he Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. relativity. chaired the LMS Research Meetings Commit- Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the tee 1998–2002 and served on the Nominat- first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. DR CORNELIA DRUŢU, of the University of ing Committee 2002–06. He has served since Oxford, is awarded a Whitehead Prize for her 2005 as Director of the Heilbronn Institute for News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, work in geometric group theory. Mathematical Research, University of Bristol, although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter and is the first holder of that post. are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author for the rights to reproduce. The PROFESSOR ROBERT MARSH, of the Univer- Professor Richard Donovan Kenway, FRSE, LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed sity of Leeds, is awarded a Whitehead Prize Vice-Principal, High Performance Computing do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. for his work on representation theory and and e-Science and Tait Professor of Mathe- Charity registration number: 252660. especially for his research on cluster catego- matical Physics, University of Edinburgh, was ries and cluster algebras. awarded an OBE for his services to Science. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

HARDY LECTURERS office accommodation and the academic sup- port normally offered to a distinguished visitor. 2010 AND 2012 Nominations must have the support of the host The 2010 Hardy Lecturer will be Professor Hiraku department(s), and should be sent by the head of Nakajima of the Research Institute for Math- department to the Society’s Executive Secretary, ematical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan. He at the London Mathematical Society, De Morgan will be lecturing in Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS. and London – the programme is being finalised In order to give time for a proper consideration and will be advertised in the Newsletter in due of nominees, proposals should arrive by 31 Janu- course. ary 2010. The nominations will be considered by the Programme Committee, which will bring a Nominations are now sought for a Hardy recommendation to Council in March 2010. Lecturer in 2012 The Hardy Lecturer visits the UK for a period of LMS GRANT SCHEMES about two weeks, and gives the Hardy Lecture at a Society meeting, normally held in London in Rearders are reminded of the Society’s Schemes July. The Lecturer will also give at least two other to provide conference grants (Scheme 1), grants lectures, on different topics, at other venues in the to visitors to the UK (Scheme 2), grants to sup-  UK. The schedule is decided by the Programme port joint research groups (Scheme 3), collabo-  Secretary in consultation with the President and rative small grants (Scheme 4), international the Lecturer, and will be designed to allow as short visits (Scheme 5), and grants for post- many UK mathematicians as possible to benefit graduate research conferences (Scheme 8). from the Lecturer’s presence in the UK. For full details of these Schemes please see The Lecturer shall be a mathematician who has the Society’s website (www.lms.ac.uk/grants). not been normally resident in the United King- Queries regarding applications can be ad- dom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a dressed to the Programme Secretary, Stephen period of at least five years, at the time of the Huggett (tel: 01752 586869, email: s.huggett@ award. Grounds for the award of the Lectureship plymouth.ac.uk) or the Grants Administrator, include: Sylvia Daly (tel: 020 7291 9971, email: sylvia. • the achievements of the Lecturer, including [email protected], Wednesday–Friday) who will work in, influence on, and general service to be pleased to discuss proposals informally with mathematics; lecturing gifts; and breadth of potential applicants and give advice on the mathematical interests; submission of an application. • the overall benefit the UK mathematical com- The next deadline for receipt of applications munity might derive from the visit; is 15 September 2009, and these will be con- • the possibility of bringing to the UK a math- sidered at a meeting on 8 October 2009. Ap- ematician who might otherwise visit rarely or plications should be submitted well in advance never. of the date of the event for which funding is The Lectureship is not restricted to mathemati- requested. Normally grants are not made for cians working in any specific area of mathemat- events which have already happened or where ics. No person shall be awarded the Lectureship insufficient time has been allowed for process- more than once. ing of the application. The LMS will pay travel expenses for the Hardy Information on other grant schemes operat- Lecturer, together with initial and final travel ex- ed by the Society, for education, the mathemat- penses for a spouse or established partner. The ics/computer-science interface, and childcare, is host department(s) will be expected to provide also available at www.lms.ac.uk/grants. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

MATHEMATIKA The full structure, together with the staff in each area and a brief overview of the ac- EDITORIAL I have great pleasure in announcing that, tivities covered, is as follows: Careful watchers of the Newsletter will note that we are now starting our seventh year of beginning in 2010, the LMS will be publish- Executive Secretary’s office: Peter Cooper colour. Inspiration from the fruit bowl at De Morgan House has long expired (fortunately ing the journal Mathematika on behalf of its (Executive Secretary), Leanne Marshall (PA). the fruits themselves are occasionally refreshed), and readers may like to conjecture the owner, University College London. Oversight of the administration, strategy current governing principle. However, all this could change: the Editorial Board is pleased Mathematika publishes both pure and and financial planning, personnel. to announce that from the January issue the General Editor will be Tony Mann. Readers applied mathematical articles and has done Publishing: Susan Hezlet (Publisher), Ola will know that up to now Tony has been doing splendid work as Reviews Editor, and we so continuously since its founding by Harold Törnkvist (Managing Editor), Ben Holmes are delighted that he has agreed to take on the central role, launching the Newsletter Davenport in the 1950s. So far, it has not been (Assistant Editor), Phyllis Acheampong into the next decade. We congratulate him on this appointment and wish him well in the published online, but from next year all arti- (Administrative Assistant). Bulletin, Journal, new position. cles, including the full archive dating back to Proceedings, Journal of Topology, LMS JCM, After the move, the Newsletter will have a vacancy for Reviews Editor. This will be some- 1954, will be available electronically via Cam- Compositio Mathematica and Mathematika; body with a range of interests and contacts in areas of interaction of mathematics with bridge Journals Online. Publications Committee, Editorial Advisors’ other disciplines: history, art, theatre, film and so on, as it is books (exhibitions, plays, films, Readers are invited to submit papers to Math- Group, negotiations with publishing part- etc.) of this kind that the Newsletter mainly reviews, leaving mainstream mathematics ematika via the LMS submissions web page at ners, Newsletter production. texts to the Bulletin. If you would like to suggest a possible candidate, not excluding your- www.lms.ac.uk/publications/submission.html. Society and Grants Group: Isabelle self, please get in touch. The traditional emphasis has been towards Robinson (Group Head), Sylvia Daly (Grants Turning to current matters, this month we carry a response from David Steinsaltz to the the purer side of mathematics, but applied Administrator), Lorraine Rowley (Secretary),  piece in the June Newsletter by David Hand about responsibility for the use or misuse of  mathematics and articles addressing both as- Riaz Ahmad (Short-course Facilitator). mathematical models. This exchange raises interesting and important questions for appli- pects are equally welcome. Membership, Society meetings, Programme cations of mathematics: should theorems come with a risk assessment and instructions for The Mathematika Editorial Board is: Keith Committee and its grant schemes, Research use? If you have views on this issue do let us know. Ball, Imre Bárány, Marianna Csörnyei, Timothy Meetings Committee and EPSRC–LMS short David Chillingworth Gowers, Francis Johnson, Minhyong Kim, Yaro- courses, Durham Symposia, DMH IT and General Editor slav Kurylev, Imre Leader, Peter McMullen, website. David Preiss, Frank Smith, Alex Sobolev, Jean- Council and Committees Group: Martin Marc Vanden-Broeck and Robert Vaughan. Smith (Group Head), Caroline Davis (Mathe- Kenneth Falconer matics Policy and Promotion Officer), Antony LMS JOURNAL OF other LMS journals. The copyright to all ma- Publications Secretary Bastiani (Administrative Officer). Council, terial remains vested in the authors. Finance & General Purposes Committee, COMPUTATION AND Readers are invited to submit papers to STAFFING STRUCTURE Nominating Committee, Research Policy MATHEMATICS the LMS JCM via its homepage www.lms. Committee and LMS policy submissions, ac.uk/jcm. OF THE SOCIETY International Affairs Committee, Women in The LMS Journal of Computation and Mathe- Kenneth Falconer Earlier this year a reorganisation of the Soci- Mathematics Committee, Computer Science matics (JCM), the LMS all-electronic open- Publications Secretary ety’s staff took place. The primary need was Committee, Education Committee, Popular access journal, will be hosted by Cambridge to reallocate duties previously done by Susan Lectures, Prizes Committee (including joint University Press from 2010. The archive Oakes, who retired at the New Year (but con- awards), Library Committee, Mathematics dating back to 1998 as well as new articles BRITISH ACADEMY tinues to deal with the Society’s Newsletter, Policy Unit, CMS Secretariat. will be available free of charge to all via the working from home), but the opportunity Conferences and Building Group: Dominic CUP website. Amongst those elected to Fellowship was taken also to address the previously ‘flat’ Clark (Group Head), Lee-Anne Parker (Re- The JCM publishes high-quality research at the British Academy’s 2009 AGM was nature of the staff structure, to create oppor- ceptionist & Facilities Coordinator), Angela and expository articles in all areas where Professor Wilfrid Hodges, formerly Profes- tunity for progression, and to relieve the ar- Waidson (Facilities Administrator). DMH mathematics and computation meet. The sor of Mathematics, Queen Mary, University eas particularly under pressure. The resulting Conference Facilities, office services, recep- journal supports electronic add-ons (such of London. The prime criterion for election structure allows areas of work to be covered tion and switchboard, building services, as program code, graphics and databases). to the Fellowship of the Academy is aca- by small groups of staff, providing cover for Health and Safety, liaison with tenants. Papers are subjected to a peer-review demic distinction as reflected in scholarly sickness and holidays. Accounts Officer: Ephrem Belay. process to the same high standards as research activity and publication. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

FELLOWS OF THE where she submitted her PhD thesis ‘On the extra spots on the Laue photograph’ in ROYAL SOCIETY June 1941. During the war she was partially Amongst those elected to Fellowship of The deafened as a result of a bomb explosion, a Royal Society in 2009 were: disability that seemed to have virtually no • Jonathan Peter Keating, Professor of effect on her. She moved to Oxford in 1942 Mathematical Physics and EPSRC Senior as Lecturer in Mathematics at Somerville Research Fellow, Department of Mathematics, College, where she was elected a Fellow in University of Bristol; 1947 and served as Dean for eight years. • Burt James Totaro, Lowndean Professor She married her first husband, Dr Basil of Astronomy and Geometry, Department Geoghegan, just before his death in Janu- of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical ary 1954, an experience which prompted Statistics, University of Cambridge. her to seek experiences beyond those of Professor Yakov Sinai (Department of Math- British Academe. ematics, Princeton University, and Senior In 1955, she became Professor of Mathe- Researcher, Landau Institute of Theoretical matics at Ibadan, Nigeria, where she mar- Physics, Academy of Sciences of Russia) was ried Dr Patrick John Collard and had two elected a Foreign Member. children, Ann and James. She returned to  the UK in 1965, taking up an appointment  CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE in the Mathematics Department at the Uni- versity of Nottingham as well as the War- OF WALTER LEDERMANN denship of Cavendish Hall. During her time A celebration of the life of Walter as a warden she was awarded the OBE for Ledermann, FRSE, will be held in the Meet- her work in improving access to university ing House Chapel at the University of Sussex education to the disabled. She went from on 8 October 2009 at 2.30 pm, followed by there to Unitech in Lae, Papua New Guinea, tea. All are welcome. For further details see where she occupied a Chair 1980–87, one www.maths.sussex.ac.uk/ledermann or con- of the happiest times of her life. She was a tact Charles Goldie ([email protected], very active and popular professor of math- 01273 678311). ematics, particularly encouraging math- ematical work that related directly to the KATHLEEN COLLARD country, such as Glen Lean’s encyclopaedic survey of Melanesian counting systems. Dr Kathleen Collard, who was elected a On her return to the UK, she lived near member of the London Mathematical So- her family in Ilkeston, travelling widely ciety on 25 January 1945, died on 2 June in Europe, China and South Africa. Kath- 2009, aged 93. leen had a distinguished academic career Dave Johnson and Bob Lockhart write: and will be remembered by those who After attending Birkenhead Council Sec- knew her for her adventurous spirit and ondary School for 10 years, Kathleen won warm and generous personality. She will a State Scholarship and Founder’s Entrance be sorely missed by her family, friends and scholarship to Royal Holloway College, colleagues. London, in 1934. Having achieved distinc- [We are grateful to Pauline Adams of tion in both BSc and MSc, she proceeded on Somerville and Vicky Holmes of Royal Hol- a postgraduate studentship to work with loway, and especially James Collard, for Max Born at the University of Edinburgh, providing much valuable information.] THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

KLAUS BIERSTEDT internationally as a solver of demanding math- ematical problems on the internet. She was a Professor Klaus Bierstedt, who was elected a brilliant computer programmer and an inspira- LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY member of the London Mathematical Society tional mathematical expositor, as is witnessed on 21 May 1976, died on 23 May 2009, aged by the many accolades to her on the web from MIDLANDS REGIONAL MEETING 64. people who have been enlightened by her Reinhold Meise writes: Klaus Bierstedt was insight. born and grew up in Mainz. There he stud- She was born at Harns or Harlingen in the Wednesday 16 September 2009 ied mathematics and physics at the Johannes Netherlands but studied at the University of Gutenberg University, where he wrote his di- London from 1987–90, and later lived in Ire- Lecture Room 3, Ken Edwards Building, University of Leicester ploma and doctoral theses under the direc- land, England and Scotland. Indeed, at one tion of B. Gramsch. In the early 1970s he held point she was one third of the winning Com- 2.00 LMS Meeting opens positions as assistant and as associate profes- puserve SCIMATH Forum Team whilst living on sor at the universities of Kaiserslautern and the Isle of Bute. One imagines her in a croft Jean-Louis Loday (Strasbourg) Mainz. He became a full professor at the Uni- with a state-of-the-art laptop computer, but Koszul duality versity of Paderborn in 1974. few other creature comforts! The other two Klaus published 57 articles in various ar- members of her team lived in Wigan and in 3.15 Idun Reiten (Trondheim) eas of functional analysis and organized or Memphis, Tennessee, and no two of the trio Coxeter groups and associated rings and categories 10 initiated many international conferences. He had ever met face to face. 11 acted as a referee for many mathematical Encouraged and commended by the 4.15 Tea and poster session journals and was a member of the editorial many people she had impressed through her committee of Mathematische Nachrichten problem-solving online, she came to the Uni- 5.00 Ulrike Tillmann (Oxford University) and the Arab Journal of Mathematical Sci- versity of Birmingham in 2004 to research From configuration to moduli spaces ences. For eight years Klaus was a member into combinatorics under the supervision of of the council of the German Mathematical Robert Curtis. Her thesis was entitled Topics in 7.00 Conference meal Society (DMV) and for many years a member trivalent graphs and she was awarded the PhD of the coordinating committee of Zbl. Math. degree in 2007. The meeting will be followed by a workshop on Derived Categories in and vice-chair of the FIZ Karlsruhe. Since 1988 She fell ill earlier this year and, sadly, the seri- Algebra, Topology and Geometry from 17 to 19 September 2009. he was a corresponding member of the So- ousness of her condition was not immediately ciété Royale des Sciences de Li�ge, Belgium, recognised. The disease proved particularly There are funds available to support graduate students attending the and since 1999 of the Real Academia de Cien- virulent and she died rapidly; thus a unique meeting and/or workshop, and for LMS members attending the meeting. cias in Madrid, Spain. mathematical talent is lost to us. Klaus held visiting positions at universi- All requests for support should be sent to the organisers (details below). ties in the United States, Brazil and Spain. COLLINGWOOD PhD students can bring a poster on their research to be displayed during He liked soccer, musicals and travelling a lot. The mathematical community has lost a great MEMORIAL PRIZE the afternoon tea break. Springer has donated a prize for the best poster. colleague. The 2009 Collingwood Memorial Prize has been awarded to Andrew F. Strangeway, St For information on scientific questions or for information on organisational MARIJKE VAN GANS Cuthbert’s Society, University of Durham. matters contact the organisers Teimuraz Pirashvili ([email protected]) or The Collingwood Memorial Prize, established Nicole Snashall ([email protected]). Dr Marijke van Gans, who was elected a mem- in memory of Sir Edward Collingwood, FRS, ber of the London Mathematical Society on 18 President of the Society 1969–70, is awarded If you wish to attend the conference meal (which will be held at the local February 2003, died on 21 April 2009, aged 53. to a final-year mathematics student at the Kerala restaurant) then please let the organisers know, preferably by Robert Curtis writes: Marijke was a highly University of Durham who intends to con- 1 September. The cost will be £18 (excluding drinks). original and exceptionally talented scholar tinue to a higher degree in mathematics at and mathematician, who had become known Durham or any other university. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

ANNUAL LMS choice of publications. Fully complete and return the subscription form if you are paying by direct SUBSCRIPTION 2009–10 debit but wish to change your choice of publica- Members are reminded that their annual sub- tions or add/delete a subscription to the European scription, including payment for publications, Mathematical Society. Bank accounts of members for the period November 2009 – October 2010 paying by direct debit will be debited with the ap- is due on 1 November 2009. The renewal form is propriate amount on 15 January 2010. If a member included with this edition of the Newsletter and with a UK bank account wishes to start paying by should be completed and returned with remit- direct debit, a mandate can be requested by email tance in the enclosed envelope. ([email protected]) or downloaded from the LMS website at www.lms.ac.uk/contact/DDform. Rates pdf. Other members should either enclose a cheque The annual subscription to the London Math- (£ Sterling or US$) or provide credit card details. ematical Society for 2009–10 is: Isabelle Robinson • Ordinary membership £49.00 Group Head (Society & Grants) • Concessionary rates on Ordinary membership – Reciprocity agreement with another EUROPEAN mathematical society £24.50 MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 12 – Career break or part-time working £12.50 13 • Associate membership £12.50 The European Mathematical Society (EMS) was founded in 1990. The purpose of the Society is to The member prices of the Society’s periodi- further the development of all aspects of mathe- cals for 2010 are: matics in the countries of Europe. In particular, the Print Online* Print+Online* Society aims to promote research in mathematics Bulletin £51.00 £41.00 £61.00 and its applications. It will assist and advise on Journal £97.00 £78.00 £116.00 problems of mathematical education. It concerns Proceedings £97.00 £78.00 £116.00 itself with the broader relation of mathematics JCM (electronic) — free — to society. In short, it seeks to establish a sense of Nonlinearity (except N. America) (N. America) identity amongst European mathematicians. £69.00 £89.00 The Society has 2,000 individual members (*inclusive of VAT) who subscribe through national societies. There Members now have the choice of taking an are 52 European mathematical societies that are electronic subscription to the Bulletin, Journal or corporate members of the EMS. Subscription Proceedings of the LMS at a discount of 20% on as an individual EMS member is normally done the standard price for a print subscription. Alter- through an EMS corporate member society. Just natively, members may receive both the print and pay the extra amount of £22 for EMS member- electronic versions for an additional 20% above ship when paying your LMS membership sub- the price of the print subscription. Once an order scription. Individual membership comes with free for an electronic version has been processed by the access to Zentralblatt (www.zentralblatt-math. LMS, your email address will be passed to Oxford org/zmath/en) as well as the EMS Newsletter University Press who will contact you with details (www.ems-ph.org) which appears four times a on how to access the journals. year. It contains information about the Society, announcements of conferences, book reviews Payment and articles of general interest. For further in- No action is required if you are already paying formation about the EMS, visit the website at by direct debit, and do not wish to change your www.euro-math-soc.eu. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

MATHEMATICS POLICY ROUND-UP want to study mathematics, science, technology Reform published a report, backed by 64 UK aca- and engineering. The places would be allocated demics, criticising the A-level on several counts. It A-level targets increased Putting Science and Engineering at the Heart of by the Higher Education Funding Council for Eng- said the Use of Mathematics A-level would not The increases in the number of students choos- Government Policy land (HEFCE), following a squeeze on places due provide sufficiently challenging or broad content ing mathematics A-level have been so great In a report published in July entitled Putting Sci- to a massive increase in applications. However, to be adequate preparation for higher educa- that the government has raised its target for ence and Engineering at the Heart of Govern- confusion ensued as it emerged that universities tion; would dilute A-level Mathematics teaching entries. In 2006 the government set a target of ment Policy, MPs said the failure to find a stable would receive the students’ tuition fees and that quality; would cannibalise A-level Mathematics as 56,000 entries to the mathematics A-level by home for the Government Office for Science has the students would be offered the usual finan- students are encouraged to do the ‘easier’ quali- 2014 in its Science and innovation investment reduced science and engineering advice to, at cial support packages such as loans and grants, fication and would disadvantage students in the framework 2004–2014: next steps document. In best, a peripheral policy concern, and, at worst, a but that that universities would be expected to poorest schools as universities continue to insist on 2006 there had been about 46,000 English en- political bargaining chip. The Innovation, Univer- meet teaching costs from existing budgets. The A-level Mathematics. The LMS and IMA issued a tries for mathematics A-level. By 2008, the tar- sities, Science and Skills (IUSS) Select Committee problem was further compounded just a couple press statement saying that the qualification was get had already been reached, prompting the directly appealed to the Prime Minister to bring of days later when HEFCE announced it would be not intended for those planning further study in a government to announce in June this year that GO-Science (the Government Office for Science) cutting its English universities’ teaching budget by mathematically-rich subject and should be clearly it would be raising the mathematics target to into the Cabinet Office and it urges the creation 1.36% next year to save £65 million. At the time labelled as such. The societies believed that the 80,000 entries by 2014. Professor Celia Hoyles, of a Government Chief Engineer and a Govern- of writing, it was not clear to which institutions A-level, rather than diluting current Mathematics Director of the National Centre for Excellence ment Chief Scientist. Other key points included: the extra places would be allocated. A-level, would strengthen it and in fact enable in the Teaching of Mathematics, said: “The fact • If the Government is to return to ‘picking more students to carry on studying mathemat- 14 that the current target has been met early is winners’ it must have clear priorities and come Ensuring new financial regulations are based on ics beyond A-level. LMS vice-president Professor 15 testament to the great work that teachers of clean about which areas of research will get sound mathematics Alice Rogers said, “While we currently have al- mathematics have been doing to encourage less money In June, the Council for the Mathematical legedly equal A-levels in a vast range of subjects pupils to stay on and do mathematics A-Level.” • The 2009 Budget Research Council savings Sciences wrote to Lord Turner, chairman of the I think the proposal represents the best way are in reality an attempt to influence research Financial Services Authority, requesting a meeting forward.” MPs’ science scrutiny committee rescued funding streams and the Government should to discuss how the mathematical sciences should To see the Reform report and the LMS response Fears that the Parliamentary scrutiny of science not label them as something they are not contribute towards the new framework being visit http://is.gd/1OCvd. and technology would be diminished in the • The Haldane Principle should be replaced with created to regulate the City. Urging him to en- recent shake-up of government departments a principle which accommodates a much wider sure new plans are as robust as possible, Sir David The Maths Inside have been quelled, following the creation range of factors, for example regional science Wallace, CMS chairman, wrote, “Mathematics For the third year, the LMS–IMA Mathematics of a new Science and Technology Commons policy. is surely the only medium capable of describing Promotion Unit worked with scientists who are Select Committee. In June, prime minister Welcoming the report, Sir David Wallace, chair quantitatively the complex nature of the products showcasing their work at the Royal Society Summer Gordon Brown merged the former Department of the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, that traders, risk managers, etc are handling, and Science Exhibition. The Maths Inside project aims to for Innovation, Universities and Skills with the added, “The committee recommended that in- the economic environment which they are operat- draw out some of the mathematics used in the re- former Department for Business, Enterprise creased focus in applied research and industrial ing in and influencing.” The letter attracted inter- search both to highlight how fundamental mathe- and Regulatory Reform to create the Depart- follow-through should not be at the expense of est from the Financial Times, which reported on it matics is to science, but also to entertain and inform ment for Business, Innovation and Skills. MPs blue-skies research, which is one of the UK’s great- on 10 June, and Lord Turner has since contacted visitors. This year, Maths Inside created factsheets to argued that a separate Science and Technology est strengths. This is particularly true in the math- the CMS to discuss future involvement with the accompany the stands of: a team of palaeo-detec- Select Committee was vital for cross-depart- ematical sciences, where the timescale between financial mathematics community. tives who use ratios of isotopes to analyse what had mental scrutiny to ensure that policy decisions fundamental research and its application can be been cooked in excavated shards of cooking pots; are based on good scientific and engineering many years, decades or even centuries.” Use of Mathematics A-level researchers looking at the surfaces of leaves and advice. Usually, select committees are linked To read the report visit http://is.gd/1OCtF. As the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority what makes them waterproof; and a third team directly to a government department. Mem- consultation on proposed changes to mathematics which looked at the symmetries of normal and mu- bership of the former Innovation, Universities, Extra undergraduate places for mathematical at A-level closed, a controversy over the planned tant snapdragon flowers. The factsheets are avail- Science and Skills (IUSS) Select Committee will sciences Use of Mathematics A-level spilled into the media. able on the Mathematics Promotion Unit website transfer directly to the new committee, chaired Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced The course is designed for students who need to at www.mathspromotion.org.uk. by Phil Willis, MP. The new committee will be that there would be 10,000 extra new places be able to apply mathematical methods rather Caroline Davis created on 1 October 2009. created at English universities for students who than focus on theory. Right-of-centre think-tank Mathematics Policy and Promotion Officer THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

CMS DIARY with peer review panels informed by such Programme on support for masters train- a coherent approach will be exploited be- data as appropriate for their disciplines. Ci- ing in mathematical sciences, following fore a reshuffle separates them again! Summer 2009 tation data are particularly difficult to in- the replacement of ‘Collaborative Training This diary entry draws together some of the terpret in mathematical sciences research, Accounts’ with ‘Knowledge Transfer Ac- Mathematical Sciences and Multidisciplinary key areas of interest from the Council for with long lead times before research has an counts’ as a possible funding mechanism. Research ‘Themes’ the Mathematical Sciences’ (CMS) work in impact, which often manifests itself in an Unfortunately experience on the ground The CMS held a one-day event in March to en- recent months, and reports on a number of unexpected way. ‘Impact’ is a big theme in suggests that, in practice, very few mas- courage mathematical sciences researchers recent meetings which relate to them. Policy research funding at the moment – in both ters courses will be funded in this way and to explore opportunities to fund their submissions referred to below are available Research Councils and Funding Councils – the difficult decision of either funding a research through the multidisciplinary on the CMS website at www.cms.ac.uk. but the CMS suggested caution in HEFCE as- course through a department’s Doctoral research ‘themes’ identified in EPSRC’s stra- signing too much weight to the assessment Training Allocation (and therefore at the tegic plan. The workshop focused on math- Research Excellence Framework of impact in the REF, given the difficulty in expense of the number of PhD students) or ematical sciences in the Energy and Digital The CMS meeting on 29 May was supple- measuring this in mathematical sciences cutting the course entirely is being made Economy themes, with EPSRC Theme Lead- mented by a lunchtime discussion session over any short timescale. We also encour- already. ers in attendance to engage in discussion. on the development of the Research Ex- aged ‘impact’ to be viewed in the broad- The Liaison Group has been working with The event included presentations from re- cellence Framework (REF). David Sweeney est terms by both researchers and funders the Programme team to see what support searchers who are already funding their (Director of Research, Innovation and Skills, – economic, social, cultural and academic can be provided for masters training in research in this way, and break-out groups HEFCE) and Malcolm MacCallum (Member, impact are all valid measures of the signifi- mathematical sciences within the scope explored opportunities in more detail. 16 REF Expert Advisory Group) joined the usual cance of research and justification for pub- of EPSRC’s overarching policy of funding The CMS–EPSRC Liaison Group has been 17 CMS attendees for a stimulating debate on lic investment. only via either KTAs or the DTA. As a result giving some thought to how to promote some of the particular features of mathe- David Harman (Programme Manager) was and support opportunities in these areas matical sciences research that HEFCE should Support for ‘blue skies’ research able to secure a total of £500k for one-off, further, and plans for a similar event look- be aware of as it develops the detail of the In a similar vein, the CMS has been work- one-year ‘parachute funding’ to support ing at some of the other themes listed by assessment system to replace the Research ing on producing a paper that makes the courses that would have suffered from the RCUK. Other themes include Healthcare, Assessment Exercise. case for supporting ‘blue skies’ research timing of the announcement of the KTA Nanoscience and Security – full details are One area of discussion was the number and in mathematical sciences, giving concrete allocation process. This breathing space available from the RCUK website. makeup of assessment panels; we were told examples of curiosity-driven research that has been gratefully received by a number If you are running or are thinking of run- that there was likely to be a move towards has had a substantial impact in a surprising of departments and will help keep these ning an event associated with these themes, smaller numbers of panels in the REF in order way many years after first being published. courses alive while further consideration why not get in touch – we would be pleased to demonstrate to the Treasury that there Examples in our current draft include brain of what support can be provided – and at to hear more about mathematical sciences has been a reduction in the burden of the imaging, face recognition and digital com- what cost – takes place. research in these areas. process. With this in mind, it was the gener- munications technologies, all of which rely We’ve also been lobbying the Innova- A full report of the Energy and Digital al consensus that a combined mathematical- on ‘blue-skies’-generated mathematics and tion, Universities, Science and Skills Select Economy workshop and slides from the sciences panel covering pure mathematics, statistics. We are very grateful to Nigel Committee to investigate the wider issue of presentations are available to download applied mathematics, statistics and opera- Peake (IMA) and David Hand (RSS) for their responsibility for funding masters courses, from the CMS website. tional research would make sense. In par- work on this document. Reflections from and remain active in raising awareness of ticular, it was felt that it would make much readers on fundamental mathematical sci- this issue. The creation of the Department Other meetings more sense than combining mathemat- ences research that has had a big pay-off for Innovation, Universities and Skills two Under the banner of ongoing engagement ics with engineering, for instance, given further downstream are very welcome – the years ago brought both sides of the Dual the CMS has met with Adrian Smith (DIUS) the imbalances between the disciplines in more examples we can quote in our meet- Support System under one roof under the and John Beddington (Government Chief grant income and the number of doctoral ings the better. auspices of Adrian Smith and represented Scientific Advisor), and plans to meet Sir students. a great opportunity for ‘joined-up think- Alan Langlands, the new Chief Executive Those who have been following the de- Support for masters courses and liaison ing’ on this issue. The merging of DIUS of HEFCE, over the summer. velopment of the REF on HEFCE’s website with EPSRC into the Department for Business, Innova- Martin Smith and in the media will be aware that there The CMS–EPSRC Liaison Group has been tion and Skills (BIS) this summer preserves CMS Secretariat is now much less emphasis on bibliometrics, working with EPSRC’s Mathematical Sciences this, and we hope that the opportunity for [email protected] THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

COMPOSITIO PRIZE mathematical techniques for solving en- CHERN MEDAL the proposal can look to bridge the gap gineering problems involving complicated between an EPSRC discipline and a non- Shortlist geometries. One example would be com- The International Mathematical Union EPSRC discipline. The shortlist for the 2009 Compositio Prize for puting the electric current flowing through (IMU) and the Chern Medal Foundation Proposals must explore the broad the best paper in Compositio Mathematica is: a conducting metallic region that contains (CMF) have jointly launched a new math- range of opportunities that underpin • P. Berthelot, S. Bloch and H. Esnault, pockets of another metal with differing ematics prize, the Chern Medal Award, in dialogue and engagement between dis- ‘On Witt vector cohomology for singular electrical conductivity. The heterogeneous memory of the outstanding mathemati- parate disciplines and not focus on varieties’, Compositio Mathematica 143 nature of such ‘mixed’ conductors makes cian Shiing-Shen Chern. EPSRC’s Mission Programme areas (e.g. (2007) no. 2, 363–392. them challenging to study, meaning that The Award is to be given to an individ- Energy, Digital Economy, Next Generation • M. Aguiar, N. Bergeron and F. Sottile, mathematical techniques must be invented ual whose lifelong remarkable achieve- Healthcare, Nanoscience). ‘Combinatorial Hopf algebras and in order to understand their properties. ments in the field of mathematics warrant The deadline is 4 pm on Wednesday generalized Dehn–Sommerville relations’, The CMFT Young Researcher Award is giv- the highest level of recognition. It con- 16 September 2009. Further information Compositio Mathematica 142 (2006) no. 1, en every four years for outstanding scientific sists of a medal and a monetary award available at www.epsrc.ac.uk/CallsForPro- 1–30. contributions in the fields of mathematics of US$500,000. Half of the amount shall posals/btgcall.htm. • D. Maulik, N. Nekrasov, A. Okounkov and associated with the CMFT conference, which be donated to organizations of the re- R. Pandharipande, ‘Gromov–Witten theory include the interaction of complex variables cipient’s choice to support research, edu- EPSRC FELLOWSHIPS and Donaldson–Thomas theory. II’, and scientific computation, including related cation, outreach, or other activities to Compositio Mathematica 142 (2006) no. 5, topics from function theory, approximation promote mathematics. 2010 18 1286–1304. theory and numerical analysis. The award The Chern Medal will be awarded for the EPSRC offers these fellowships annually 19 The prize-winning article will be chosen and consists of a €1,000 prize. first time at the opening ceremony of ICM to provide up to five years’ funding to tal- announced in September 2009. The Compo- 2010 in Hyderabad, India, on 19 August ented researchers. The expectation is that sitio Prize is a prize awarded every third year INTERNATIONAL CENTRE 2010. Closing date for nominations is 15 fellows will have established themselves by the Foundation Compositio Mathematica December 2009. For more information as leading researchers of international in recognition of an outstanding piece of FOR MATHEMATICAL visit the website at www.mathunion. standing in their area by the end of their mathematical research that is published in SCIENCES org/fileadmin/IMU/Prizes/Chern. award. the journal Compositio Mathematica during Leadership Fellowships and Career Scientific Director a three-year period. The 2009 Compositio BRIDGING THE GAPS Acceleration Fellowships both provide an Prize is the first one to be awarded. The International Centre for Mathematical opportunity to concentrate on research Sciences (ICMS) in Edinburgh is seeking to ap- The aim of the EPSRC Bridging the Gaps for the period of the award, as well as CMFT YOUNG RESEARCHER point a scientific director to succeed Professor (BTG) initiative is to enable research or- support the cost of associated research for John Toland, FRS, from September 2010 (or ganisations to build a programme of the full duration of the fellowship. Career AWARD other mutually agreed date). activities that will stimulate creative Acceleration Fellowships allow fellows to Darren Crowdy, Professor of Applied Mathe- This is a part-time appointment (not nec- thinking across disciplines which reflect pursue new research directions and build matics from the Department of Mathematics essarily based in Edinburgh). Expressions of institutional strengths and strategies. collaborations internationally, within and at Imperial College London, and a member of interest are invited from experienced math- Proposals must bridge the remits of at across disciplines. the London Mathematical Society, has been ematicians with a broad knowledge of the least two research areas (e.g. mathemat- Up to 50 Fellowships will be awarded awarded the 2009 CMFT Young Researcher UK and international mathematical scenes. ics and chemistry). This year the Cross- this year across the Leadership Fellow- Award at the Computational Methods and These should be sent as early as possible, and Disciplinary Interfaces Programme (C-DIP) ships and Career Acceleration Fellowships Function Theory (CMFT) conference 2009. in any case by 15 October 2009, to the Cen- would like to encourage applications that schemes. Deadline for both Fellowships is Professor Crowdy’s conformal mapping re- tre Manager, Mrs Irene Moore (irene.moore@ bridge the gap between engineering and 4 pm on Tuesday 29 September 2009. search hit the headlines last year when he up- icms.org.uk). physical sciences (EPS) and other, non-EPS, Further information can be found at dated the 140-year-old Schwarz–Christoffel Informal enquiries should be addressed research areas. In particular it would wel- the following locations: formula so it could be used for more compli- to Professor Jim Howie ([email protected], come proposals that include interfacing • Leadership Fellowships: www.epsrc.ac.uk/ cated shapes and, therefore, in more diverse 0131 451 3240). Information about ICMS and with the social sciences as well as the arts CallsForProposals/lfcall09.htm applications in physics and engineering. its activities is available on the ICMS website and humanities. The main focus of the • Career Acceleration Fellowships: www.epsrc. Professor Crowdy specialises in developing www.icms.org.uk. proposal must be within EPSRC’s remit but ac.uk/CallsForProposals/cafcall09.htm THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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OLGA TAUSSKY-TODD Progression and Representation in Academic Science from the 2003/04 and 2006 Surveys. LECTURE This provides a baseline for the Forum’s Call for Nominations work, and evidence of where action is need- ed to improve women’s career progression The Olga Taussky-Todd Lecture is held every in STEMM in higher education. It will be of four years at the International Congress on interest to STEMM stakeholders, professional Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM). and learned societies, and to universities and This honour is conferred on a ‘woman who their STEMM departments. The Forum is de- has made outstanding contributions in lighted that the future of ASSET has been applied mathematics and/or scientific com- secured by a grant from HEFCE’s Leader- putation’. The lecture is named in tribute to ship, Governance and Management Fund to the memory of Olga Taussky-Todd, whose Imperial College in partnership with The scientific legacy is in both theoretical and ap- Royal Society. plied mathematics, and whose work exempli- The Athena Forum’s mission is to provide fies the qualities to be recognized. Deadline strategic oversight of developments that for nominations is 18 October 2009. For more seek to, or have proven to, advance the ca- information, go to: www.iciam.org/council/ reer progression and representation of wom- 20 OTT-CallforNominations2011.pdf. en in science, technology, mathematics and 21 medicine in UK higher education. The Forum ATHENA REPORTS explores gaps and challenges, and identifies and commends national and international In April 2009 the Athena Forum launched excellence in supporting women in science. two reports with findings on Women’s Career It is the expert voice from within and for the Progression and Representation in Science. science community. Its members are nominat- These reports are now available online at ed by the UK’s leading scientific professional www.athenasurvey.org.uk. and learned societies. The Forum is based at and supported by The Royal Society. Athena Forum Report 1. Women’s career progression and representation in Science, ANGLO–FRENCH Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) in Higher Education. A MHD MEETING guide to good practice for professional and The French GDR-Dynamo group will this learned Societies including examples of good year be organizing its annual meeting in practice by UK STEMM societies that are rep- Cambridge from 14 to 15 September. Any resented on the Forum (including the LMS). UK researcher in magnetohydrodynam- It is hoped that other UK professional and ics (astrophysical or otherwise) is invited to learned societies will read and discuss this attend. An LMS conference grant provides report. The Forum will be returning to this partial support for UK research students. topic early in 2010, when it wants to widen The accommodation deadline is 28 August its discussion to include the work of societies but late registration is accepted until 4 not directly represented on the Forum. September. Contact the organiser Michael Proctor ([email protected]) for Athena Forum Report 2. Athena Surveys of further details. For full details of the meet- Science Engineering and Technology (ASSET): ing visit the website at www.phys.ens.fr/ Headline Findings on Women’s Career ~dormy/MHD/DAMTP09. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

MATHEMATICS OR MISMANAGEMENT: THE CRASH OF 2008

In the June issue of this Newsletter, David field was devoured by financial mathematics. Hand wrote to absolve financial mathemat- Particularly in Europe, probability theory po- ics of blame for the current global financial sitions disappeared, to be replaced by open- crisis. Not just mathematics, in fact. In this ings in financial mathematics. About ten years telling, there was no crime, merely a blunder. ago, a very senior Dutch mathematician asked Everyone is innocent. The banking execu- me if I might be interested in joining his own tives suffered from “misplaced ignorance of institute’s planned financial mathematics sophisticated maths”. The mathematicians group, for which they had funding to create working for banks performed correctly the ten new positions. My reply was that finance narrow technical task they were assigned, did not interest me as a topic of research, and and the research mathematicians cannot be I added that it might be considered improper expected to understand the consequences of to divert the power accumulated in centuries their models. Even the vilified models them- of publicly supported research into helping a selves are not to blame: credit scoring mod- few banks extract wealth from financial mar- els are “highly accurate”, and rating models kets. Of course, the banks were free to hire are at least “fine” (“although associated un- the mathematicians as they saw fit, but why 22 certainty was underestimated”). (‘The boat should publicly funded research institutes and 23 is fine, although the assimilated water was universities be adopting their priorities? underestimated...’) If there is any fault at Looking back, I am not ashamed to admit all in these sadly traduced mathematicians, that my judgement then was basically wrong. the President of the Royal Statistical Society Despite my skepticism, I presumed that the fi- opines, it is only that they have failed to be nancial mathematicians did have useful skills, statisticians, who would surely have done the like post-Soviet nuclear scientists selling out job properly. It seems (by his account) purely their weaponisable expertise to the highest a happenstance that it was the bankers who bidder. It turns out, though, that they were at sacked away billions of pounds and the public best like the Tintoretto painting in the mafia purse that was left with the debts. It might chief’s foyer: not a practical contribution, have been the other way around, one sup- but a decoration and a distraction, intended poses, and it is an “extraordinary assertion” to inveigle the public and suggest respect- that mathematicians could share some re- ability. Or worse, they were like the mafio- sponsibility when the global financial system so’s accountant or lawyer, who contrives a crashed in a machine designed and built by subterranean alternative for what would be mathematicians. After all, if he “jumped into straightforward – and straightforwardly il- the cockpit of a Boeing 747, and crashed it legal – if done out in the open. Thus credit because I didn’t know how to fly it, you default swaps, which are simply insurance would hardly blame Joe Sutter, the 747 chief by another name, without the requirements engineer.” One wonders where this analogy of capital reserves and intricate regulations is intended to lead; and especially, which pi- imposed on the insurance industry; and auc- lot these mathematicians expected would ap- tion-rate securities, that duplicate banking pear, to fly their investment algorithms, if the functions, while evading the expensive regu- financial officers of investment banks were lation that was supposed to ensure the sta- not qualified. bility of real banks. There is, to be sure, real Not long after I finished my PhD in prob- technical skill involved in this evasion, like the ability theory, a substantial fraction of the skill that the mob bookkeeper needs to keep THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

the public set of books pristine while launder- by photographically enlarging a continent- points here, but would like to mention just management to overcome their ignorance. ing extortion money. scale map of Europe. Yes, within the model a few. My article argues that it was, indeed, their Each generation’s financial pirates confront you may compute the counterparty risk to I opened my article by pointing out that responsibility to do so, and hence blame at- this challenge: how to cajole potential victims one part in 1000, but the inaccuracies of the mathematics was just one of the relevant taches as a consequence of not doing so. out of the residue of prudence remaining model are orders of magnitude greater. En- factors. It was the one I had been asked to By the way, David also refers to “the vili- from the last economic crash? I recall a lunch gineers understand this, which is why they write about (it was an article for the LMS, af- fied models” and then lumps credit scoring one day in 1997, before a seminar talk in follow their model-based calculations with ter all!), but a broader discussion would also and credit rating models together, while I em- Utrecht, when an illustrious probabilist had a experiments, and then build in a several-fold have drawn attention to other factors. Indeed phasised their differences. They are entirely good chuckle over the Albanian riots, follow- margin of tolerance. Instead of mimicking David might like to look at a slightly broader different kinds of animal, used for entirely ing on half the population losing what little the engineers’ caution, financial mathemati- discussion (though with primary focus still on different purposes, based on entirely differ- savings they had to post-communist govern- cians boldly rechristen their immature field as the mathematics) which is due to appear in ent populations. Scoring models are empiri- ment-backed pyramid schemes. It’s hard to ‘financial engineering’. the Journal of the Foundation for Science and cal models of individual customers, based on conceive of the training that leaves people G.H. Hardy famously defended the math- Technology. That article also mentions greed millions of people, their transactions, and so na�ve, he remarked. “In the West no one ematical enterprise as beautiful and mostly and fraud, as well as structural issues such as their behaviour. They are statistical predic- could fall for a scheme that promised 50 per- harmless. Though we may question Hardy’s the remuneration strategy for hedge-fund tive models, based on tools such as regres- cent returns a year.” In fact, all we demand perspicacity in citing number theory and rela- managers, the unwillingness of people to lis- sion, neural networks and recursive partition is that our pyramid schemes come with bet- tivity as areas of mathematics for which “no ten to warnings, the moral hazard implicit in classifiers. Rating models are typically iconic ter packaging. To get the investments flow- one has yet discovered any warlike purpose the relationship between rating agencies and models built to rate corporations, stocks, etc., 24 ing required a convincing theory for why the [...] and it seems very unlikely that anyone will other bodies, the mobility of staff between and use very different ideas. The difference 25 implausibly high returns could be genuine do so for many years”, this cherished pose, regulatory authorities and those they regu- is that of the difference between statistical and sustainable, without the risk that usually as a small boy collecting pretty shells on the late, and the moral hazard associated with models and mathematical models. is the exchange for high returns. The inves- seashore, is one the mathematical commu- being too big to fail. tors need to be convinced that they are spe- nity is free to maintain, as long as it accepts My article was certainly not intended to VISIT OF DR A. SIMS cial, that the times are special, and that the funding at the same level as Hittite studies suggest that “everyone is innocent”, and that scheme is far too complex to be worth try- and Byzantine theology. Instead, in the mass it was merely a blunder and not a crime. On Dr Aidan Sims (University of Wollongong) ing to understand in detail. The public’s un- of grant applications, mathematicians hawk the contrary, I thought I said pretty clearly that will be visiting Aberystwyth University from reasoning awe of mathematics has proved their wares like homeopaths: our nostrums my view was that those who applied the mod- 31 August to 9 October 2009. He has research well suited to shutting down questions, even are wondrously effective, but there’s no need els without understanding them were at fault interests in the field of operator algebras, when the promises being made – effectively, to test them for safety, since they don’t really (“hardly an acceptable excuse”, “despite not particularly in the area of C*-algebras associ- the elimination of risk in precarious gambles do anything. If mathematicians wish to par- understanding [...] happy to act on their rec- ated to graphs and product systems, where on market futures or individuals’ credit-wor- take of the wealth and respect accorded to ommendations”, and so on). These were not he has demonstrated his expertise in driv- thiness – were as implausible as the Albanian practically useful arts and sciences, though, it the only ones at fault, but they were certainly ing forward the theory of higher-rank graph pyramid returns. is long past time that we consider seriously – some of them. To assert that I say it was “purely C*-algebras. During his visit he will give talks As an applied science, probability theory and collectively – the risk that someone might a happenstance that it was the bankers who at the following venues: is good at one thing primarily: balancing a pay attention to us. sacked away billions of pounds and the public • University of Nottingham on Wednesday large number of small risks against one big David Steinsaltz purse that was left with the debts” is incor- 30 September (contact Joachim Zacharias, risk. The problem is, once you have a math- Department of Statistics rect; it is the very opposite of what I said. [email protected]) ematical calculus, every output sparkles with University of Oxford David’s reference to the public’s “unreason- • Lancaster University on Friday 2 October mathematical precision, which is easily con- ing awe of mathematics” sounds very similar (contact Niels Laustsen, n.laustsen@ fused with accuracy. Exploring an intricate Response from David Hand to my own reference to management having lancaster.ac.uk) mathematical model, and determining how a ‘misplaced ignorance of mathematics’. In • Aberystwyth University on Wednesday to describe and predict its behaviour with David Steinsaltz eloquently raises some in- the former case, though, the public could not 7 October (contact Gwion Evans, perfect clarity, however diverting and even teresting points about my short piece on the reasonably be expected to have a responsibil- [email protected]) enlightening, is not the same as describ- role of mathematics in the financial crisis, but ity for understanding the mathematics and For further information contact Gwion ing the real world with perfect clarity, any I think he has misunderstood some of what overcoming the awe, but in the latter case Evans ([email protected]). This visit is supported more than I could plan an alpine expedition I said. I will not attempt to discuss all such surely one should be justified in expecting in part by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

STOCHASTIC PROCESSES AT THE QUANTUM LEVEL DELAY DIFFERENTIAL Further information and registration details are available on the website at www.enm. A meeting on Stochastic Processes at the • Mazyar Mirrahimi (Rocquencourt) EQUATIONS bris.ac.uk/anm/dde09. The workshop organ- Quantum Level will take place Wednesday • Andrew Neate (Swansea) A workshop on Delay Differential Equations: izers are Yuliya Kyrychko and David Barton and Thursday 21–22 October 2009 at the • Hendra Nurdin (Canberra) From Theory to Applications will take place (University of Bristol). The workshop is sup- Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Aber- The first talk will start at 14.10 on from 7 to 9 September 2009 at the Depart- ported by an LMS Conference grant. ystwyth University. The meeting focuses Wednesday afternoon and there will be a ment of Engineering Mathematics, University on recent mathematical developments and dinner on Wednesday night. For registra- of Bristol. The aim of the workshop is to bring DE BRÚN WORKSHOP IN applications of classical and noncommu- tion and further details see the webpage together scientists working in the area of tative probability toward modelling the at http://spql.dph.aber.ac.uk or contact the delay differential equations (DDEs) to share COMPUTATIONAL ALGEBRA quantum world. There has been considera- local organisers (details below). There are ideas, discuss future research directions and The third De Brún workshop will take place ble interest amongst mathematicians in the limited funds available to support gradu- give presentations on current research topics. at the National University of Ireland, Galway, quantum generalizations of open systems, ate students attending the meeting. For The workshop will include talks on the under- from 30 November to 10 December 2009. It statistics, stochastic processes, measure- more information on scientific questions or lying theory, numerical methods and applica- will cover a broad range of topics in com- ment and filtering theory; however, these information on organisational matters con- tions from the worlds leading experts, as well putational algebra and its applications. The pioneering endeavours are now finding tact the organisers John Gough (jug@aber. as talks on a more introductory level for par- format of the meeting is as follows. direct application in emergent technolo- ac.uk) and Rolf Gohm ([email protected]). ticipants unfamiliar with the area. The work- • 30 November – 5 December 2009: an gies based on the prospect shop will also include a short training session international conference on Computational 26 of quantum control. Ex- on numerical continuation methods for DDEs Algebra 27 perts in mathematical aimed at PhD students and post-docs. In line • 7–10 December 2009: a series of related and theoretical physics with the open nature of the workshop, the short lecture courses, with a particular focus will be brought together organisers encourage people at all stages of on applications (Quantum Computing, to discuss topics in quan- their career to submit talks and/or posters on Lattices and Crystallographic Groups) tum stochastic processes, their research in the field of delay differential The list of invited speakers includes Nigel quantum-filtering based equations. Some financial support is available Boston, Arjeh Cohen, Fritz Grunewald, Gábor optimal control and co- for PhD students. The invited speakers are: Ivanyos, Richard Jozsa, Charles Leedham- herent control, quantum • Dimitri Breda (University of Udine, Italy) Green, Steve Linton, Frank Lübeck, Gabriele feedback networks, and • Markus Dahlem (Technische Universität Nebe, Eamonn O’Brien, Igor Pak, Lajos quantum statistics and Berlin, Germany) Rónyai, Ákos Seress, Bernd Souvignier, Efim independence. Future chal- • Odo Diekmann (University of Utrecht, Zelmanov. lenges will be addressed. Netherlands) The lecture courses offered in the second The following people have • Thomas Erneux (Université Libre de week will be especially beneficial to early ca- agreed to speak: Bruxelles, Belgium) reer researchers and postgraduate students. • Viacheslav Belavkin • Teresa Faria (Universidade de Lisboa, The organizers are Alla Detinko (alla. (Nottingham ) Portugal) [email protected]), Dane Flannery (dane. • Alex Belton (Lancaster) • Ingo Fischer (Heriot-Watt University, UK), tbc [email protected]), Michael McGettrick • John Gough • Stephen Gourley (University of Surrey, UK) ([email protected]) and Götz (Aberystwyth) • Nicola Guglielmi (L’Aquila University, Italy) Pfeiffer ([email protected]). • Rolf Gohm • Ferenc Hartung (University of Pannonia, For further information see http://larmor. (Aberystwyth) Hungary) nuigalway.ie/~detinko/DeBrun3.htm. To reg- • Madalin Guta • Wim Michiels (KU Leuven, Belgium) ister attendance, or indicate your interest in (Nottingham) • Oleksandr Popovych (FZ Jülich, Germany) giving a talk, send an email to dane.flannery@ • Robin Hudson • Jan Sieber (University of Portsmouth, UK) nuigalway.ie. There is no registration fee. The (Loughborough) “Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.” • Hans-Otto Walther (Giessen University, workshop is funded by the De Brún Centre • Claus Köstler © Sidney Harris Germany) for Computational Algebra at NUI Galway (Aberystwyth) • Jianhong Wu (York University, Canada) (http://hamilton.nuigalway.ie/DeBrunCentre). THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF WOMEN MATHEMATICIANS

The International Conference of Women (www.math.helsinki.fi/EWM), the European Mathematicians 2010 (ICWM) will take Mathematical Society (www.euro-math- place in Hyderabad from 17 to 18 August soc.eu) and the Association for Women 2010, immediately before the Interna- in Mathematics (www.awm-math.org). tional Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) Financial support is being provided by the in 2010. The meeting is aimed principally National Board for Higher Mathematics at women mathematicians attending the (NBHM), India, and by Schlumberger. There ICM (though men are also very welcome to will be some funding available to support attend), and in particular at young wom- the travel and accommodation costs of en mathematicians and women from Asia women participants from Asian and devel- and from developing countries. The talks oping countries, and women from these will be colloquium-style lectures aimed at countries are encouraged to apply to the a general mathematical audience, and it is local organizing committee. hoped that participants will be provided The scientific programme is being with an opportunity to meet other wom- planned by the EWM/EMS Scientific Com- en mathematicians about to take part mittee, co-opting two mathematicians 28 in the ICM and to find out about some from India. For more information contact 29 of the areas of research to be covered the chair of the organising committee at the ICM. Shobha Madan ([email protected]) or the ICWM 2010 is being organized with the EWM convenor Frances Kirwan (kirwan@ support of European Women in Mathematics maths.ox.ac.uk). THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

THE MATHEMATICS OF • Ecology, epidemiology and evolution: biological processes and artificial analogues, COMPLEXITY SCIENCE 20–22 April 2010 AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY • Dendrites, neurones and networks, 7–10 June 2010 September 2009 to July 2010 will see an inten- • Clocks, switches and signals, 14–19 June 2010 sive year of research workshop, conference and • Spatio-temporal dynamics challenges from visitor activity at the University of Warwick, to fluorescence data, July 2010 (dates to be summarise the state of play in the Mathematics fixed) of Complexity Science and Systems Biology, and All are welcome to attend. For more informa- to identify and address its main challenges and tion and to register, please see www2.warwick. develop key ideas in a range of front-line topics. ac.uk/fac/sci/maths/research/events/2009-2010/ Complexity Science is the study of systems symposium. Registration fees are required for with many interdependent components. Its ECCS’09, MASAMB and LICSB. The organisers remit spans a wide range of areas, from physical Robert MacKay and David Wild are grateful to to technological to biological and social systems. EPSRC for financial support for the speakers at One important such area to which particular the main series of workshops. attention will be given is Systems Biology, the 30 study of organisms from the point of view of ONE-TO-ONE TUITION 31 systems rather than individual components. We believe that both these subjects depend heavily PROGRAMME on mathematics for their healthy development, The Training and Development Agency for and conversely they provide rich sources of stim- Schools (TDA) has launched a One-to-One Tuition ulation for new mathematics. Programme to help children gain more confi- dence and understanding in English and mathe- Programme of events matics. Designed for the pupils who would • Information extraction from complex data benefit the most, it complements classroom sets, 14–18 September 2009 teaching by addressing barriers to learning that • European Conference on Complex Systems are personal and particular to each child. Key (ECCS’09), 21–25 September 2009 Stage 2, 3 and 4 pupils will benefit from the • Networks: dynamics and flows, programme. 28 September – 2 October 2009 There are many benefits to becoming a • From molecules to bodies: spanning levels of tutor on the One-to-One Tuition Programme. It biological organisation in medicine, is highly flexible: the tutor decides how many 14–15 December 2009 pupils to tutor, and when and where to give • Space-time phases for spatially extended tuition (it can take place at the child’s school or in systems, 6–8 January 2010 a town centre location such as a library). Tutors • Non-equilibrium dynamics of spatially on the programme will get paid a typical rate of extended interacting particle systems, £25 per hour for 12 hours per pupil – 10 hours 11–13 January 2010 tuition and two hours planning and liaison time • Mathematical and statistical aspects of mole- with the pupil’s teacher. Tuition training will be cular biology (MASAMB), 29–30 March 2010 offered. • Learning and inference in computational The programme is open to newly-qualified, systems biology (LICSB), 30–31 March 2010 current, former and retired teachers. For more • Game theory for financial, social and information and to register visit the website at biological sciences, 14–16 April 2010 www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/onetoonetuition.aspx. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

MATHEMATICAL diamonds so as to create the most brilliant Maths and sport, Tuesday 9 March 2010 the first winner of the Christopher Zeeman effect through the refraction, reflection and Maths can tell us unexpected things about Medal for the Promotion of Mathematics CURIOSITIES dispersion of light. We look also at some of sporting movement and performance. We to the Public. We were delighted that Sir Professor Ian Stewart FRS will give a Public the unusual effects of reflection and refrac- look at some of the things that we can learn Christopher Zeeman, FRS could attend the Lecture on Mathematical curiosities and tion that have been used to create illusions, about running, jumping, throwing, swim- event in person. treasures from Professor Stewart’s cabinet at and reveal why your right hand becomes your ming and systems of point-scoring by using The event began with a warm welcome The Royal Society, 6–9 Carlton House Terrace, left hand when seen in the mirror but your simple maths and mechanics. Whether you from Molly Jackson, Director of the National London SW1Y 5AG on Thursday 5 November face is not turned upside down. are a coach, a competitor, or just a spectator, Museums of Science and Industry, which in- 2009 at 6:30 pm. Professor Stewart’s Cabinet maths can enrich your sporting experience! corporates The Science Museum as well as of Mathematical Curiosities, a surprise The maths of sorting things out, Tuesday 24 The National Railway Museum at York and Christmas bestseller, is now accompanied by November 2009 All lectures take place at 1 pm at the Muse- The National Media Museum at Bradford. his Hoard of Mathematical Treasures. Both What is the best way to pack? Some exam- um of London, EC2Y 5HN, last one hour and Professor Alice Rogers, vice-president of the books are mathematical miscellanies for ples of different packing strategies will lead are free and open to the public (no booking LMS, then described the background to the the general public, ranging from one-liners us to the best way of packing many things of required). All Gresham College lectures and medal and explained why it had been named to mini-essays on the great problems and different sizes. We look at the different strat- events are recorded and made available for in honour of Sir Christopher, one of the UK’s applications of mathematics. The lecture will egies that can be used to board passengers free download from the website. For all in- great pioneers in presenting mathematics to present a selection of their contents, in an on to aircraft and discover that the standard formation visit the website at www.gresham. accessible and highly illustrated way. load-from-the-back model is the second worst ac.uk or telephone 020 7831 0575. 32 The lecture is free – no ticket or advanced possible. But what is the best way? What are 33 booking is required. Doors open at 5.45 the best denominations of coins to have in or- LIMS EVENING LECTURES pm and seats will be allocated on a first- der to be able to make all possible amounts come-first-served basis. This lecture will be of change as efficiently as possible? The Lighthill Institute of Mathematical Science webcast live at royalsociety.org/live and (LIMS) Evening Lectures will take place on available to view on demand within 48 hours Code breaking in everyday life, Tuesday 12 Tuesday 27 October 2009 at the Bloomsbury of delivery. January Theatre, University College London, from Everything we buy, from books to baked 5.30 pm to 9.00 pm. The lectures will be given beans, has a product code printed on it. More by: MATHS IS EVERYWHERE sophisticated check-digit codes exist on of- • Steve Jones (University College London) ficial documents, bank notes and air tickets. Human Evolution: Has it stopped? Professor John Barrow, FRS, Gresham Professor What are they for and what do they mean? • Jim Al-Khalili (University of Surrey) of Astronomy (and other physical sciences), We take a look at the mathematical structure Quantum Mechanics, how weird is it? will give the following Gresham College of these codes and explain their purposes. Tickets are free, available from Arren Ariel, Public Lectures: And in this age of boundless surveillance, are Lighthill Institute of Mathematical Science, there enough numbers for each of us to have De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, A sense of balance, Tuesday 6 October 2009 a serial number of our own? London WCIB 4HS, tel 020 7209 4772, email: Why do tightrope walkers always carry long [email protected]. poles? What is the difference between weight Trains and boats and planes, Tuesday 9 Febru- and inertia? We take a look at balance and ary 2010 CHRISTOPHER ZEEMAN stability, from gymnastics and spinning rac- Simple maths can reveal how energy ef- quets to the rescue of the International Space ficient different forms of transport are. We MEDAL AWARD LECTURE Station set spinning by a potentially disas- will look at how to drive as fuel efficiently as Report trous collision with its docking vehicle. possible. When does buying a small car help? Does car-pooling always save energy? Simple The inaugural Christopher Zeeman Medal

Brilliant-cut diamonds and other tricks of the estimates can also tell us about the relative Award lecture took place on 9 June 2009 at 4 .com) © Crispin Zeeman (www.buddha3 light, Tuesday 27 October 2009 efficiencies of travelling by road, rail or air the Science Museum in London. The lecture Sir Christopher (right) Simple mathematics revealed how to cut – and even by bike. was delivered by Professor Ian Stewart, FRS, presenting the medal to Professor Stewart THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

the public. She handed over to Professor David Plücker collection which are curated by the Abrahams, president of the IMA, who gave museum. We are very grateful to Jane Wess, RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS a fond account of Professor Stewart’s work Senior Curator of Astronomy and Mathematics both as a mathematician and in the arena of at the museum, for her hard work in putting AT MEETINGS public communication. this together. Professor Stewart’s lecture, entitled The The Energy Hall also housed an exhibition SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING Strange Case of the Courant–Robbins Train, of UK mathematical organisations. The Roy- centred around a problem that he said had al Institution played DVDs of the Christmas At a Special General Meeting of the Society held at 2.30 pm on Friday 29 May 2009 in been bothering him for 40 years. It concerns lectures given by both Sir Christopher and the Chemistry Lecture Theatre, University College London, Gower Street, London, a train and how its motion, and the influence Professor Stewart (the first two mathemati- 39 members were present. of gravity, would affect a rod pivoted on the cians to be asked to deliver the lectures in The Vice-President, PROFESSOR F.A. ROGERS, opened the meeting, explaining that floor. In their 1941 book What is Mathemat- 1978 and 1997 respectively) and there were she would be chairing the meeting under By-law VIII.2 since the President, Professor ics? Richard Courant and Herbert Robbins stands from the IMA, LMS, Royal Statistical So- E.B. Davies, FRS, had resigned on 24 May 2009 owing to ill-health. She paid tribute to asked if it were possible to place the rod in ciety, Millennium Maths Project, Qualifications the work and commitment of Professor Davies; the meeting indicated its agreement such a position that, if it is released when and Curriculum Authority, Mathematics in with these sentiments. the train starts, it will not fall to the floor Education and Industry and the Fun Maths The Chair noted that procedural matters were not covered by the requirement that during the entire journey. Although this ap- Roadshow. notice had to be given for all business at the meeting, and that she had a number of pears to be a complex problem in mechanics, As the Science Museum is currently planning such matters to bring before the meeting. they asserted that the answer is a simple yes a refurbishment of its own mathematics gal- 34 The Chair reported that Council, noting that various procedural and legal issues had 35 and avoided the complexities of mechanics lery, it recently opened a mini-mathematics been raised at or after the Special General Meeting (SGM) on 21 April 2009, had agreed using a simple application of the concept of exhibition, From order to obsession: a view of asking a lawyer to attend the meeting in order to assist with proceedings if necessary. continuity. mathematics, in the Smith Centre – its patrons’ She sought the agreement of the meeting to allow the lawyer to join the meeting. With his trademark geniality and witty area. Ms Wess took several groups of guests on presentation skills, Professor Stewart careful- tours of the exhibition. Votes in favour: 29 Against: 5 Abstentions: 5 ly guided the audience through his concern: Attendance for the evening was slightly Mr Paul Voller of Bircham Dyson Bell joined the meeting. does the concept of continuity actually apply lower than anticipated owing to a strike by the The Chair asked that, in the ensuing discussions, those speaking should declare any in this situation? By considering boundary con- National Union of Rail, Maritime and Trans- potential conflict of interest, in particular membership of the Institute of Mathematics ditions and floors of railway carriages which port Workers which greatly reduced services and its Applications (IMA). She declared that she was a member of the IMA as well as slanted towards the middle, he showed that on the London Underground system. Despite of the LMS but was acting with full impartiality at the SGM as a Vice-President of the in fact Courant and Robbins were correct to this travel disruption, there was an impressive LMS and Chair of the Meeting. In that position it was her duty to ensure a balanced assume continuity in the particular case where audience, including LMS and IMA members, discussion in which all who wished might make their views known and thus by the end the carriage has a flat floor although the proof government officials, other scientific and of the meeting to have discerned the will of the members. of continuity actually does require a careful mathematical organisations and the press. The Chair reported that the following developments since the SGM on 21 April had analysis of the underlying mechanics. But this The Christopher Zeeman Medal is awarded been reported to members: (a) the resignations of the President and Treasurer, and is not always the case for other shaped floors. jointly by the LMS and IMA every three years. (b) that Council had held an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 15 May and agreed After the lecture, Sir Christopher presented The next award will be made in 2011. It recog- that, while the criterion required for the motion to be passed at the SGM must remain the Christopher Zeeman Medal to Professor nises and acknowledges the contributions of unchanged at a simple majority, Council would not proceed with negotiations unless Stewart and reminisced on their time work- mathematicians involved in promoting mathe- the majority voting in favour at the second SGM exceeds two-thirds, on the grounds ing together at the Mathematics Institute at matics to the public and engaging with the that a decision of such magnitude should have strong support from the community. the University of Warwick. public in mathematics in the UK. It also serves In response to a question, the Chair confirmed that the decision of Council to take When the official proceedings had drawn to demonstrate that such activities are valued forward the motion only on a two-thirds majority would not commit a future Council to a close, guests enjoyed refreshments in the by the Societies and the mathematical commu- to interpret the SGM results in the same way. Science Museum’s Energy Hall which con- nity at large and are a part of a mathemati- tained a specially assembled exhibition case cian’s roles and responsibilities. The Chair reported that the decision not to allow the Programme Secretary’s request containing mathematical artifacts including Caroline Davis at the SGM on 21 April for the Meeting to be adjourned had been called into question. items from the London Mathematical Society’s Mathematics Policy and Promotion Officer While the decision was not necessarily incorrect, Professor Davies, who had chaired

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(iii) As a charity, the LMS had as its objective public benefit, not that of a single group or that SGM, had since confirmed that the decision was the result of a misunderstanding constituency. of one of the By-laws and an unfamiliarity with Meeting protocol. The Council had (iv) The unification reminded one speaker of the loss of the binary line between the been advised that there was no reason to suggest that the rest of the Meeting, or its university and polytechnic sectors – the outcome would be exploited by government and not vote, was invalidated by the action. The Chair sought the agreement of the Meeting beneficial to mathematics. to accept the vote taken at the SGM on 21 April. (v) A unified society would mean a simpler and clearer organisation, with a single website Votes in favour: 31 Against: 3 Abstentions: 5 to present itself to the outside world, for instance. The common feature of members of both The results of the first SGM were therefore accepted and Chair announced that the societies was their love of mathematics. business of the meeting would therefore proceed as the second of the SGMs required (vi) The differences between the two societies were considerable – a learned society vs. a under the Society’s Charter to wind up the affairs of the Society. The following motion professional body, academic mathematics vs. industrial and research institute mathematics, had been previously notified to members: the financial bases of the two societies. The speaker was not clear why a single society would that the Council of the London Mathematical Society be authorized to negotiate be more effective in obtaining government support for mathematics. with the Council of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) in regard (vii) The new society would be a combined learned society and professional body, as was to the forming of a New Unified Mathematical Society to replace both the London the IMA currently, in the same way as the AMS and SIAM. It would be in the hands of its Mathematical Society and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications members to make the new society what they wished. and subsequently to transfer the assets of the London Mathematical Society to the New (viii) It was significant that those who were in positions to know felt that mathematics was Society losing out as a result of the separate societies. 36 and to wind up the affairs of the London Mathematical Society and surrender its Charter (ix) The proposals retained the purposes for which a large part of the assets of the new 37 noting that the New Society will be formed on the principles of the consultation society could be used, matching the way that the LMS used those funds at present. document (Proposal for a New Unified Mathematical Society) subject to negotiations (x) The new society was overly bureaucratic and hierarchical compared with the LMS, with the Charity Commission and Privy Council on the drafting of a new Charter, By-laws which worked well, undertaking highly beneficial programmes of publishing, meetings, and Regulations grants, etc. and noting that no action will be taken to create the New Society or to wind up the (xi) LMS members had great loyalty and commitment to the Society which may be lost. London Mathematical Society unless both societies vote to proceed and the negotiations (xii) Arguments to keep the LMS as it is could be seen as elitist and overly concerned with for a New Society are successful. retaining benefits for a closed group. The society and its assets existed for mathematical In accordance with Statute 23, no other business could be conducted at the Meeting. sciences, not for the members. Attempts to regress to an earlier ‘golden age’ were misguided The Chair announced that, recognising the importance of the issues and that members – there was no golden age. would wish to discuss the matter, she planned to take comments for and against the (xiii) The worlds of mathematics in academe and in industry were not as different as had motion alternately. She asked that contributions be kept to a reasonable length to been portrayed – many companies were based on ‘academic’ developments of mathematics. allow all who wished to speak to do so. (xiv) The LMS was based on the recognition that few were able to see the beauty and Professor C.M. GOLDIE, General Secretary, spoke for the motion. He stressed that elegance of mathematics, and that it took time and patience for that understanding to grow. the intellectual core of the proposed new society was not different from what the Without a body able to nurture those areas that appeared to have no obvious purpose or LMS stood for and achieved. However, a broader-based society would enable the new value, then they would die. society to expand its membership to include mathematicians in teaching positions and (xv) The new society would find itself taken over by mathematicians from outside those whom they taught. academe. Nor was it clear how a new society could represent the UK when there continued In the ensuing discussion the following points were made by speakers. to be the Edinburgh Mathematical Society and others. (i) The LMS did not exist for itself but for mathematics. Influencing government was an (xvi) The LMS was indeed an excellent body doing very good work, but a broader society important task and the speaker accepted that that was difficult if the LMS stayed as it is. would be able to be representative of a wider mathematical community. It would disadvantage the next generation of mathematicians if the Society did not move (xvii) The arguments were too polarised and led to unfortunate stereotyping of those forward. with different views. (ii) The assertions in the proposal about the need to influence were unsubstantiated. The (xviii) Members of the Society should recognise the vision that the new society offered, LMS represented and drew its authority from a particular constituency; a single voice would and the strength to embrace and achieve it. The two societies existed in a spectrum, not at not be achieved and would not resolve the matter. two disjoint ends.

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During the debate, concern was expressed that a member of Council, and thus a Trustee, had spoken and acted in a way to challenge the decision of Council. RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS The General Secretary reported to the meeting that when Council had decided to commend the joint report proposing a new unified mathematical society it had at AT MEETINGS the same time agreed guidelines by which members of Council could express views contrary to the proposal. ORDINARY MEETING At 15.30 the Chair called the vote. A vote was taken by show of hands; the Chair held on Friday 3 July 2009 at University College London. About 50 members and visitors called for a poll to be taken in order to recognise the proxy votes cast by members were present for all or part of the meeting. The meeting began at 3.30 pm, with the before the meeting. The Scrutineers collected voting papers from members. After Vice-President, Professor D.G. LARMAN, in the Chair. counting the votes the Scrutineers announced the result: 18 people were elected to Ordinary Membership: J. Berndt, D.C. Brody, S.A. Coleman, Votes in favour: 458 Against: 591 D.A. Craven, E. Damian, V.M. George, R. Gramlich, C. Iliopoulos, O.S. Kerr, A. Mijatovic, Accordingly the motion for the creation of a unified mathematical society with the A. Papavasiliou, G. Pavliotis, I. Potapov, P.H. Ransom, S. Schroll, T.�. S�rensen, IMA had failed to receive the approval of membership at two successive SGMs, as D.C. Stevenson, A. Zaikin; and four were elected to Associate Membership: W.M Aeal, required by the Charter. The result would be reported to Council at its next meeting. W.G. Anscombe, C.M.W. Little, O. Selim. Peter Cooper Two members signed the book and were admitted to the Society. Executive Secretary On a recommendation from Council it was agreed to elect Professor R.A. Bailey and Professor P.T. Saunders as scrutineers in the forthcoming Council elections. 38 1 July 2009 39 The Vice-President, on Council’s behalf, proposed that Professor Charles Fefferman of Princeton and Professor László Lovász of the Eötvös Loránd University be elected to LMS MEETING ON 3 JULY 2009 Honorary Membership of the Society. The Vice-President read a short version of the citations, to be published in full in the Bulletin. A London Mathematical Society Meeting took trampoline is independent of the mass lying in it The President then announced the awards of the prizes for 2009: place in the afternoon of Friday 3 July 2009 at while the area increases with mass. This was the Pólya Prize Professor Roger Heath-Brown, FRS (University of Oxford) University College London and was attended by starting point of Hawking’s mass definition and Senior Whitehead Prize Professor Vladimir Maz’ya, FRSE (University of Liverpool) about 50 members and visitors. is also at the core of the isoperimetric definition Naylor Prize and Lectureship Professor Philip Maini (University of Oxford) The Meeting began after official business, of mass. Berwick Prize Professor Joseph Chuang (City University) and which included the announcement of the Society The second talk On the mathematical magic Dr Radha Kessar (University of Aberdeen) Prizewinners for 2009 by Vice-President Professor of black holes was given by Professor Sergiu Whitehead Prizes Dr Mihalis Dafermos (University of Cambridge) David Larman. The first talk was given by Profes- Klainerman (Princeton). It matched smoothly Dr Cornelia Druţu (University of Oxford) sor Gerhard Huisken (Max Planck Institute) on with the first talk as it was concerned mainly Professor Robert Marsh (University of Leeds) The isoperimetric inequality and the concept of with the evolution of the gravitational field Dr Markus Owen (University of Nottingham) mass in General Relativity. The talk of Professor equations. The principal questions addressed The Vice-President read short versions of the citations, to be published in full in the Huisken started with an overview of the beau- were those of stability of the exact solutions Bulletin. tiful interplay between the Analysis of PDEs, such as the Kerr solution. Professor Klainerman The Vice-President reported on behalf of Council that Sir John Ball, FRS would take Differential Geometry and Mathematical Physics also discussed the important concept of a trapped on the role of Interim President in place of Professor Brian Davies, FRS, who resigned in when one tries to understand the concept of surface and its role in modern developments of May on the grounds of ill-health. Sir John would serve as President until the Society’s mass in Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. this field. This concept allows for proving delicate Annual General Meeting on 20 November 2009. Mass is of course of paramount importance to results in a very elegant and concise way. the understanding of certain solutions of the After the meeting, a reception was held at De The Vice-President introduced a lecture given by Professor Gerhard Huisken on The gravitational field equations; however, a single Morgan House, followed by dinner in the British isoperimetric inequality and the concept of mass in General Relativity. accepted mass definition does not yet exist. Museum, a venue very much appreciated by all. Following a break for tea, the Vice-President introduced a lecture by Professor Sergiu One of the highlights of the talk was a sim- Christian G. Böhmer Klainerman on The mathematical magic of black holes. ple explanation of the geometrical ideas that Department of Mathematics After the meeting, a reception was held at De Morgan House, followed by a dinner underlie mass definitions. The circumference of a University College London at the British Museum. 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REVIEW the recent study of his extensive surviving manuscripts that we are becoming fully Thomas Harriot’s Doctrine of Triangular aware why he was so highly regarded by his Numbers: the Magisteria Magna by Janet contemporaries and immediate successors. Beery and Jacqueline Stedall, European Math- It is therefore extremely appropriate ematical Society, 144 pp, 39 illus., €64.00, that Harriot’s Magisteria Magna (the title ISBN-10: 3-03719-059-0, ISBN-13: 978-3-03719- he gave to a treatise analysing the mathe- 059-3. matics of constant differences) should be published in the European Mathematical Compter en 1619: Le livre d’arithmétique Society’s Heritage of European Mathematics de Johan Rudolff von Graffenried by Alain series. Harriot’s manuscript consists of al- Schärlig, Presses Polytechniques et Univer- most 40 pages, each of which is reproduced sitaires Romandes, 160 pp, 44 illus., €37.50, here. In this manuscript Harriot expounds ISBN 978-2-88074-777-0. his analysis of the use of constant differ- Thomas Harriot (c. 1560–1621) is a fasci- ences in interpolation for the construction nating figure. Under the patronage of, first, of mathematical tables. The editors pro- Walter Ralegh and later the ‘Wizard Earl’ vide a lucid introduction which gives the of Northumberland, he acquired a reputa- background to Harriot’s work, discusses the 40 tion as the leading English mathematician seventeenth-century mathematicians who 41 of his time. A plaque commemorating his engaged with Harriot’s theory, and shows telescopic observations of the moon in July how it relates to later work by Newton and 1609, in which he anticipated Galileo, has Gregory. just been unveiled at Syon Park. He worked The Magisteria Magna is a wonderful on a wide variety of topics, not all math- example of Harriot’s expository style. He ematical. His work circulated in manuscript doesn’t use many words – ‘hoc est’ (that is) but none of his mathematics was published on the fourteenth page are the first words in his lifetime (his only published book was after the title! The mathematics is clearly set the Brief and True Report of the New Found out and a delight to follow. The editors pro- Land of Virginia of 1588). The posthumous vide notes to each page (facing the reproduc- Artis Analyticae Praxis gives only a limited tion) to help the modern reader. I imagine view of his achievements and it is only with many mathematicians will thoroughly enjoy working through this interesting seventeenth-century mathematics in the original, and the editors and the European Mathematical Society deserve our gratitude for making it available. Harriot wrote a fair copy of the Magisteria Magna in 1618, so it makes an interesting contrast with the idiosyncratic arithmetic book of 1619 which Alain Schärlig found in a flea market. Johan Rudolff von Graffenried’s Arithmeticae Logisticae Popularis Libri IIII is written in old German and printed in Gothic script. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 384 September 2009

Its length, at over 700 pages, makes it too FERMAT’S ROOM CALENDAR OF EVENTS 21-22 Stochastic Processes at the Quantum long to reproduce in full so Schärlig sum- COMPETITION Level Meeting, Aberystwyth (384) marises each section, with copious repro- This calendar lists Society meetings and 21-25 European Conference on Complex ductions showing examples and notation. Thanks to the generosity of Revolver Enter- other events publicised in the Newsletter. Systems, Warwick (383) The mathematics is very different from tainment, the July Newsletter contained Further information can be obtained from the 28-30 Planetesimal Formation Workshop, Harriot’s (although constant differences a competition offering tickets for the film appropriate LMS Newsletter whose number INI, Cambridge (379) come up in Book IV), but Schärlig’s enthu- Fermat’s Room, which was reviewed in that is given in brackets. A fuller list of meetings siasm is infectious and my limited school- issue. The answer to the question is that and events is given on the Society’s website OCTOBER 2009 boy French proved perfectly adequate. For the pseudonyms of the characters in the (www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). 6 A Sense of Balance, Gresham College anyone who loves old mathematics books, film are Hilbert, Pascal, Galois and Oliva. Public Lecture, Museum of London (384) this is a joy. The two winners were Nadia Mazza and SEPTEMBER 2009 27 Brilliant-cut Diamonds and other Tricks Tony Mann Niels Laustsen, both of Lancaster University. 3-5 Modern Mathematical Methods in of the Light, Gresham College Public Lecture, University of Greenwich Congratulations! Science and Technology Conference, Poros Museum of London (384) Island, Greece (380) 27 LIMS Evening Lectures, Bloomsbury A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A MATHEMATICIAN 5-10 British Science Festival, Surrey (383) Theatre, University College London (384) 7 Function Theory Meeting, London (382) (with apologies to Michael Flanders and Donald Swann) 7-8 Opening Windows on Maths & Stats, NOVEMBER 2009 CETL–MSOR Conference, Open University 5 Mathematical Curiosities and Treasures 42 ’Twas on a Monday morning I had a bright idea, 43 (383) from Professor Stewart’s Cabinet, Public I was lying in the bath tub and the strategy seemed clear, 7-9 Delay Differential Equations: From Lecture, The Royal Society, London (384) For a problem posed by Erdös back in nineteen forty nine, 9-11 Dynamics of Outer Planetary Systems On sequences dilated into subsets of the line. Theory to Applications Workshop, Bristol (384) Conference, INI, Cambridge (382) ’Twas on a Tuesday morning I jotted down my thoughts, 7-10 Harmonic Map Fest, Cagliari, Italy (382) 20 LMS AGM, London I covered backs of envelopes with surds and aleph noughts. 7-10 Numerical and Analytical Solution 24 The Maths of Sorting Things Out, After several cups of coffee I began to feel inspired, of Stochastic Delay Differential Equations Gresham College Public Lecture, Museum of London (384) And a lengthy calculation gave the answer I desired. Meeting, Chester (382) 30-10 Dec De Brún Workshop in 7-11 Derived Categories & Applications, ’Twas on a Wednesday morning I wrote the details out. Computational Algebra, Galway (384) My lemmas and corollaries left little room for doubt. LMS–EPSRC Short Course, City University (383) I filled up many pages just to get the logic right, DECEMBER 2009 And with epsilons and deltas I made it watertight. 10-11 Mathematical Models in Ecology and Evolution Meeting, Bristol (382) 4-6 LMS–Belgian Mathematical Society ’Twas on a Thursday morning I typed the paper up, 11-12 Heilbronn Institute Annual Conference, joint meeting, Leuven With ‘slash subset’ and ‘slash mapsto’ to say nothing of ‘slash cup’. Bristol (382) 8-12 Operators and Operator Algebras My LaTeXing was perfect, printed out it looked so good, 11-17 Models in Developing Mathematics Conference, Edinburgh (382) Should I send it to the Annals? I rather thought I would! Education, Dresden, Germany (380) ’Twas on a Friday morning I read the paper through, 14-15 British Topology Meeting, Leicester January 2010 I checked out every detail as good authors ought to do. (382) 4-8 Stochastic Partial Differential Equations At the bottom of page twenty in an integral I found, 14-15 Anglo–French MHD Meeting, Cam- Workshop, INI, Cambridge (383) I’d divided through by zero and the proof crashed to the ground. bridge (384) 11-15 New Topics at the Interface Between 15 LMS Popular Lectures, Birmingham (384) Probability and Communications Workshop, On Saturday and Sunday I was too depressed to care, So ’twas on a Monday morning that I had my next idea. 16 LMS Midlands Regional Meeting, INI, Cambridge (383) Leicester (384) 12 Code Breaking in Everyday Life, Gresham Kenneth Falconer 17-19 Derived Categories in Algebra, Topology College Public Lecture, Museum of London and Geometry Workshop, Leicester (384) (384) H.F.C. LOGAN LMS member 1876–1882 H. Faulkner White, Cambridge

Rev. Henry Francis Charles Logan, DCL Professor of Mathematics, Catholic College of Prior Park Vice President, Oscott College