The London Mathematical Society

Home , Dusa McDuff, Graeme Segal, Harald Helfgott, Keith Moffatt, Terence Tao, Tim Pedley

THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 395 September 2010

Society LMS COUNCIL DIARY We turned to publication mat- ters, with the President putting his Meetings Friday 2 July 2010 signature to a new contract with and Events At the start of the Council meeting OUP relating to publication of the the President, Angus Macintyre Bulletin, Journal, and Proceedings 2010 FRS, led us in thanking and saying of the LMS. The Publisher Susan Monday 6 September goodbye to Ivor Goddard, our tem- Hezlet and the Publications Secre- Midlands Regional porary Executive Secretary. Ivor, tary, John Jones, pointed out that Meeting, Nottingham who had for many years essentially we were very fortunate with the [page 3] the same role at the Royal Statistical high standard of external advice Society, has done a fantastic job for we had available on the Publica- Friday 17 September us, providing stability and good ad- tions Committee. Under a finance Spitalfields Day vice to the Council and its Officers heading, after some discussion Edinburgh as Council recovered from a period and explanations by the Treasurer, [page 11] of turmoil last year. In a few last Brian Stewart, we approved rec- Wednesday wise words Ivor encouraged the ommendations from Finance and 29 September LMS to be less internal looking and General Purposes Committee for Popular Lectures to punch at its full weight exter- Membership subscription rates for Birmingham nally. We then took great pleasure 2010–11 (increasing by 5%), on [page 19] in welcoming the new Executive Members’ journal prices, and on Secretary, Fiona Nixon, to her first the budget allocation for 2010–11. Friday 19 November Council Meeting. Council’s first sub- Since the last Council meeting Annual General stantive business (having asked him the Website Working Group has Meeting and Naylor to leave the room) was unanimous- moved forward significantly and Lecture, London ly to approve Graeme Segal FRS as Stephen Huggett, as Chair, report- 2011 President Designate. ed that an invitation to tender for As usual, a first significant item the website redevelopment had Friday 1 July was that of President’s Business, gone out, and shortlisted bidders London and Angus summarised a variety would be presenting to the group Tuesday 19 July of LMS and external engagements on 29 July, with the plan that a Northern Regional carried out on our behalf. A clear contract be written and signed Meeting, Leeds highlight, from Angus’s language – by mid-August. Meanwhile, we “marvellous”, “real pleasure”, “proud welcome further suggestions from of the LMS” – had been chairing LMS members regarding the new the LMS Popular Lectures 2010, website via the link from www.lms. given by Dorothy Buck (Imperial) ac.uk. Stephen also led discussions NEWSLETTER and Matt Parker (QMUL). Angus in his role as Chair of the Interna- praised the quality of the lectures tional Affairs Committee, inviting a ONLINE: and stressed the importance of steer from Council to the LMS del- Go to www.lms.ac.uk/ maintaining high standards in the egates to the International Mathe- newsletter Popular Lectures series. matical Union General Assembly in

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

Bangalore in mid-August, where a vote would with the IRM in mind, would be placed on the LMS HONORARY MEMBERS be taken on whether to set up a permanent LMS website (http://tinyurl.com/34g2olx) for IMU office and where. While some members of comment from members, and near-final versions The London Mathematical Society has Council have reserves about this development, would be presented to the next Council meet- elected Professor Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat the arguments are complex. It seemed best to ing at the beginning of October. The Council of Université Pierre et Marie Curie, France, Council that LMS delegates take a full part in the agreed with Ken’s plans for liaison with the to Honorary Membership of the Society, in debate and vote as seems best to them on the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. recognition of her many distinguished con- balance of the arguments presented. Garth Dales reported as Chair of the Mem- tributions to General Relativity, especially Reporting on activities of the newly reformed bership ad hoc working group which has been for her deep and pioneering work on the Research Policy Committee which he chairs, Ken formed this year. The group presented a sub- Cauchy Problem. Brown explained that its first meeting had been stantial report, evidence of having given con- The London Mathematical Society has devoted to developing policy documents on siderable thought from first principles on issues UK Mathematical Sciences ‘Facts and Figures’, such as what the selling points and benefits of ‘Funding Mechanisms’, and ‘Postgraduate Train- membership are, how to undertake a member- ing’, drafts of which were presented. The aim ship drive, and how to develop a more dynamic was to address several audiences, probably with system of ‘departmental representatives’ across slightly different versions. These included the UK Universities. Interesting was the focus the mathematics community, the wider world and group put on attracting more members from policy makers, and the International Review of the applied mathematics community. Council Mathematics (IRM), led by EPSRC, which would discussed very seriously the question of how take place and report over the coming year. The the LMS could improve its appeal to this sector, Council thanked Ken and the committee for the and will be discussing the ideas of the working work so far and gave some feedback. Ken ex- group again soon. plained that the next drafts, prepared particularly Simon Chandler-Wilde

LMS Newsletter www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655; e: [email protected], w: www.lms.ac.uk) Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author for the rights to reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. Charity registration number: 252660.

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with the IRM in mind, would be placed on the LMS HONORARY MEMBERS LMS website (http://tinyurl.com/34g2olx) for comment from members, and near-final versions The London Mathematical Society has elected Professor Terence Tao of University would be presented to the next Council meet- elected Professor Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat of California, Los Angeles, USA, to Honorary ing at the beginning of October. The Council of Université Pierre et Marie Curie, France, Membership of the Society, in recognition agreed with Ken’s plans for liaison with the to Honorary Membership of the Society, in of his remarkable achievements in harmonic Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. recognition of her many distinguished con- analysis, the theory of PDE and additive Garth Dales reported as Chair of the Mem- tributions to General Relativity, especially combinatorics. bership ad hoc working group which has been for her deep and pioneering work on the Full citations for Professor Choquet-Bruhat formed this year. The group presented a sub- Cauchy Problem. and Professor Tao will appear in the LMS stantial report, evidence of having given con- The London Mathematical Society has Bulletin. siderable thought from first principles on issues such as what the selling points and benefits of membership are, how to undertake a membership drive, and how to develop a more dynamic system of ‘departmental representatives’ across LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY UK Universities. Interesting was the focus the group put on attracting more members from MIDLANDS REGIONAL MEETING the applied mathematics community. Council discussed very seriously the question of how Monday 6 September 2010 the LMS could improve its appeal to this sector, and will be discussing the ideas of the working Chemistry Building C15, University of Nottingham group again soon. Simon Chandler-Wilde Speakers: Erik Christensen (Copenhagen) LMS Newsletter www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter Siegfried Echterhoff (Münster) General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) Mikael R�rdam (Copenhagen) Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Titles and timings to be confirmed. Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) These lectures are aimed at a general mathematical audience. All interested, whether LMS members or not, are most welcome to attend this event. Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655; e: [email protected], w: www.lms.ac.uk) For further details, to register or to reserve a place at the dinner, email the organisers Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. ([email protected] or [email protected]). The Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the cost of the dinner will be approximately £30, including drinks. first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. There will be a subsequent workshop on C*-algebras, with special emphasis on News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, classification, from 7 to 10 September. Further details will be posted on: although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/personal/pmzww/wilhelm_winter/LMS_Regional_Meeting.html. are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author for the rights to reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed There are funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of members of the do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. Society or research students to attend the meeting and workshop. Requests for support, including an estimate of expenses, may be addressed to the organisers. Charity registration number: 252660.

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

Fields Medal 2010 waiting for someone to throw this bridge across. And now all of a sudden everyone’s Four mathematicians have been awarded work on the other side of the river has been the prestigious Fields Medal by the President proven”. of India in a ceremony at the International Ngô Bao’ Châu’s success was selected by Congress for Mathematicians in Hyderabad. Time magazine as one of the Top Ten Scien- The Fields Medal is of an equivalent stand- tific Discoveries of 2009. ing within mathematics as the Nobel Prize John Johnston is within general science. In an eloquent Mathematics Promotion Officer opening address the President of India referred to mathematics as “standing at the helm of all science” and stressed its central MATHJAX importance to the modern world. A future for publishing mathematics The winners were Elon Lindenstrauss of Princeton University, Ngô Bao’ Châu of Uni- on the web versité Paris-Sud, Stanislav Smirnov of the University of Geneva and Cédric Villani of The online publishing of easily readable the Henri Poincaré Institute. Laudations de- mathematics has been a problem since the scribing their work can be found on the ICM birth of the internet and most of us have website at www.icm2010.org.in. spent time squinting at embedded gifs in The medal is awarded every four years abstracts or waited for the full PDF article to and is restricted to those under 40 years of open over a slow connection. We wondered age. The award to Ngô is particularly wel- when the rest of the world would accept comed by the LMS as he is a member of the mathml as a standard plug in but knew this editorial board of Compositio Mathematica, was unlikely. The solution to these problems which is produced and published by LMS on has arrived in a revolutionary form. behalf of its Foundation. MathJax is an open source, Ajax-based web Ngô Bao’ Châu’s award citation outlines math display solution designed to function his “brilliant proof” of a long-standing across all browsers and operating systems. conjecture in number theory known as the It was launched in January of this year and “Fundamental Lemma,” which lies at the the Beta 2 version was released in April. Put heart of a broad unifying vision of mathe- simply, this works all on its own and is im- matics that Robert Langlands, now at the plemented in javascript. No special plug-ins Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, are required and you do not need to have New Jersey, initiated in the late 1960s. the fonts on your web browsing machine The Langlands Program, as it is called, ties although the speed of translation from tex together virtually all aspects of modern source to readable displayed mathematics is mathematics. much slower without them. Professor Angus MacIntyre, President The best way to see what it can do is look at of the London Mathematical Society, said, the previews at www.mathjax.org. If you are “Ngô’s work is an astounding tour de force convinced that this is the future, have a look that puts in place a central component in at the ‘community’ pages where you may be Langland’s magnificent conjectures”. able to help; bug reporting is very welcome Ngô Bao’ Châu’s proof was praised by the during the beta testing phase. number theorist Peter Sarnak, “It’s as if peo- Dr Susan Hezlet ple were working on the far side of the river LMS Publisher

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waiting for someone to throw this bridge across. And now all of a sudden everyone’s work on the other side of the river has been proven”. Ngô Bao Châu’s success was selected by Time magazine as one of the Top Ten Scien- tific Discoveries of 2009. John Johnston Mathematics Promotion Officer

MATHJAX A future for publishing mathematics on the web

The online publishing of easily readable mathematics has been a problem since the birth of the internet and most of us have spent time squinting at embedded gifs in abstracts or waited for the full PDF article to open over a slow connection. We wondered when the rest of the world would accept mathml as a standard plug in but knew this was unlikely. The solution to these problems has arrived in a revolutionary form. MathJax is an open source, Ajax-based web math display solution designed to function across all browsers and operating systems. It was launched in January of this year and the Beta 2 version was released in April. Put simply, this works all on its own and is im- plemented in javascript. No special plug-ins are required and you do not need to have the fonts on your web browsing machine although the speed of translation from tex source to readable displayed mathematics is much slower without them. The best way to see what it can do is look at the previews at www.mathjax.org. If you are convinced that this is the future, have a look at the ‘community’ pages where you may be able to help; bug reporting is very welcome during the beta testing phase. Dr Susan Hezlet LMS Publisher

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

VLADIMIR ARNOLD trends in the teaching of the subject, ex- papers followed – it is hard to discuss pressing his views with vigour and great modern mathematics without mentioning Vladimir Arnold, ForMemRS, Soviet–Russian personal courage. Arnold’s contributions in diverse fields: mathematician, who was elected an Honor- Arnold was born on 12 June 1937, in Dynamical Systems (Hamiltonian Integrable ary member of the London Mathematical Odessa in the former Soviet Union. He was Systems and Symplectic Geometry, KAM Society in 1976, died in Paris on 3 June 2010, associated with Moscow State University theory, Celestial Mechanics); Hydrodynamics; aged 72. (as a student under A.N. Kolmogorov from Real Algebraic Geometry; and especially Keith Moffatt and Samson Shatashvili write: 1954 and as a professor from 1965) and Symplectic Topology (he invented this, for- Arnold was an extraordinarily gifted mathe- with the Steklov Mathematical Institute mulated numerous famous conjectures later matician who not only created new areas in Moscow (from 1986); from 1993 he was leading to Floer homology and pseudo- of mathematics and transformed existing also a professor in the University of Paris- holomorphic curves, etc.) and Singularity/ fields, but also influenced the development Dauphine. He was a member of the Soviet Catastrophe Theory (ADE classification, of generations of mathematicians and (now Russian) Academy of Sciences, and a strange duality – presently recognised as a mathematical scientists, from high school foreign member of many prestigious acad- first instance of mirror symmetry). to the highest research level, via numer- emies including The Royal Society and the Arnold was one of those rare mathema- ous textbooks, public essays, his famous French Académie des Sciences. ticians who could bring powerful ideas of Moscow and Paris seminars, etc. Arnold’s Arnold’s start in mathematics was truly pure mathematics to bear upon the physical literary style, which many have tried to spectacular – as an undergraduate stu- sciences, in such a way as to bring new emulate, was exemplary. As a very promi- dent he solved Hilbert’s 13th problem on physical insight to the problems under nent advocate for mathematics, he took the superposition of continuous functions consideration. Nowhere was this more evi- a stand against what he saw as negative of several variables. A series of top-level dent than in his revolutionary geometric approach to the Euler equations of classi- cal fluid dynamics, to which he turned his attention in the mid 1960s. Building on the work of Helmholtz and Kelvin, Arnold obtained general criteria for the linear and nonlinear stability of steady flows. He was the first to recognize the phenomenon of chaos in the famous ABC flow (Arnold– Beltrami–Childress), and its potential for dynamo action; and he later established the link between the helicity invariant of Euler flows and the Hopf invariant of the map S3→ S2, bringing powerful topological ideas to bear upon ideal flow theory. Arnold belonged to a generation of eminent Russian mathematicians born before the War, including (in alphabetic order) L.D. Faddeev, Yu. I. Manin, V.P. Maslov, S.P. Novikov and Ya. G. Sinai. Together with the previous generation of great mathematicians, N. N. Bogolyubov, I.M. Gel’fand, A.N. Kolmogorov, L.S. Pontryagin, and I.R. Shafarevich, to name but a few, they made Russian mathematics the envy of the world.

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trends in the teaching of the subject, ex- papers followed – it is hard to discuss JAROSLAV STARK pressing his views with vigour and great modern mathematics without mentioning personal courage. Arnold’s contributions in diverse fields: Professor Jaroslav Stark, who was elected a Arnold was born on 12 June 1937, in Dynamical Systems (Hamiltonian Integrable member of the London Mathematical Society Odessa in the former Soviet Union. He was Systems and Symplectic Geometry, KAM on 20 November 1987, died on 6 June 2010, associated with Moscow State University theory, Celestial Mechanics); Hydrodynamics; aged 49. (as a student under A.N. Kolmogorov from Real Algebraic Geometry; and especially John Elgin writes: Jaroslav Stark was born 1954 and as a professor from 1965) and Symplectic Topology (he invented this, for- in Pardubice, to the east of Prague in Czecho- with the Steklov Mathematical Institute mulated numerous famous conjectures later slovakia, in 1960 and moved with his family to in Moscow (from 1986); from 1993 he was leading to Floer homology and pseudo- London following the Russian invasion in 1968. also a professor in the University of Paris- holomorphic curves, etc.) and Singularity/ After studying Part III of the Mathematics Tripos, Dauphine. He was a member of the Soviet Catastrophe Theory (ADE classification, he joined the newly formed Mathematics Insti- (now Russian) Academy of Sciences, and a strange duality – presently recognised as a tute in Warwick, where he gained a PhD in the foreign member of many prestigious acad- first instance of mirror symmetry). emergent field of Dynamical Systems Theory emies including The Royal Society and the Arnold was one of those rare mathema- under the supervision of Robert MacKay. French Académie des Sciences. ticians who could bring powerful ideas of Jaroslav was an Applied Mathematician. As Arnold’s start in mathematics was truly pure mathematics to bear upon the physical such, he held strongly to the belief that the spectacular – as an undergraduate stu- sciences, in such a way as to bring new language of mathematics is the most precise dent he solved Hilbert’s 13th problem on physical insight to the problems under and concise way of making a meaningful the superposition of continuous functions consideration. Nowhere was this more evi- statement about any given system. The term of several variables. A series of top-level dent than in his revolutionary geometric ‘applied’ is important here, since this reflects approach to the Euler equations of classi- the need for the mathematician to ‘build’ a cal fluid dynamics, to which he turned his model of the system under study: in particu- attention in the mid 1960s. Building on the lar, how does one construct a model of a bio- work of Helmholtz and Kelvin, Arnold ob- logical system without the knowledge of how tained general criteria for the linear and such systems work? To gain such, Jaroslav took nonlinear stability of steady flows. He was a two-year break to study biology. the first to recognize the phenomenon of In January 2003 he moved to the Mathe- chaos in the famous ABC flow (Arnold– matics Department at Imperial College, where Beltrami–Childress), and its potential for he founded the mathematical biology group, dynamo action; and he later established and in 2007 he became director of the Centre the link between the helicity invariant of for Integrative Systems Biology at Imperial Col- Euler flows and the Hopf invariant of the lege (CISBIC). map S3→ S2, bringing powerful topological Jaroslav became a key figure in cross- ideas to bear upon ideal flow theory. disciplinary research in the UK, pioneering the Arnold belonged to a generation of emi- use of mathematics to study biological systems. nent Russian mathematicians born before Thanks to his enthusiasm, clever use of images, the War, including (in alphabetic order) clarity of thought and crystal-clear prose, the L.D. Faddeev, Yu. I. Manin, V.P. Maslov, S.P. developmental biologists and immunologists Novikov and Ya. G. Sinai. Together with he worked with could quickly grasp the im- the previous generation of great mathe- plications of his mathematics. This allowed maticians, N. N. Bogolyubov, I.M. Gel’fand, mathematicians and biologists to generate A.N. Kolmogorov, L.S. Pontryagin, and mathematical models which enable them to I.R. Shafarevich, to name but a few, they understand complex biological problems. made Russian mathematics the envy of the Jaroslav is survived by his wife Kate, son world. Daniel and father Jaroslav.

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

ANNUAL LMS will be passed to Oxford University Press who MATHEMATICS POLICY ROUND UP will contact you with details on how to access SUBSCRIPTION 2010–11 the journals. Council for the Mathematical Sciences: new Members are reminded that their annual sub- Isabelle Robinson chair scription, including payment for publications, Group Head (Society & Grants) Professor Frank Kelly, FRS will take over for the period November 2010 – October 2011 from Professor Sir David Wallace CBE, FRS, is due on 1 November 2010. By the second EPSRC INTERNATIONAL FREng as independent chair of the Council week of October members will be sent noti- for the Mathematical Sciences in October fication via email or letter, detailing how to REVIEW OF 2010. Professor Kelly is Professor of the pay their subscription. In the case of members MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Mathematics of Systems in the University of who already have a Direct Debit set up, no Cambridge, and Master of Christ’s College. Open call for submissions action need be taken. From 2003 to 2006 he served as Chief Sci- The EPSRC is conducting an International entific Adviser to the United Kingdom’s Rates Review of Mathematical Sciences in Decem- Department for Transport. He is a trustee The annual subscription to the London Mathe- ber 2010. The Review is intended to help of the policy-research group RAND Europe matical Society for 2010–11 is: benchmark UK research in mathematical and a non-executive director of Cambridge- • Ordinary membership £51.50 sciences against the rest of the world, and based software company Autonomy. • Concessions on Ordinary membership: to highlight any gaps or missed opportuni- – Reciprocity £25.75 ties. The Review will provide a broad per- Chairs of Commons select committees – Career break or part-time working £13.50 spective on the research being done and (All members had not yet been announced at • Associate membership £13.50 will involve the relevant learned institutions the time of writing) and other research councils. The information • House of Commons Science and Technology Members also have the option to pay their collected will help inform the development Committee: Andrew Miller, Labour MP for European Mathematical Society subscription of future strategies by EPSRC and other key Ellesmere Port and Neston since 1992 via the LMS (£23) and subscribe to the Journal stakeholders. • House of Commons Education Committee: of the EMS (£88). A steering committee, chaired by Profes- Graham Stringer, Conservative MP for The member prices of the Society’s journals sor Tim Pedley, will oversee the Review and Beverley and Holderness since 2005 for 2011 are: collect relevant information and data. There • House of Lords Science and Technology Print Online* Print+Online* will then be a review week during which an Committee: Lord Krebs (chair), Lord Broers, Bulletin £53.00 £42.00 £64.00 International Panel, chaired by Professor Lord Crickhowell, Lord Cunningham, Journal £101.00 £81.00 £121.00 Margaret Wright (Courant Institute, New Baroness Hilton, Lord Methuen, Baroness Proceedings £106.00 £85.00 £127.00 York University), will meet with some of the Neuberger, Lord Patel, Baroness Perry, Nonlinearity (except N. America) (N. America) leading mathematical scientists from over 40 Lord Rees, Earl of Selbourne, Lord Wade, £72.00 £93.00 institutions in the UK. Following the review Lord Warner, Lord Winston JCM (electronic) — free — week, a written report will be prepared and (*inclusive of VAT) the findings presented at a Town Meeting in A-level mathematics review January 2011. In June, the Minister of State for schools, Nick Members now have the choice of taking an Relevant institutions will be approached Gibb, MP, announced that the government re- electronic subscription to the Bulletin, Journal directly to give evidence, but individual LMS view of A-levels and other level 3 qualifications or Proceedings of the LMS at a discount of 20% members can contribute using the ‘Form for in mathematics subjects will not continue. This on the standard price for a print subscription. the Submission of Evidence’. This form should follows in the wake of the new government’s Alternatively, members may receive both the be submitted to MathematicsIntReview@ decision to abolish the Qualifications and print and electronic versions for an additional epsrc.ac.uk by 30 September 2010. For more Curriculum Development Agency. One con- 20% above the price of the print subscription. information and to download the submis- sequence of this is that the Advanced Exten- Once an order for an electronic version has sion form, visit the relevant EPSRC webpage sion Awards will remain in place “until the been processed by the LMS, your email address via http://tinyurl.com/2vvog8m. new qualifications development procedures

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will be passed to Oxford University Press who MATHEMATICS POLICY ROUND UP will contact you with details on how to access the journals. Council for the Mathematical Sciences: new are in place and the mathematics suite can be Isabelle Robinson chair reviewed through them”. Group Head (Society & Grants) Professor Frank Kelly, FRS will take over from Professor Sir David Wallace CBE, FRS, Big Bang EPSRC INTERNATIONAL FREng as independent chair of the Council A ‘Big Bang Maths Gang’ is being formed to for the Mathematical Sciences in October ensure that mathematics is well represented REVIEW OF 2010. Professor Kelly is Professor of the at the third Big Bang Young Scientists and MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Mathematics of Systems in the University of Engineers Fair which will take place 10–12 Cambridge, and Master of Christ’s College. March 2011 in London. In the previous two Open call for submissions From 2003 to 2006 he served as Chief Sci- fairs there has been concern that mathematics The EPSRC is conducting an International entific Adviser to the United Kingdom’s isn’t getting a good showing. There are two Review of Mathematical Sciences in Decem- Department for Transport. He is a trustee big mathematics messages to convey: ber 2010. The Review is intended to help of the policy-research group RAND Europe • mathematics is an important and interest- benchmark UK research in mathematical and a non-executive director of Cambridge- ing subject in itself sciences against the rest of the world, and based software company Autonomy. • mathematics is vital to all the STEM (science, to highlight any gaps or missed opportuni- technology, engineering and mathematics) ties. The Review will provide a broad per- Chairs of Commons select committees work on display. spective on the research being done and (All members had not yet been announced at The committee will liaise between the will involve the relevant learned institutions the time of writing) mathematics community and the Big Bang and other research councils. The information • House of Commons Science and Technology to ensure mathematics proposals are not collected will help inform the development Committee: Andrew Miller, Labour MP for overlooked and have the necessary support of future strategies by EPSRC and other key Ellesmere Port and Neston since 1992 to develop them to ensure they can take stakeholders. • House of Commons Education Committee: part. In a meeting between Big Bang organ- A steering committee, chaired by Profes- Graham Stringer, Conservative MP for isers (the LMS, MPU and IMA) orchestrated sor Tim Pedley, will oversee the Review and Beverley and Holderness since 2005 by Kate Bellingham, national STEM careers collect relevant information and data. There • House of Lords Science and Technology co-ordinator, it was agreed that floor space will then be a review week during which an Committee: Lord Krebs (chair), Lord Broers, and workshop slots and a theatre perform- International Panel, chaired by Professor Lord Crickhowell, Lord Cunningham, ance would be reserved for the mathe- Margaret Wright (Courant Institute, New Baroness Hilton, Lord Methuen, Baroness matical sciences. The agreement will not York University), will meet with some of the Neuberger, Lord Patel, Baroness Perry, preclude mathematics proposals being sub- leading mathematical scientists from over 40 Lord Rees, Earl of Selbourne, Lord Wade, mitted to the main floor of the exhibition. institutions in the UK. Following the review Lord Warner, Lord Winston For more information on the Maths Gang week, a written report will be prepared and contact John Meeson ([email protected]. the findings presented at a Town Meeting in A-level mathematics review uk) or visit the website www.thebigbangfair. January 2011. In June, the Minister of State for schools, Nick co.uk. The LMS and IMA are looking into Relevant institutions will be approached Gibb, MP, announced that the government re- making small enabling grants available to directly to give evidence, but individual LMS view of A-levels and other level 3 qualifications help those taking part in the fair. members can contribute using the ‘Form for in mathematics subjects will not continue. This the Submission of Evidence’. This form should follows in the wake of the new government’s ACME letters to Education Secretary be submitted to MathematicsIntReview@ decision to abolish the Qualifications and Dame Julia Higgins, chair of the Advisory epsrc.ac.uk by 30 September 2010. For more Curriculum Development Agency. One con- Committee on Mathematics Education information and to download the submis- sequence of this is that the Advanced Exten- (ACME), has been working hard to ensure sion form, visit the relevant EPSRC webpage sion Awards will remain in place “until the that Michael Gove, the new Secretary of via http://tinyurl.com/2vvog8m. new qualifications development procedures State for Education does not act in a way

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

that compromises mathematics education. effective policies in the area of mathematics Following a speech given by Mr Gove at the education”. The letters are available to read beginning of July, when he laid out proposals at www.acme-uk.org.uk. to replace the current modular A-levels with Caroline Davis traditional exams at the end of two years in Mathematics Promotion Officer order to revive the “art of deep thought”, Dame Julia gave a stern warning that making Mathematics Promotion Unit A-level mathematics harder will mean fewer This is the last policy round up to be written students take the qualification. She pointed by Caroline Davis, Mathematics Promotion to the experience of Curriculum 2000, where Officer, who left the London Mathematical changes to the curriculum caused a 20% Society in August to join the Institute of drop in A-level candidates and after which Physics. The position will be temporarily entry numbers took six years to recover. covered by Dr John Johnston, a freelance She warned that such drops could threaten writer who has worked for The Royal Society the future of some university mathematics of Chemistry, The Royal Society, and the Insti- departments. The ACME letter also explained tute of Mathematics and its Applications. He that both modular and linear assessment can be contacted at [email protected]. models could provide strong mathematical We thank Caroline for all her hard work 10 training. In June, Dame Julia wrote to Mr during her time with the Society and wish her Gove laying out the key issues in the mathe- every success in her new position matics education landscape, offering ACME’s Fiona Nixon help and support in developing “new and Executive Secretary

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effective policies in the area of mathematics education”. The letters are available to read at www.acme-uk.org.uk. LMS SPITALFIELDS DAY Caroline Davis Mathematics Promotion Officer Geometry & Algebra

Mathematics Promotion Unit Friday 17 September 2010 This is the last policy round up to be written by Caroline Davis, Mathematics Promotion Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22 George Street, Edinburgh Officer, who left the London Mathematical Society in August to join the Institute of 11.00 Sir Michael Atiyah (Edinburgh) Physics. The position will be temporarily The Hodge signature theorem: past, present and future covered by Dr John Johnston, a freelance 15.00 Friedrich Hirzebruch (Bonn) writer who has worked for The Royal Society 125 years of the Schubert calculus of Chemistry, The Royal Society, and the Insti- tute of Mathematics and its Applications. He 16.00 Tea and coffee served can be contacted at [email protected]. 16.30 Andrew Ranicki (Edinburgh) We thank Caroline for all her hard work Aspects of quadratic forms in the work of Hirzebruch and Atiyah during her time with the Society and wish her 11 every success in her new position The Spitalfields Day celebrates the election in May 2010 of Professor Hirzebruch to an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The meeting is supported Fiona Nixon by the LMS, the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Executive Secretary the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences. These lectures are aimed at a general mathematical audience, and should be accessible to graduate students. All interested, whether LMS members or not, are most welcome to attend this event, but are asked to register beforehand. Further information is available on the website: www.icms.org.uk/workshops/hirzebruch.

Scottish Charity No. SC000241 International Centre for The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Mathematical Sciences Scotland’s National Academy, is Scottish Charity No. SC000470.

The London Mathematical Society believes that it is important for recent developments in specialist topics to be made known to the general mathematical community, and, in particular, to research students. It therefore provides funds to the organisers of these meetings so that they can provide a day of survey lectures, accessible to a general mathematical audience. These days are called Spitalfields Days, in honour of the Spitalfields Mathematical Society, a precursor of the London Mathematical Society which flourished from 1717 to 1845.

Sept10-NL.indd 11 27/08/2010 14:24:10 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY person, but may be shared equally among recipients who have contributed to the same ON GENERAL RELATIVITY body of work. AND GRAVITATION ICTP awards the prize through a selection committee of five eminent mathematicians Professor Malcolm MacCallum (Director of appointed in conjunction with the Inter- the Heilbronn Institute, Bristol) has been national Mathematical Union (IMU). The elected as President of the International deadline for receipt of nominations for the Society on General Relativity and Gravita- 2010 prize is 30 September 2010. tion for a three-year term from July 2010. Please send nominations to director@ The only previous UK-based holders of this ictp.it describing the work of the nominee office were Professor Dennis Sciama, FRS, in adequate detail. Two supporting letters and Professor Sir Roger Penrose, FRS. For should also be arranged. For more information further information about the Society visit see: http://prizes.ictp.it/prizes/Ramanujan. the website at www.isgrg.org. The above item is taken from the 42nd issue of the IMU electronic newsletter IMU Net (see www.mathunion.org/ IMU-Net). RAMANUJAN PRIZE 12 Call for Nominations The International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) has created the Ramanujan Prize for young mathematicians from developing countries. The prize is funded by the Niels Henrik Abel Memorial Fund. The prize is awarded annually to a re- searcher from a developing country less than 45 years of age on 31 December of the year of the award, who has conducted outstanding research in a developing country. Researchers working in any branch of the mathematical sciences are eligible. The prize carries a $15,000 cash award and travel and subsistence al- lowance to visit ICTP for a meeting where the prize winner will be required to “Are you sure Einstein started this way?” deliver a lecture. The prize is usually awarded to one © ScienceCartoonsPlus.com

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person, but may be shared equally among recipients who have contributed to the same body of work. ICTP awards the prize through a selection committee of five eminent mathematicians appointed in conjunction with the Inter- national Mathematical Union (IMU). The deadline for receipt of nominations for the 2010 prize is 30 September 2010. Please send nominations to director@ ictp.it describing the work of the nominee in adequate detail. Two supporting letters should also be arranged. For more information see: http://prizes.ictp.it/prizes/Ramanujan.

The above item is taken from the 42nd issue of the IMU electronic newsletter IMU Net (see www.mathunion.org/ IMU-Net).

“Are you sure Einstein started this way?”

Sept10-NL.indd 13 27/08/2010 14:24:13 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

LMS GRANT SCHEMES FOR CONFERENCES, VISITS AND • Leeds MAGIC Conference in December 2009 • 21st Postgraduate Combinatorial Conference RESEARCH GROUPS at QMUL in July 2010 Next Closing Date for Applications: 15 September 2010 • 12th Postgraduate Group Theory Conference at St Andrews in June 2010 Celebrate New Appointments which funding is requested. Normally grants • Pure Mathematics Postgraduate Conference (Conference Grants) are not made for events which have already at Newcastle, held in conjunction with the happened or where insufficient time has been LMS Northern Regional Meeting in April The Society would like to invite new lecturers allowed for processing of the application. 2010 in mathematics to consider applying for For full details of these Schemes please see • Mathematical Billiards and their Applications a conference grant (Scheme 1) to hold an the Society’s website (www.lms.ac.uk/grants). at Bristol in June 2010 ‘inaugural meeting’. It is expected that this Queries regarding applications can be ad- • External and Probabilistic Combinatorics would be a one-day meeting consisting of dressed to the Grants Administrators or the Workshop organised by Warwick and held three talks, given by the new lecturer and Programme Secretary (see below) who will be in Hampshire during July 2010 two other mathematicians in the same re- pleased to discuss proposals informally with In addition, although awarding the grant search area, preferably from the UK, followed potential applicants and give advice on the under the Conferences Grant Scheme, the by a small reception and dinner. The purposes submission of an application. Society also sponsored the Young Researchers would be: • Grants Administrators: Sylvia Daly and in Mathematics meeting, this year held at 14 a) to celebrate the new appointment, Elizabeth Fisher (tel: 020 7291 9971 / 3, Cambridge University, which it is hoped will b) to strengthen the research network in email: [email protected]) who both work become a regular event. which the new lecturer naturally sits, and Wednesday–Friday. The Society extends its congratulations to c) to provide an opportunity for research • Programme Secretary: Stephen Huggett the postgraduate organisers on the success of students and other mathematicians to (tel: 01752 586869, email: s.huggett@ their conferences and looks forward to devel- spend a day focusing on the research area. plymouth.ac.uk) oping its support for postgraduate research A conference grant would cover the costs Information on other grant schemes op- students in mathematics. of the visiting lecturers, any visiting research erated by the Society, for education, the Elizabeth Fisher students, and the dinner, and it is hoped that mathematics–computer science interface, and Grants & Activities Administrator departments would subsidise the reception. childcare, is also available at www.lms.ac.uk/ grants. Grant Schemes VISIT OF D. TALALAEV The Society awards grants for the following activities: POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH Dr Dmitry Talalaev (Moscow State University • Conferences and postgraduate research and ITEP, Moscow) will be visiting the UK conferences held in the UK (Schemes 1 CONFERENCES (SCHEME 8) from 27 September to 8 October 2010. He will and 8) Success stories give a series of lectures on his work in quantum • Visitors to the UK (Scheme 2) integrable systems including: • Support of joint research groups (Scheme 3) Now in its second year, the Society’s scheme • Loughborough, 29 September, Quantum • Research in Pairs (formerly called “Collabo- for Postgraduate Research Conferences has spectral curve method rative Small Grants” – Scheme 4) supported six conferences, which have been • Imperial College, London, 6 October, • International short visits with the main organised by postgraduate students for post- Quantum elliptic Calogero–Moser model focus on Africa (Scheme 5) graduate students from across the UK. A typi- • Manchester, 7 October, Quantum Gaudin cal such conference consists of at least two model Applications received by 15 September lectures given by established mathematicians For more information contact Professor 2010 will be considered at a meeting in and a series of presentations from postgradu- Alexander Veselov ([email protected]). October. Applications should be submitted ate students. The conferences so far supported This visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 well in advance of the date of the event for by the scheme are: grant.

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LMS GRANT SCHEMES FOR CONFERENCES, VISITS AND • Leeds MAGIC Conference in December 2009 VISIT OF • 21st Postgraduate Combinatorial Conference RESEARCH GROUPS at QMUL in July 2010 PROFESSOR C. CALUDE Next Closing Date for Applications: 15 September 2010 • 12th Postgraduate Group Theory Conference Professor Cristian Calude (University of at St Andrews in June 2010 Auckland, New Zealand) will be visiting the which funding is requested. Normally grants • Pure Mathematics Postgraduate Conference UK from 31 October to 11 November 2010. are not made for events which have already at Newcastle, held in conjunction with the Professor Calude works at the interface be- happened or where insufficient time has been LMS Northern Regional Meeting in April tween mathematics, theoretical computer allowed for processing of the application. 2010 science and physics, with particular interests For full details of these Schemes please see • Mathematical Billiards and their Applications in algorithmic information theory, quantum the Society’s website (www.lms.ac.uk/grants). at Bristol in June 2010 computing, automata theory and the history Queries regarding applications can be ad- • External and Probabilistic Combinatorics and philosophy of computing. He will give dressed to the Grants Administrators or the Workshop organised by Warwick and held seminars at: Programme Secretary (see below) who will be in Hampshire during July 2010 • University of Oxford, 2 November; contact pleased to discuss proposals informally with In addition, although awarding the grant Bob Coecke ([email protected]) potential applicants and give advice on the under the Conferences Grant Scheme, the • University of Leeds, 3 and 4 November; submission of an application. Society also sponsored the Young Researchers contact Barry Cooper ([email protected]) • Grants Administrators: Sylvia Daly and in Mathematics meeting, this year held at • University of Edinburgh, 9 November; Elizabeth Fisher (tel: 020 7291 9971 / 3, Cambridge University, which it is hoped will contact Elham Kashefi ([email protected]. 15 email: [email protected]) who both work become a regular event. ac.uk) Wednesday–Friday. The Society extends its congratulations to Topics will be chosen from Is quantum • Programme Secretary: Stephen Huggett the postgraduate organisers on the success of randomness pseudo-randomness? and Rep- (tel: 01752 586869, email: s.huggett@ their conferences and looks forward to devel- resentability of ε-random reals. For further plymouth.ac.uk) oping its support for postgraduate research details contact Barry Cooper. This visit is sup- Information on other grant schemes op- students in mathematics. ported by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. erated by the Society, for education, the Elizabeth Fisher mathematics–computer science interface, and Grants & Activities Administrator childcare, is also available at www.lms.ac.uk/ VISIT OF grants. VISIT OF D. TALALAEV PROFESSOR V. PELLER Professor Vladimir Peller (Michigan State POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH Dr Dmitry Talalaev (Moscow State University University, USA) will be visiting the UK from and ITEP, Moscow) will be visiting the UK 1 to 15 October 2010. Professor Peller works CONFERENCES (SCHEME 8) from 27 September to 8 October 2010. He will in operator theory; his most recent papers Success stories give a series of lectures on his work in quantum study the behaviour of functions of operators integrable systems including: under perturbations. He will give seminars Now in its second year, the Society’s scheme • Loughborough, 29 September, Quantum at: for Postgraduate Research Conferences has spectral curve method • London, 7 October; contact Yuri Safarov supported six conferences, which have been • Imperial College, London, 6 October, ([email protected]) organised by postgraduate students for post- Quantum elliptic Calogero–Moser model • Leeds, 12 October; contact Matthew Daws graduate students from across the UK. A typi- • Manchester, 7 October, Quantum Gaudin ([email protected]) cal such conference consists of at least two model • Newcastle, 14 October; contact Michael lectures given by established mathematicians For more information contact Professor Dritschel ([email protected]) and a series of presentations from postgradu- Alexander Veselov ([email protected]). He will be based in London during the rest ate students. The conferences so far supported This visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 of his stay, hosted by Yuri Safarov. The visit is by the scheme are: grant. supported by an LMS Scheme 2 grant.

Sept10-NL.indd 15 27/08/2010 14:24:14 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

VISIT OF • University College London, 4 October; NONLINEAR DIFFUSION contact Alexey Zaikin PROFESSOR D. GUREVICH ([email protected]) A workshop on Nonlinear Diffusion: Algo- Professor Dimitri Gurevich (University of • Loughborough University, rithms, Analysis and Applications to celebrate Valenciennes, France) will visit the UK from 11 between 11 and 13 October; Charlie Elliott’s 60th Birthday will take place to 27 October 2010. His interests lie in quan- contact Natalia Janson from 6 to 8 June 2011 at the Mathematics tum groups, non-commutative geometry and ([email protected]) Institute, Warwick. Many problems arising supermathematics. Professor Gurevich will • Bristol University, 15 October; in the sciences and engineering give rise to give talks at: contact Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova nonlinear diffusion equations. Applications • Loughborough University, 13 October: ([email protected]) are wide-ranging and include cell biology, contact Alexander Veselov Professor Volkov will be based at the pattern formation, materials science and ([email protected]) University College London, Department of image processing. The purpose of this work- • Leicester University, 14 October; Mathematics, hosted by Alexey Zaikin. shop is to bring together a cross-section of contact Andrey Mudrov This visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 researchers in this broad area with interests ([email protected]) grant. focussed on algorithms, analysis and applica- • University of York, 18 October; tions. In so-doing the goal is to generate cross- contact Alexei Daletskii fertilization of ideas between researchers ([email protected]) VISIT OF with these different viewpoints. The Invited 16 • University of Manchester, 21 October; Speakers are: contact Hovhannes Khudaverdian PROFESSOR JIE XIONG • Mark Ainsworth (Strathclyde) ([email protected]) Professor Jie Xiong (University of Tennessee, • John Barrett (Imperial) Professor Gurevich during his visit plans Knoxville) will be visiting Imperial College • Andrea Bertozzi (UCLA) to stay in Leicester (11–14), York (15–18), London from 4 to18 October 2010. Professor • James Blowey (Durham) Manchester (19–25) and London (26–27). Xiong is a leading international expert in • Klaus Deckelnick (Magdeburg) For further information contact Hovhannes the area of Stochastic Analysis. His main con- • Gerd Dziuk (Freiburg) Khudaverdian ([email protected]). This tributions lie in the area of measure-valued • Don French (Cincinnati) visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. processes. Most notably, he is part of the team • Harald Garcke (Regensburg) of mathematicians who proved the existence • Michael Hinze (Hamburg) and uniqueness of mutually catalytic processes • David Kay (Oxford) VISIT OF in the plane. He has also made important con- • Ralf Kornhuber (Free University Berlin) tributions to the area of particle representa- • Stig Larsson (Gothenburg) PROFESSOR E. VOLKOV tions for stochastic PDEs with applications to • Stephan Luckhaus (Leipzig) Professor Evgenii Volkov will be visiting the Stochastic Filtering. During his visit he will • Barbara Niethammer (Oxford) UK from 28 September to 18 October 2010. give three talks: • Amy Novick-Cohen (Technion) He is interested in nonlinear dynamics, espe- • Tuesday 5 October, Imperial College London; • John Ockendon (Oxford) cially in the study of nonlinear mechanisms of contact Dan Crisan • Giles Richardson (Southampton) multirhythmicity in the population of strong- ([email protected]) • José Rodrigues (Lisbon) ly nonlinear oscillators, e.g. coupled genetic • Monday 11 October, University of Oxford; • Reiner Schätzle (Tübingen) oscillators. He will give seminars at: contact Terry Lyons • Jürgen Sprekels (WIAS Berlin) • University of Exeter, 30 September, in the ([email protected]) • Björn Stinner (Warwick) frame of Workshop on oscillation dynamics • Wednesday 13 October, University of • Songmu Zheng (Fudan University China) in neural and biochemical systems; see www. Warwick; contact Xue-Mei Li The organisers are: Andrew Stuart (Warwick), exeter.ac.uk/research/excellence/keythemes/ ([email protected]) Vanessa Styles (Sussex) and Endre Süli (Oxford). systemsbiology/oscillationdynamicsworkshop/ For further details contact Dan Crisan Registration is now open at www.warwick. or contact Peter Ashwin ([email protected]). The visit is support- ac.uk/go/nonlineardiffusion. The workshop ([email protected]) ed in part by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. is supported by an LMS Conference grant.

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• University College London, 4 October; NONLINEAR DIFFUSION PATTERNS, NONLINEAR contact Alexey Zaikin ([email protected]) A workshop on Nonlinear Diffusion: Algo- DYNAMICS AND APPLICATIONS • Loughborough University, rithms, Analysis and Applications to celebrate The following Patterns, Nonlinear Dynamics between 11 and 13 October; Charlie Elliott’s 60th Birthday will take place and Applications (PANDA) meetings are taking contact Natalia Janson from 6 to 8 June 2011 at the Mathematics place: ([email protected]) Institute, Warwick. Many problems arising • Bristol University, 15 October; in the sciences and engineering give rise to Thursday 16 September 2010 – University of contact Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova nonlinear diffusion equations. Applications Nottingham ([email protected]) are wide-ranging and include cell biology, • Philip Moriarty (Nottingham) Self-organised Professor Volkov will be based at the pattern formation, materials science and nanoparticle systems: A panoply of University College London, Department of image processing. The purpose of this work- patterns Mathematics, hosted by Alexey Zaikin. shop is to bring together a cross-section of • Jitse Niesen (Leeds) The Evans function This visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 2 researchers in this broad area with interests and the stability of travelling waves grant. focussed on algorithms, analysis and applica- • Andrew Stannard (Nottingham) tions. In so-doing the goal is to generate cross- Intermolecular disorder and rhombus fertilization of ideas between researchers tilings VISIT OF with these different viewpoints. The Invited Speakers are: Monday 18 October 2010 – University of 17 PROFESSOR JIE XIONG • Mark Ainsworth (Strathclyde) Leeds Professor Jie Xiong (University of Tennessee, • John Barrett (Imperial) • Gabriel Lord (Heriot-Watt) Solution of SPDEs Knoxville) will be visiting Imperial College • Andrea Bertozzi (UCLA) with an application from porous media London from 4 to18 October 2010. Professor • James Blowey (Durham) • Andrew Stuart (Warwick) Transition paths Xiong is a leading international expert in • Klaus Deckelnick (Magdeburg) in molecules at finite temperature the area of Stochastic Analysis. His main con- • Gerd Dziuk (Freiburg) tributions lie in the area of measure-valued • Don French (Cincinnati) There is space for more contributed half- processes. Most notably, he is part of the team • Harald Garcke (Regensburg) hour research talks at both meetings. Talks of mathematicians who proved the existence • Michael Hinze (Hamburg) are invited on any topic within the PANDA and uniqueness of mutually catalytic processes • David Kay (Oxford) remit, particularly from postdocs and PhD in the plane. He has also made important con- • Ralf Kornhuber (Free University Berlin) students. A limited amount of funding is tributions to the area of particle representa- • Stig Larsson (Gothenburg) available for the reimbursement of travel tions for stochastic PDEs with applications to • Stephan Luckhaus (Leipzig) expenses. Stochastic Filtering. During his visit he will • Barbara Niethammer (Oxford) Contact Paul Matthews (Paul.Matthews@ give three talks: • Amy Novick-Cohen (Technion) nottingham.ac.uk) if you would like to speak • Tuesday 5 October, Imperial College London; • John Ockendon (Oxford) at the Nottingham meeting, or Alastair contact Dan Crisan • Giles Richardson (Southampton) Rucklidge ([email protected]) and ([email protected]) • José Rodrigues (Lisbon) Grant Lythe ([email protected]) for the • Monday 11 October, University of Oxford; • Reiner Schätzle (Tübingen) Leeds meeting. For further details visit the contact Terry Lyons • Jürgen Sprekels (WIAS Berlin) websites at www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/ ([email protected]) • Björn Stinner (Warwick) personal/pcm/panda10.html and www.maths. • Wednesday 13 October, University of • Songmu Zheng (Fudan University China) leeds.ac.uk/~alastair/10_panda Warwick; contact Xue-Mei Li The organisers are: Andrew Stuart (Warwick), The PANDA network is organised by ([email protected]) Vanessa Styles (Sussex) and Endre Süli (Oxford). Rebecca Hoyle (Surrey), Jon Dawes (Bath), For further details contact Dan Crisan Registration is now open at www.warwick. Paul Matthews (Nottingham) and Alastair ([email protected]). The visit is support- ac.uk/go/nonlineardiffusion. The workshop Rucklidge (Leeds), and is supported by an ed in part by an LMS Scheme 2 grant. is supported by an LMS Conference grant. LMS Scheme 3 grant.

Sept10-NL.indd 17 27/08/2010 14:24:14 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

Mathematical Sciences Events IN BIRMINGHAM

Sept10-NL.indd 18 27/08/2010 14:24:27 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 395 September 2010

Sept10-NL.indd 19 27/08/2010 14:24:31 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

MATHEMATICS OF CRIME • Properties of function spaces: New trends in the theory of function spaces The final intensive course in the London and their influence on spectral theory Taught Course Centre (LTCC) summer (e.g. grand Lp-spaces, spaces with programme will be the Mathematics of variable smoothness, etc.) Crime given by Andrea Bertozzi of UCLA. • Inequalities: Sharp integral inequalities, The course will take place from 9 to 10 optimal Sobolev-type inequalities September 2010 at De Morgan House in and other inequalities and their London. The course is open to math- use in spectral theory ematics postgraduates and practitioners • Interpolation theory: Applications nationwide. To register, or for further in- of interpolation theory to inequalities formation, contact Nisha Jones (office@ltcc. between new function spaces and the ac.uk). study of decay for entropy numbers Also, in anticipation of next year’s ses- and s-numbers sion and subsequent ones, the LTCC would • Approximation theory: The behaviour be particularly interested in receiving of entropy numbers, approximation your suggestions for suitable topics (‘hot numbers, Kolmogorov numbers and topics’) and lecturers for future intensive other s-numbers and problems 20 courses. Suggestions would be best sent associated to their relation with to Nisha Jones([email protected]) or Frank eigenvalues of corresponding spectral Smith ([email protected]). problems Funding, available both for organisers The invited speakers are: and for student participants, can be discussed via the email addresses above. For • A. Balinskii (Cardiff, UK) further information about the LTCC visit • B.M. Brown (Cardiff, UK) the website at www.ltcc.ac.uk. • A. Cianchi (Florence, Italy) • F. Cobos (Madrid, Spain) • R.L. Frank (Princeton, USA) (provisional) NEW TRENDS IN • D. Haroske (Jena, Germany) SPECTRAL THEORY AND • J. Lang (Ohio, USA) • R. Lewis (Birmingham, USA) APPLICATIONS • B. Opic (Prague, Czech Republic) • L. Pick (Prague, Czech Republic) There will be a meeting on New Trends in • V.D. Stepanov (Moscow, Russia) Spectral Theory and Applications at Cardiff • C. Tretter (Bern, Switzerland) University from 18 to 20 December 2010 to • H. Triebel (Jena, Germany) mark the coming 80th birthday of Profes- sor D.E. Edmunds and the 70th birthday of The meeting is being supported by the Professor W.D. Evans. The following topics London Mathematical Society (LMS), The will be of particular interest: School of Mathematics, Cardiff University • Spectral theory: New results related to and the Wales Institute of Mathematical and properties of eigenvalues and Computational Sciences. There is some sup- eigenfunctions for non-linear spectral port for UK registered research students. For problems, as well as their connections further information, please visit the website with s-numbers and entropy numbers www.cs.cf.ac.uk/ddmeeting.

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• Properties of function spaces: New trends in the theory of function spaces ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES and their influence on spectral theory (e.g. grand Lp-spaces, spaces with PDE MODELS FOR QUANTUM FLUIDS variable smoothness, etc.) 13–17 December 2010 • Inequalities: Sharp integral inequalities, optimal Sobolev-type inequalities in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled Partial Differential Equations in Kinetic Theories and other inequalities and their (16 August – 22 December 2010) use in spectral theory Organisers: S. Jin (Wisconsin), P.A. Markowich (Cambridge). • Interpolation theory: Applications of interpolation theory to inequalities Theme of conference: Quantum fluid modelling has attracted a lot of recent attention, mainly between new function spaces and the due to the exciting experimental discoveries in Bose–Einstein condensation of the last decade which may have possible applications in quantum computing. Typically, modelling is based on study of decay for entropy numbers nonlinear Schrödinger equations, like the cubically nonlinear Gross–Pitaevskii equation describ- and s-numbers ing the evolution of Bose–Einstein condensates. Topics of interest include vortex dynamics and • Approximation theory: The behaviour vortex pattern, mixing of scales in random phase approximations (related to turbulence theory), of entropy numbers, approximation lattice condensates and multi-component condensates modelled by coupled systems of nonlinear numbers, Kolmogorov numbers and Schrödinger equations. Kinetic equations, relying mainly on the Wigner transformation, can also other s-numbers and problems be applied to quantum fluid dynamics. Recently hybrid kinetic–quantum mechanical models, coupling the Gross–Pitaevskii equation to the Boltzmann equation, have also become a topic of associated to their relation with 21 strong interest. Many deep and open mathematical problems arise in connection with the boson eigenvalues of corresponding spectral Boltzmann equation in the spatially inhomogeneous case, due to the weak growth of the entropy problems functional which may even permit the occurrence of singularities in finite time. New efficient numerical methods for quantum Boltzmann equations, and their validity in the quantum hydro- The invited speakers are: dynamic regimes, accurate simulations crossing the regimes from the Gross–Pitaevskii equation to • A. Balinskii (Cardiff, UK) the quantum Boltzmann equations, efficient Bloch decomposition-based numerical methods for • B.M. Brown (Cardiff, UK) quantum dynamics in periodic and random media, are also important research directions to be • A. Cianchi (Florence, Italy) pursued in this programme. • F. Cobos (Madrid, Spain) Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ • R.L. Frank (Princeton, USA) (provisional) programmes/KIT/kitw03.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 13 September 2010. • D. Haroske (Jena, Germany) • J. Lang (Ohio, USA) • R. Lewis (Birmingham, USA) EMBEDDINGS • B. Opic (Prague, Czech Republic) 10–14 January 2011 • L. Pick (Prague, Czech Republic) in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled • V.D. Stepanov (Moscow, Russia) Discrete Analysis • C. Tretter (Bern, Switzerland) (10 January – 8 July 2011) • H. Triebel (Jena, Germany) Organisers: A. Andoni (Centre for Computational Intractability), T. Austin (UCLA), A. Naor The meeting is being supported by the (New York). London Mathematical Society (LMS), The Theme of conference: The workshop will be devoted to all aspects of metric embeddings: the School of Mathematics, Cardiff University general theory of non-linear functional analysis, links between embeddings and geometric group and the Wales Institute of Mathematical and theory and applications of embeddings within theoretical computer science. Computational Sciences. There is some sup- Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ port for UK registered research students. For programmes/DAN/danw01.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 30 September 2010. further information, please visit the website www.cs.cf.ac.uk/ddmeeting.

Sept10-NL.indd 21 27/08/2010 14:24:31 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

MATRIX AND OPERATOR ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES PENCILS SCHOOL ON MODULI SPACES The third meeting on Matrix and Operator 5–14 January 2011 Pencils (MOPNET) will take place at Heriot- Watt University from 20 to 22 September in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled Moduli Spaces 2010. MOPNET is the EPSRC-funded net- (4 January – 1 July 2011) work on matrix and operator pencils. It Organisers: L. Brambila-Paz (CIMAT, Mexico) (chair), P. Newstead (Liverpool), R. Thomas (Imperial brings together engineers, mathematicians College London), O. García-Prada (CSIC, Madrid). and physicists to speak and work on prob- Theme of conference: The Theory of Moduli Spaces has experienced an extraordinary development lems of mutual interest, including: gener- in the last decades, finding an increasing number of mathematical connections with other fields al theory of operator pencils; theory and of mathematics and physics. This school is an introduction to subjects of current interest related to numerics for structured polynomial prob- moduli spaces. The aim of this school is to introduce young mathematicians to the foundations of lems; numerical methods for spectra of the theory, some of its major developments and tools used for its study. The school will be directed analytic pencil problems; pseudospectra of at students and researchers in mathematics and physics interested in the subject. There will be a analytic functions; linear algebra of struc- mixture of courses and lectures, informal discussions and/or problem sessions. tured parameter-dependent linear systems; Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ PDEs on domains with special structure. 22 programmes/MOS/mosw01.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 20 September 2010. Speakers include: • Dario Bini (Pisa) UNCERTAINTY IN CLIMATE MODELLING: MODELS, • David Burton (Lancaster) METHODS, AND DECISION SUPPORT • Younes Chahlaoui (Manchester) 6–10 December 2010 • Bernard Helffer (Paris Sud) • Ilya Kamotski (Bath) in association with the Newton Institute programme entitled Mathematical and Statistical Approaches to Climate Modelling and Prediction • Daniel Kressner (ETH Zurich) (11 August – 22 December 2010) • Matthias Langer (Strathclyde) • Michael Levitin (Reading) Organisers: R. Chandler (UCL), J.M. Huthnance (National Oceanographic Centre). • Nancy Nichols (Reading) Theme of workshop: Climate models and prediction are strongly motivated by the need to support • Alastair Spence (Bath) policy. For this we need to examine alternative scenarios and to quantify uncertainty through the different stages in formulating and running predictive models and analyzing their results for Financial support is available to UK- projections. Both aspects require a much larger number of model evaluations than is currently based academics. A limited amount of possible with state-of-the-art GCMs. The Climate programme addresses approaches to these issues: funding is available to support PhD stu- • The statistical combination of scenarios, of model ensembles and of uncertain parametrisation dents. Enquiries to the meeting organ- values. izer Lyonell Boulton ([email protected]. • The extent to which we can simplify/reduce climate models’ deterministic kernel while intro- ducing stochastic elements that account for missing/unresolved parts (reduced models are less ac.uk) or to the network coordinators accurate but can be more honest about their inaccuracies). Marco Marletta ([email protected]) and This final workshop aims to highlight and draw together progress and approaches that have Michael Levitin ([email protected]) emerged during the programmes, and to articulate challenges for the future. or visit the website at http://mopnet.cf.ac. Further information and application forms are available from the website at: www.newton.ac.uk/ uk/meeting3.html. This meeting is also programmes/CLP/clpw04.html. Closing date for the receipt of applications is 30 September 2010. sponsored by the Science and Innovation initiative ‘Numerical Analysis and Intelli- gent Software’.

Sept10-NL.indd 22 27/08/2010 14:24:32 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 395 September 2010

MATRIX AND OPERATOR ALGORITHMS AND PENCILS COMPLEXITY IN DURHAM The third meeting on Matrix and Operator The Fourth ACiD (Algorithms and Complexity Pencils (MOPNET) will take place at Heriot- in Durham) Workshop will take place at Dur- Watt University from 20 to 22 September ham University from Monday 20 September 2010. MOPNET is the EPSRC-funded net- to Wednesday 22 September 2010. The work- work on matrix and operator pencils. It shop is informal and will focus on research at brings together engineers, mathematicians the interface of Mathematics and Theoretical and physicists to speak and work on prob- Computer Science. The invited speakers are: lems of mutual interest, including: gener- • Amin Coja-Oghlan (University of Warwick) al theory of operator pencils; theory and • Bill Jackson (Queen Mary University of numerics for structured polynomial prob- London) lems; numerical methods for spectra of • Dieter Kratsch (University of Metz) analytic pencil problems; pseudospectra of • Sarah Rees (University of Newcastle) analytic functions; linear algebra of struc- • Rahul Santhanam (University of Edinburgh) tured parameter-dependent linear systems; PDEs on domains with special structure. We also invite short contributed talks from 23 Speakers include: all participants. Instructions for submitting an abstract can be found on the workshop • Dario Bini (Pisa) webpage. After submission you should be • David Burton (Lancaster) informed within five working days if your • Younes Chahlaoui (Manchester) abstract has been accepted. The deadline for • Bernard Helffer (Paris Sud) submitting an abstract is immediately. Se- • Ilya Kamotski (Bath) lected participants will be invited to submit • Daniel Kressner (ETH Zurich) papers based on their talks for publication • Matthias Langer (Strathclyde) in a Special Issue of the Journal of Discrete • Michael Levitin (Reading) Algorithms. • Nancy Nichols (Reading) The registration conference fee is £250. • Alastair Spence (Bath) This includes two nights accommodation Financial support is available to UK- in a single en-suite room and all meals and based academics. A limited amount of refreshments. The workshop will be held in funding is available to support PhD stu- the Calman Learning Centre, Durham Univer- dents. Enquiries to the meeting organ- sity with accommodation and meals in Grey izer Lyonell Boulton ([email protected]. College. The organisers are able to reduce ac.uk) or to the network coordinators the fee to £50 for a limited number of UK- Marco Marletta ([email protected]) and based postgraduate students. There are also Michael Levitin ([email protected]) reduced fees for those who wish to attend for or visit the website at http://mopnet.cf.ac. only part of the conference or without book- uk/meeting3.html. This meeting is also ing accommodation. Full details are available sponsored by the Science and Innovation from the workshop webpage at www.dur. initiative ‘Numerical Analysis and Intelli- ac.uk/acid.2010. The workshop is supported gent Software’. by an LMS Conference grant.

Sept10-NL.indd 23 27/08/2010 14:24:32 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

SCOTTISH COMPUTATIONAL MATHEMATICS SYMPOSIUM The 19th Scottish Computational Mathematics Symposium (SCMS) will take place on Monday 6 September 2010 at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. The speakers will include: • Penny Davies (University of Strathclyde) • Bosco García-Archilla (University of Seville) • Des Higham (University of Strathclyde) • Jesus M. Sanz-Serna (University of Valladolid). • David Silvester (University of Manchester) • Andrew Stuart (University of Warwick) • Andy Wathen (University of Oxford) The aim of the SCMS is to bring together mathematicians and others who develop and use computer algorithms to solve mathemati- 24 cal problems. This meeting is particularly focused on differential equations – ordinary, partial and stochastic. This meeting is also designed to celebrate the career of David Griffiths (University of Dundee) as he reaches his 65th birthday. For further information visit the website at www.ma.hw.ac.uk/scms. The organisers are grateful to the London Mathematical Society and the Edinburgh Mathematical Society for funding this meeting. ANGLO-BELGIAN WORKSHOP IN MODEL THEORY AND APPLICATIONS

The second Anglo-Belgian Workshop in Model Theory and Applications will take place at Queen Mary University of London from 13 to 14 September 2010. This meeting is a fol- low-up to the highly successful workshop that happened in Mons in December 2009. The scientific interests of young researchers in Belgium and the UK complement each other well to cover a wide spectrum of topics in Model Theory and its applications. The organisers wish to showcase this variety in the

Sept10-NL.indd 24 27/08/2010 14:24:33 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 395 September 2010

SCOTTISH COMPUTATIONAL programme of the meeting and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and the start of new MATHEMATICS SYMPOSIUM collaborations between the two countries. The 19th Scottish Computational Mathematics The invited speakers are: Symposium (SCMS) will take place on Monday • Martin Bays (Oxford, UK) 6 September 2010 at Heriot-Watt University, • Raf Cluckers (KU Leuven, Belgium and Edinburgh. The speakers will include: Lille 1, France) • Penny Davies (University of Strathclyde) • Jeroen Demeyer (Ghent, Belgium) • Bosco García-Archilla (University of Seville) • Misha Gavrilovich (Kurt Gödel RC, Vienna) • Des Higham (University of Strathclyde) • Abderezak Ould Houcine (Mons, Belgium) • Jesus M. Sanz-Serna (University of • Gareth Jones (Manchester, UK) Valladolid). • Françoise Point (Mons, Belgium and • David Silvester (University of Manchester) CNRS-Paris 7, France) • Andrew Stuart (University of Warwick) • Cédric Rivi�re (Mons, Belgium) • Andy Wathen (University of Oxford) • Mark Ryten (London, UK) The aim of the SCMS is to bring together • Pietro Dello Stritto (Mons, Belgium) mathematicians and others who develop and • Giuseppina Terzo (Napoli 2, Italy) use computer algorithms to solve mathemati- The conference is supported by an LMS cal problems. This meeting is particularly Conference grant and a grant from the 25 focused on differential equations – ordinary, British Council and WBI/FNRS Partnership partial and stochastic. This meeting is also Programme in Science. For further informa- designed to celebrate the career of David tion visit the conference website at www. Griffiths (University of Dundee) as he reaches maths.qmul.ac.uk/abwtm2. his 65th birthday. For further information visit the website at LMS NEWSLETTER ONLINE www.ma.hw.ac.uk/scms. The organisers are grateful to the London Mathematical Society Readers are reminded that they may choose to and the Edinburgh Mathematical Society for read the LMS Newsletter on screen. A file of the funding this meeting. current Newsletter can be accessed at www. lms.ac.uk/newsletter/current_issue.pdf at any ANGLO-BELGIAN WORKSHOP time. Remember to add it to your favourites. The current Newsletter and the archive of past IN MODEL THEORY AND Newsletters are also available in HTML (web- APPLICATIONS browser) format via www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/. The HTML version is conveniently structured The second Anglo-Belgian Workshop in Model according to news categories, with indexes Theory and Applications will take place at listing the individual articles, making it very Queen Mary University of London from 13 easy to navigate to items of particular interest. to 14 September 2010. This meeting is a fol- Commercial adverts and the monthly cartoon low-up to the highly successful workshop are not included in the HTML version. that happened in Mons in December 2009. Anyone who wishes to stop receiving a pa- The scientific interests of young researchers per copy can choose to receive instead an email in Belgium and the UK complement each alert at the beginning of each publication other well to cover a wide spectrum of topics month, containing precise links to the current in Model Theory and its applications. The PDF and HTML versions. To do so, please write organisers wish to showcase this variety in the to [email protected].

Sept10-NL.indd 25 27/08/2010 14:24:34 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

MATHEMATICAL The speakers are: MODELLING IN BIOLOGY • Neal Bez (Birmingham, UK) • Tony Carbery (Edinburgh, UK) A workshop on Mathematical Modelling • Piero D’Ancona (Rome, Italy) in Biology will take place on 14 September • Thomas Duyckaerts (Paris, France) 2010 at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde. • Malabika Pramanik (Vancouver, Canada) This one-day workshop is mainly to bring • Xavi Tolsa (Barcelona, Spain) UK researchers in the area of Mathemati- There will be an informal dinner in the city cal Modelling in Biology and their research on the evening of 17 September at which students together to promote, encourage, all participants will be very welcome. Email and influence more cooperation, and to Keith Rogers ([email protected]) if you bring together various disciplines e.g. biol- wish to attend. For further information visit ogy, mathematics, engineering, computer the website at http://tinyurl.com/3974dcs or science. The Invited Speakers are: email Keith Rogers ([email protected]). The meeting is supported by an LMS Scheme 3 • J.S. Heslop-Harrison (University of grant and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Leicester) Innovación. • J. Kim (University of Glasgow) 26 • Y. Mao (Cancer Research Center London) • P. Swain (University of Edinburgh) STATISTICAL PROPERTIES • A. Tournier (Cancer Research Center OF RARE EVENTS London) A two-day meeting on the statistical prop- • H. Yue (University of Strathclyde) erties of rare events will be held at the • Y. Zhao (University of Glasgow) Mathematics Research Institute, Exeter, There will be a poster section given by re- from the morning of Monday 27 Sep- search students. Some funding is available tember to the afternoon of Tuesday 28 for students. For further information visit September 2010. The meeting is to bring the website at http://tinyurl.com/395o6bz together researchers in dynamical systems, or email Professor X. Mao (x.mao@strath. ergodic theory and climate research, with ac.uk). The workshop is supported by an a focus on understanding recurrence sta- LMS Conference grant. tistics and extreme events. Confirmed speakers include: • Henk Bruin (Surrey) HARMONIC ANALYSIS • Chris Ferro (Exeter) AND PDEs • Matt Nicol (Houston) • Dalia Terhesiu (Surrey) This workshop is a two-day meeting of the • Sandro Vaienti (Marseille) LMS Harmonic Analysis and PDE Network, and is open to all who are interested. The All are welcome. Further details can be workshop will take place from 16 to 17 Sep- obtained from Mark Holland (m.p.holland@ tember 2010 at the Instituto de Ciencias exeter.ac.uk) and the website at http:// Matemáticas (ICMAT), which is located in empslocal.ex.ac.uk/people/staff/mph204/ the campus of the Universidad Autónoma rare_events.html. The meeting is supported de Madrid (UAM). by an LMS Conference grant.

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The speakers are: • Neal Bez (Birmingham, UK) • Tony Carbery (Edinburgh, UK) RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS • Piero D’Ancona (Rome, Italy) • Thomas Duyckaerts (Paris, France) AT MEETINGS • Malabika Pramanik (Vancouver, Canada) • Xavi Tolsa (Barcelona, Spain) ORDINARY MEETING held on Friday 2 July 2010 at University College London. About 55 members and visitors There will be an informal dinner in the city were present for all or part of the meeting. The meeting began at 3.30 pm, with the on the evening of 17 September at which President, Professor A.J. MACINTYRE FRS, in the Chair. all participants will be very welcome. Email Keith Rogers ([email protected]) if you Eleven people were elected to Ordinary Membership: A.A. Jarai, A. Kar, T. Kuna, wish to attend. For further information visit K. Leschke, A. Pillay, A. Pratoussevitch, T. Prellberg, S. Schleimer, I. Short, L.J. Silvers, the website at http://tinyurl.com/3974dcs or A.P. Watson; seven were elected to Associate Membership: W.H. Aziz, M.J. Baker, email Keith Rogers ([email protected]). A. Jacquier, J. Martinez-Garcia, J.W. Mason, L.A. Menguturk, I.M. Tawfik; and one was The meeting is supported by an LMS Scheme 3 elected to Reciprocity Membership: Y. Ali (American Mathematical Society). grant and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Three members signed the book and were admitted to the Society. Innovación. 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. 27 The President, on Council’s behalf, proposed that Professor Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat STATISTICAL PROPERTIES of Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Professor Terence Tao of the UCLA be elected OF RARE EVENTS to Honorary Membership of the Society. The President read a short version of the citations, to be published in full in the Bulletin. A two-day meeting on the statistical prop- The President then announced the awards of the prizes for 2010: erties of rare events will be held at the De Morgan Medal Professor Keith William (Bill) Morton (University of Oxford) Mathematics Research Institute, Exeter, Fröhlich Prize Professor Jonathan Keating, FRS (University of Bristol) from the morning of Monday 27 Sep- Senior Berwick Prize Professor Dusa McDuff, FRS (Barnard College, New York) tember to the afternoon of Tuesday 28 Whitehead Prizes Dr Harald Helfgott (University of Bristol) September 2010. The meeting is to bring Professor Jens Marklof (University of Bristol) together researchers in dynamical systems, Dr Lasse Rempe (University of Liverpool) ergodic theory and climate research, with Dr Françoise Tisseur (University of Manchester) a focus on understanding recurrence sta- The President read short versions of the citations, to be published in full in the tistics and extreme events. Confirmed Bulletin. speakers include: The President announced the President-Designate to be Professor Graeme Segal, FRS. • Henk Bruin (Surrey) The President introduced a lecture given by Professor Raphaël Rouquier on Dunkl • Chris Ferro (Exeter) Operators and Cherednik Algebras. • Matt Nicol (Houston) Following a break for tea, the President introduced a lecture by Professor Hiraku • Dalia Terhesiu (Surrey) Nakajima, the Hardy Lecturer, on Instanton Counting and Donaldson Invariants. • Sandro Vaienti (Marseille) At the end of the meeting, the President thanked the speakers. The President also All are welcome. Further details can be thanked the organiser of the Graduate Student Meeting (which was held at University obtained from Mark Holland (m.p.holland@ College London that morning), Dr Joe Chuang, and the speakers, Professor Balász exeter.ac.uk) and the website at http:// Szendröi, Dr Kevin McGerty and the LMS Publisher Dr Susan Hezlet. empslocal.ex.ac.uk/people/staff/mph204/ After the meeting, a reception was held at De Morgan House, followed by a dinner rare_events.html. The meeting is supported at the British Museum. by an LMS Conference grant.

Sept10-NL.indd 27 27/08/2010 14:24:34 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

passing has left in the world of Recreational RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS Mathematics. On the advice of our mentors AT MEETINGS we took the opportu- REGIONAL ORDINARY MEETING nity to interview some prominent mathemati- held on 21 June 2010 at Cardiff University. Around 35 members and visitors were cians about how Mar- present for all or part of the meeting. tin Gardner influenced The meeting began at 2 pm, with the President, Professor A.J. MACINTYRE, FRS, in them. The article is the Chair. available via http://plus. Five members signed the book and were admitted to the Society. maths.org/. The groups then pre- Professor D.E. EVANS introduced a lecture given by Professor Werner Nahm on The sented their outputs, Present Status of Quantum Field Theory. which included ener- After tea, Professor Evans introduced a lecture given by Professor Constantin getic talks for children, Teleman on Two-Dimensional Topological Quantum Field Theories and Gauge. maths busking, short The President expressed the thanks of the Society to the local organisers and the radio and TV items and speakers for putting on such an interesting meeting. 28 outlines of articles and After the meeting dinner was held at the Bayside Brassiere. press releases. These were assessed by four judges who presented 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes – with the winners each receiving a bottle of wine! The winning group were a HOW TO TALK MATHS IN PUBLIC panel of three mathematicians being inter- viewed by their mentor who asked some How to Talk Maths in Public: an IMA Con- Stewart, Marcus du Sautoy, David Spiegel- very tough (and repetitive) questions, ask- ference on Public Engagement was held halter, Chris Budd, Rob Eastaway and Simon ing them in various ways to justify the exist- at the University of Manchester from 8 to Singh about their public engagement expe- ence of mathematics and mathematicians! 9 June 2010. This event was an opportu- riences, what to do and mistakes to avoid They won first prize because in a very short nity for those involved in maths engage- repeating. There were also small workshops film they managed to get over the message ment or interested in maths engagement that allowed delegates to discuss a specific that mathematics is beautiful, enjoyable to meet and discuss ideas with the experts. area of maths communication with math- and useful, and communicating that to the The conference was supported by the ematicians experienced in that area. The public is why we were all there. University of Manchester and the Engi- after dinner speaker, stand-up comic Matt Rebecca Waters neering and Physical Sciences Research Parker entertained us with a lively, amusing Editorial OfficerMathematics Today Council (EPSRC) through their Partnerships and mathematical show, including sending Institute of Mathematics and its Applications for Public Engagement scheme. It was or- a standing wave from one end of the dining ganised by a broad group of mathematics hall to the other. communication and understanding experts Most of the second day was given to ex PARLIAMENTARY LINKS DAY headed by Steve Humble (aka Dr Maths, factor activities. Delegates were put into NCETM), David Abrahams (Manchester) small groups with a mentor and asked to On 22 June 2010, Duncan Turton and I (part and Chris Budd (Bath). Over 90 people produce a piece of maths communication of the LMS Council & Committees Group) attended this first conference of what is for radio, TV, public lecture or written pub- attended the Royal Society of Chemistry’s hoped to be a regular series on maths– lication. My group wrote a short article for (RSC) annual Parliamentary Links Day at public engagement. Plus magazine, entitled Is the Magic Over? Portcullis House for a series of talks which The conference included talks from Ian which recognises the gap Martin Gardner’s promoted the links between the sciences

Sept10-NL.indd 28 27/08/2010 14:24:34 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 395 September 2010

passing has left in the world of Recreational IMA © RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS Mathematics. On the advice of our mentors AT MEETINGS we took the opportu- REGIONAL ORDINARY MEETING nity to interview some prominent mathemati- held on 21 June 2010 at Cardiff University. Around 35 members and visitors were cians about how Mar- present for all or part of the meeting. tin Gardner influenced The meeting began at 2 pm, with the President, Professor A.J. MACINTYRE, FRS, in them. The article is the Chair. available via http://plus. Five members signed the book and were admitted to the Society. maths.org/. The groups then pre- Professor D.E. EVANS introduced a lecture given by Professor Werner Nahm on The sented their outputs, Present Status of Quantum Field Theory. which included ener- After tea, Professor Evans introduced a lecture given by Professor Constantin getic talks for children, x Teleman on Two-Dimensional Topological Quantum Field Theories and Gauge. Professor Ian Stewart presents the winning e factor group with their maths busking, short certificates: (left to right) Louise Walker, University of Manchester; The President expressed the thanks of the Society to the local organisers and the radio and TV items and Julia Collins, University of Edinburgh; Hazel Kendrick, IMA. speakers for putting on such an interesting meeting. outlines of articles and 29 After the meeting dinner was held at the Bayside Brassiere. press releases. These were assessed by four and politics. This annual event is run by the judges who presented 1st, 2nd and 3rd RSC as part of its wider Parliamentary Links prizes – with the winners each receiving a Scheme, which aims to connect MPs from bottle of wine! The winning group were a the three major parties with RSC contacts HOW TO TALK MATHS IN PUBLIC panel of three mathematicians being inter- who provide them with briefings about the viewed by their mentor who asked some chemical sciences which may be relevant to Stewart, Marcus du Sautoy, David Spiegel- very tough (and repetitive) questions, ask- current debates and legislation. halter, Chris Budd, Rob Eastaway and Simon ing them in various ways to justify the exist- At the Parliamentary Links Day itself, short Singh about their public engagement expe- ence of mathematics and mathematicians! speeches were given by several MPs from the riences, what to do and mistakes to avoid They won first prize because in a very short House of Commons, including: repeating. There were also small workshops film they managed to get over the message • David Willetts MP (Minister of State for that allowed delegates to discuss a specific that mathematics is beautiful, enjoyable Universities and Science) area of maths communication with math- and useful, and communicating that to the • Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP (Shadow Secretary ematicians experienced in that area. The public is why we were all there. of State for Energy and Climate Change) after dinner speaker, stand-up comic Matt Rebecca Waters • Professor Adrian Smith (Director General Parker entertained us with a lively, amusing Editorial OfficerMathematics Today of the Science and Research Group; and mathematical show, including sending Institute of Mathematics and its Applications Department of Business, Innovation and a standing wave from one end of the dining Skills) hall to the other. • Dr Julian Huppert MP Most of the second day was given to ex PARLIAMENTARY LINKS DAY • Mr Mark Lancaster TD MP factor activities. Delegates were put into • Malcolm Wicks MP (former Minister of small groups with a mentor and asked to On 22 June 2010, Duncan Turton and I (part Science) produce a piece of maths communication of the LMS Council & Committees Group) We heard presentations that highlighted for radio, TV, public lecture or written pub- attended the Royal Society of Chemistry’s the important contributions made by the lication. My group wrote a short article for (RSC) annual Parliamentary Links Day at scientific community to the future of soci- Plus magazine, entitled Is the Magic Over? Portcullis House for a series of talks which ety from representatives of various scientific which recognises the gap Martin Gardner’s promoted the links between the sciences societies:

Sept10-NL.indd 29 27/08/2010 14:24:35 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

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

• The Royal Society are clearly shown in the earth’s geological record. REVIEWS • The Royal Academy of Engineering Climate change was a chief concern of the • The Royal Society of Chemistry MPs who spoke, and Ed Miliband recognised Bridging the Gap to University Mathematics • The Institute of Physics the importance of encouraging scientists (and by Martin Gould and Edward Hurst, Springer, • The Society of Biology not just politicians) to speak with greater 2009, 362 pp, £15.99, ISBN 978-1-84800-289-0. • The Geological Society knowledge on these important issues. As part of We are all aware of the gulf between univer- • Royal Astronomical Society this encouragement, David Willetts mentioned sity mathematics and the mathematics studied • Institution of Chemical Engineers his aim to work closer with the Department of at school or college. Students are coming to • Parliamentary Office of Science and Justice to review libel cases so that scientists university from an increasingly wide variety of Technology would feel able to speak out without fear of backgrounds having studied an equally wide possible allegations of libel. • Parliamentary and Scientific Committee variety of mathematics. Even within A-levels, Issues raised by these societies included con- The enthusiasm for the continued and further Scottish Highers and the Inter- cerns about the current lack of physics teachers collaboration between the sciences and politics national Baccalaureate there are (Institute of Physics) and the need for investment was present throughout the day. In this spirit, variations of syllabus. Universities within engineering in the UK both to retain ideas the link established between the RSC and the and innovations and to attract overseas designers LMS through Anne Bennett, Group Head for do their best to plug the gaps, but (The Royal Academy of Engineering). The Royal Council & Committees, has already grown as understandably some students Astronomical Society highlighted how advances Fiona Nixon, Executive Secretary, will be work- feel concerned that they are ex- in one scientific area can be used to benefit the ing with the Parliamentary Affairs Committee pected to know mathematics that 30 wider society, for example, space technology could to ensure that mathematics will be represented they have not been taught, whilst also be used to detect and diagnose TB, while more fully at the next Parliamentary Links Day. others have just forgotten it. The Geological Society warned that the unde- Elizabeth Fisher Bridging the Gap to University sired consequences of increased CO2 emissions Grants & Activities Administrator Mathematics is intended to do exactly what the title suggests. Gould and Hurst were, at the time of writing, both students and one gets the feeling that their desire is to tell prospective students what they themselves wish someone had told them before they em- barked on their own mathematical journey at university. The book covers a broad range of topics from inequalities and complex numbers through mechanics, proof and probability distributions to hyperbolic functions and series. Well written and easy to read, it divides the material into twenty chapters, which are broken down into manageable chunks. Every chapter begins with ten ‘test yourself’ questions designed to help the student discover whether they really do understand a particular topic. As each one is written as a single entity, not depending on preceding content, it is a book that students can dip in and out of rather than read from cover to cover. It is pleasantly laid out and contains numerous worked examples which clearly illustrate the more complicated concepts. Each subsection is

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are clearly shown in the earth’s geological record. REVIEWS followed by an exercise for the students to work Climate change was a chief concern of the through to test their understanding. All answers, MPs who spoke, and Ed Miliband recognised Bridging the Gap to University Mathematics to these and the starter questions, are provided the importance of encouraging scientists (and by Martin Gould and Edward Hurst, Springer, at the back of the book enabling students to not just politicians) to speak with greater 2009, 362 pp, £15.99, ISBN 978-1-84800-289-0. monitor their progress. Concluding each chapter knowledge on these important issues. As part of We are all aware of the gulf between univer- is a very helpful section entitled ‘where now?’ this encouragement, David Willetts mentioned sity mathematics and the mathematics studied which explains how this area of mathemat- his aim to work closer with the Department of at school or college. Students are coming to ics might come into their university course and Justice to review libel cases so that scientists university from an increasingly wide variety of where it could lead to. Readers are helpfully would feel able to speak out without fear of backgrounds having studied an equally wide referred to other texts for further, more in-depth, possible allegations of libel. variety of mathematics. Even within A-levels, material or interest. Lastly, an appendix provides The enthusiasm for the continued and further Scottish Highers and the Inter- useful formulae and extension collaboration between the sciences and politics national Baccalaureate there are questions, this time with worked was present throughout the day. In this spirit, variations of syllabus. Universities solutions. the link established between the RSC and the LMS through Anne Bennett, Group Head for do their best to plug the gaps, but The book is written in a fresh, Council & Committees, has already grown as understandably some students conversational style that is neither Fiona Nixon, Executive Secretary, will be work- feel concerned that they are ex- patronising nor written in a for- ing with the Parliamentary Affairs Committee pected to know mathematics that mat intended to solely appeal to to ensure that mathematics will be represented they have not been taught, whilst the young. It is a book that one 31 more fully at the next Parliamentary Links Day. others have just forgotten it. could quite easily use as the basis Elizabeth Fisher Bridging the Gap to University of an introductory or foundation Grants & Activities Administrator Mathematics is intended to do course or to stretch the brightest exactly what the title suggests. sixth-formers with something in- Gould and Hurst were, at the teresting, possibly after they have time of writing, both students taken their exams. and one gets the feeling that their desire is to My only quibble is that its usefulness might tell prospective students what they themselves depend on which mathematics degree and uni- wish someone had told them before they em- versity the student has chosen because different barked on their own mathematical journey at courses will require different prior knowledge. university. Some universities might be wary of recommend- The book covers a broad range of topics from ing this before term starts as they would not inequalities and complex numbers through me- want to imply that all of this material needs to chanics, proof and probability distributions to be known before the course commences. Others hyperbolic functions and series. Well written might require more. Although the authors do and easy to read, it divides the material into make this point in the preface, I am concerned twenty chapters, which are broken down into that some students might be worried and think manageable chunks. Every chapter begins with that if they do not know all this before they start, ten ‘test yourself’ questions designed to help the they cannot possibly succeed on a mathematics student discover whether they really do under- degree. stand a particular topic. As each one is written However, that aside, I think this is a very useful as a single entity, not depending on preceding book for prospective and first-year mathematics content, it is a book that students can dip in and students to read and refer to. I will certainly be out of rather than read from cover to cover. recommending it to our new first-year students It is pleasantly laid out and contains numer- once they have started. ous worked examples which clearly illustrate the Noel-Ann Bradshaw more complicated concepts. Each subsection is University of Greenwich

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

Before Sudoku: The World of Magic Squares and then turns to magic squares and their vari- Dara O’Briain’s University of Practical Mathe- by Seymour S. Block and Santiago A. Tavares, ants. The variants are of several types: matics Oxford University Press, 2009, £9.99, ISBN-13: • We may impose stronger conditions: for I was fortunate enough to witness the re- 978-0-19-536790-4. example, in a 4 × 4 square, we might also cording of the pilot episode for a new BBC 4 A few years ago, a supplement on Switzerland require the entries in the 2 × 2 subsquares to TV show which combines the comedy talents in a national newspaper included, in an item Ten sum to the magic constant 34. of Dara O’Briain (Mock the Week) and Charlie things you didn’t know about Switzerland, the • We may replace the rows, columns and Higson (The Fast Show) with the mathemati- information that Euler invented Sudoku. In fact diagonals of a square by other sets, usually cal know-how of Professor Paul Glendinning he didn’t, but he took a crucial step on the road defined geometrically by lines or circles in (University of Manchester). from magic squares (which have fascinated hu- other geometric figures. Dara welcomed the studio audience to mankind for thousands of years) to Sudoku. • Instead of, or as well as, constant sums, we the recording with a promise that the show A magic square is an n × n array filled with the may ask for constant products, or sums of would be ‘unashamedly nerdy’, and he integers 1, 2, … , n2 in such a way that all rows, squares or higher powers. was true to his word. We were also warned columns and diagonals sum to n (n2 +1) / 2. Euler • Some magic squares can be transformed into that the format was based on a late-night added a new construction (based on his inven- others by reflection or other manipulation. Japanese game show, which explained a lot. tion, Graeco-Latin or Euler squares) Many examples are given, but The show sees three groups of people tackle to the very substantial literature the book gives little insight into how a series of mathematics problems. Dara him- on magic squares. These had been the constructions are done. The au- self and a pair of mathematics undergraduates 32 considered by Chinese, Arab and thors’ attitude is typified by a state- make their attempts with a pen and paper, Byzantine mathematicians, and ment quoted approvingly from the while a troupe of self-styled ‘idiots’ are tasked many different constructions were architect Claude Bragdon: “Ours with finding an empirical solution. Everyone’s already known. Part of their impor- is the age of mathematics, it is the attempts are overseen by Paul Glendinning, tance came from their use as talis- magician’s wand without which our the resident mathematician, who provides a mans, which also may have given workers of magic, be they bankers, commentary on their approaches and suitable rise to the name. A celebrated ex- engineers, physicists, inventors could nudges in the right direction. ample is the magic square in Dürer’s not perform their tricks.” The teams were faced with the classic engraving Melencolia I, which was Uses of magic squares in the ‘sports-car-or-goat’ Monty Hall Problem, also studied much later by Benjamin arts (including the music of Peter an optimal stopping question formulated Franklin. Maxwell Davies and others) and in terms of speed dating, and a circle-pack- Latin squares became an important research the sciences are described. ing problem involving tins of tomato puree. topic, especially in statistics where they are used The book is marred by several careless er- Unlike a conventional brainteaser show, we in experimental design (beginning just a few rors: the distance to the edge of the universe actually witness the participants puzzling over years after Euler, with a study of feeding roots is stated to be 1088 miles, with an attribution their solutions, reaching dead ends and seek- to sheep by Cretté de Palluel in 1788), while to Martin Gardner; on page 50, a magic hexa- ing help from Paul in the manner of many an magic squares became mostly the preserve of gram involving fractions, taken from a grade- undergraduate mathematics tutorial. In the recreational mathematicians. Although all the five exercise booklet, is given – the authors do case of those of us present at the recording ingredients for Sudoku had been developed by all the sums, but get one wrong; R.A. Fisher this all takes place in real time, giving a re- statisticians studying Latin squares, it was a re- was at Rothamsted Experimental Station, not the minder of what it’s like to learn mathematics tired American architect, Howard Garns, who University of Cambridge, when he pioneered the in a didactic way (albeit by proxy); quite what invented the puzzle Number Place in 1987. The use of Latin squares in agricultural experiments. will remain after the editing process remains puzzle was introduced to Japan by Maki Kaji, The authors explain that the book is for peo- to be seen, though. and re-introduced to the West by New Zealander ple who enjoy Sudoku puzzles. Sad to say, it is The team of everymen attempt to provide Wayne Gould, when it became a world-wide not for mathematicians, nor for historians of some comic relief to the proceedings while craze. mathematics. Dara recalls how to rearrange logarithms, but The book under review traces some of this his- Peter J. Cameron their brute force methods – literally in the case tory (omitting most of the work by statisticians), Queen Mary, University of London of the tomato puree tins – also highlight the

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and then turns to magic squares and their vari- Dara O’Briain’s University of Practical Mathe- elegance of a purely mathematical approach. ants. The variants are of several types: matics Indeed, the words ‘elegance’ and ‘beauty’ are • We may impose stronger conditions: for I was fortunate enough to witness the re- used throughout by Charlie Higson, despite example, in a 4 × 4 square, we might also cording of the pilot episode for a new BBC 4 the inherent difficulty of following a hastily require the entries in the 2 × 2 subsquares to TV show which combines the comedy talents scrawled solution of a bald Irish comedian. sum to the magic constant 34. of Dara O’Briain (Mock the Week) and Charlie As Dara put it, ‘if I didn’t do this show then • We may replace the rows, columns and Higson (The Fast Show) with the mathemati- it wouldn’t get done’ – this is certainly true, diagonals of a square by other sets, usually cal know-how of Professor Paul Glendinning as the mass-market appeal of such a show is defined geometrically by lines or circles in (University of Manchester). dubious. While a diagram-based answer to the other geometric figures. Dara welcomed the studio audience to Monty Hall problem is reasonably easy to fol- • Instead of, or as well as, constant sums, we the recording with a promise that the show low, the steps involved in reaching a solution may ask for constant products, or sums of would be ‘unashamedly nerdy’, and he for the optimal stopping problem are proba- squares or higher powers. was true to his word. We were also warned bly too detailed to communicate through this • Some magic squares can be transformed into that the format was based on a late-night medium. That said, the power of mathematics others by reflection or other manipulation. Japanese game show, which explained a lot. certainly came across well and could inspire Many examples are given, but The show sees three groups of people tackle some ‘I wish I could do that’ moments. Paul’s the book gives little insight into how a series of mathematics problems. Dara him- approach to guiding the undergraduates and the constructions are done. The au- self and a pair of mathematics undergraduates Dara was fitting, and sent the message that thors’ attitude is typified by a state- make their attempts with a pen and paper, with a bit of encouragement and Socratic dia- 33 ment quoted approvingly from the while a troupe of self-styled ‘idiots’ are tasked logue even the most difficult puzzles can be architect Claude Bragdon: “Ours with finding an empirical solution. Everyone’s tackled with mathematics. is the age of mathematics, it is the attempts are overseen by Paul Glendinning, Martin Smith magician’s wand without which our the resident mathematician, who provides a ACME workers of magic, be they bankers, commentary on their approaches and suitable engineers, physicists, inventors could nudges in the right direction. Rites of Love and Math by Reine Graves and not perform their tricks.” The teams were faced with the classic Edward Frenkel Uses of magic squares in the ‘sports-car-or-goat’ Monty Hall Problem, Rites of Love and Math is a 26-minute colour arts (including the music of Peter an optimal stopping question formulated film which is a homage to the 26-minute 1966 Maxwell Davies and others) and in terms of speed dating, and a circle-pack- black and white film Rites of Love and Death. the sciences are described. ing problem involving tins of tomato puree. The original film was directed by Yukio Mishima, The book is marred by several careless er- Unlike a conventional brainteaser show, we who also starred as a young Japanese army rors: the distance to the edge of the universe actually witness the participants puzzling over officer. The officer would rather die than -ex is stated to be 1088 miles, with an attribution their solutions, reaching dead ends and seek- ecute his friends, who were involved in the to Martin Gardner; on page 50, a magic hexa- ing help from Paul in the manner of many an failed coup d’état of 1936. He spends his last gram involving fractions, taken from a grade- undergraduate mathematics tutorial. In the night making love to his wife, after which he five exercise booklet, is given – the authors do case of those of us present at the recording commits harakiri. The original film is of great all the sums, but get one wrong; R.A. Fisher this all takes place in real time, giving a re- intensity, with the stylized Noh theatricality was at Rothamsted Experimental Station, not the minder of what it’s like to learn mathematics heightened by the soundtrack of Tristan and University of Cambridge, when he pioneered the in a didactic way (albeit by proxy); quite what Isolde. In addition, we know that in 1970 use of Latin squares in agricultural experiments. will remain after the editing process remains Mishima himself participated in a failed coup The authors explain that the book is for peo- to be seen, though. d’etat and committed harakiri. ple who enjoy Sudoku puzzles. Sad to say, it is The team of everymen attempt to provide Edward Frenkel, the co-director of Rites of not for mathematicians, nor for historians of some comic relief to the proceedings while Love and Math, is a distinguished mathemati- mathematics. Dara recalls how to rearrange logarithms, but cal physicist at Berkeley. In the film he plays Peter J. Cameron their brute force methods – literally in the case the ‘mathematician’ who discovers ‘after Queen Mary, University of London of the tomato puree tins – also highlight the many years of hard work’ a ‘Formula of Love’

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

so powerful that it can be used for both good CALENDAR OF EVENTS 13-14 Anglo-Belgian Workshop in Model and evil.The formula is credibly played by equa- Theory and Applications, Queen Mary tion (5.7) in Frenkel, Losev and Nekrasov [2]. This calendar lists Society meetings and University of London (395) The `Forces of Evil’ want to steal the formula. other events publicised in the Newsletter. 14 Mathematical Modelling in Biology The mathematician spends his last night with Further information can be obtained from the Workshop, University of Strathclyde (395) his lover (played by Kayshonne Insixieng May) appropriate LMS Newsletter whose number 14-19 British Science Festival, Birmingham preserving the formula for posterity by tattoo- is given in brackets. A fuller list of meetings (395) and events is given on the Society’s website ing it on her body, and then stabbing himself 16 Patterns, Nonlinear Dynamics and (www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). with the tattooing pen. While the story is ludi- Applications Meeting, Nottingham (395) crous, the acting is carried off with great con- 16-17 Heilbronn Conference, Bristol (393) viction, and the bodies are indeed beautiful. SEPTEMBER 2010 16-17 Induction Course for New Lecturers, (I eschew the obvious pun about the mathe- 1-3 Models in Population Dynamics and Birmingham (394) matical physique.) The two films should really Ecology 2010 Workshop and Conference, 16-17 Harmonic Analysis and PDEs Workshop, be seen together, as the modern version is a UAM, Madrid, Spain (395) pastiche of the original. For all its goriness, the Leicester (394) 17 Geometry & Algebra Spitalfields Day, original made a far greater impression on me. 2-4 British Logic Colloquium, Birmingham Royal Society of Edinburgh (395) Mathematicians feature ever more frequent- (394) 20-22 Matrix and Operator Pencils Workshop, ly in films and on TV – the website Movies 2-5 William Rowan Hamilton Geometry and Topology Workshop, Dublin (393) Heriot-Watt University (395) 34 in Mathematics [3] offers a good selection. By and large, male mathematicians are portrayed 6 LMS Midlands Regional Meeting, 20-22 Algorithms and Complexity in Durham as crazies who are smart and lovable, but badly Nottingham (395) Workshop, Durham (395) dressed. Likewise for female mathematicians, 6 Function Theory Meeting, University 20-24 Dissipative PDEs in Bounded and Un- although they tend to be better dressed. This College London (394) bounded Domains and Related Attractors, said, in the film under review, the actors are 6 Scottish Computational Mathematics ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (394) either very well dressed, or not dressed at all. Symposium, Heriot-Watt University (395) 27-28 Statistical Properties of Rare Events, My two personal favourite films involving 6-7 2020 Vision: Maths and Stats in Exeter (395) mathematicians are Merry Andrew (1958) Higher Education Over the Next 10 Years, 29 LMS Popular Lectures, Birmingham (395) with Danny Kaye as a mathematics teacher Birmingham (394) singing “The square on the hypotenuse of 6-8 British Topology Meeting, Oxford (391) OCTOBER 2010 6-8 European Symposium on Algorithms, a right triangle is the sum of the squares of 11-15 The Higher-Genus Sigma Function Liverpool (394) the two adjacent sides”, and the witty short and Applications, ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh Measuring the World [ ] promoting the Eng- 6-10 Multivariate Approximation and Inter- 1 (394) lish translation of Daniel Kehlmann’s wonder- polation with Applications ICMS Workshop, 18 Patterns, Nonlinear Dynamics and ful German novel about Gauss and Humboldt. Edinburgh (386) Applications Meeting, Leeds (395) Gauss is depicted on his wedding night, in the 6-10 Fluid-Kinetic Modelling in Biology, throes of mathematical passion! Physics and Engineering Workshop, INI, Andrew Ranicki Cambridge (394) NOVEMBER 2010 University of Edinburgh 7-9 Function Theory and Dynamical Systems 19 LMS Annual General Meeting, Naylor Lecture, London References Workshop, University College London (394) 7-10 C*-algebras Workshop, Nottingham . O. Cheetham, Measuring the World, DECEMBER 2010 www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC6P_5A40IA. (395) 2. E. Frenkel, A.Losev and N. Nekrasov, ‘Instantons 9-10 Mathematics of Crime Course, London 6-10 Birational Geometry, ICMS Workshop, beyond topological theory I’, (395) Edinburgh (394) http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0610149. 12-17 Highly Oscillatory Problems: From 6-10 Uncertainty in Climate Modelling, INI, 3. O. Knill, Movies in Mathematics website, Theory to Applications, INI, Cambridge (389) Cambridge (395) www.math.harvard.edu/~knill/mathmovies/

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 13-14 Anglo-Belgian Workshop in Model 6-10 Australian Statistical Conference 2010, Theory and Applications, Queen Mary Fremantle, Australia (383) This calendar lists Society meetings and University of London (395) 13-17 PDE Models for Quantum Fluids, INI, other events publicised in the Newsletter. 14 Mathematical Modelling in Biology Cambridge (395) Further information can be obtained from the Workshop, University of Strathclyde (395) 18-20 New Trends in Spectral Theory and appropriate LMS Newsletter whose number 14-19 British Science Festival, Birmingham Applications Workshop, Cardiff (395) is given in brackets. A fuller list of meetings (395) and events is given on the Society’s website 16 Patterns, Nonlinear Dynamics and (www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). JANUARY 2011 Applications Meeting, Nottingham (395) 5-14 School on Moduli Spaces, INI, Cambridge Heilbronn Conference, Bristol (393) 16-17 (395) 16-17 Induction Course for New Lecturers, SEPTEMBER 2010 10-14 Embeddings, INI, Cambridge (395) Birmingham (394) 1-3 Models in Population Dynamics and 10-14 Torsors: Theory and Application, Harmonic Analysis and PDEs Workshop, Ecology 2010 Workshop and Conference, 16-17 ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (394) Leicester (394) UAM, Madrid, Spain (395) British Logic Colloquium, Birmingham 17 Geometry & Algebra Spitalfields Day, 2-4 APRIL 2011 (394) Royal Society of Edinburgh (395) 2-5 William Rowan Hamilton Geometry and 20-22 Matrix and Operator Pencils Workshop, 4-8 Computational Challenges in Partial Topology Workshop, Dublin (393) Heriot-Watt University (395) Differential Equations Meeting, Swansea 6 LMS Midlands Regional Meeting, 20-22 Algorithms and Complexity in Durham (392) 35 Nottingham (395) Workshop, Durham (395) 15-19 The Kervaire Invariant and Stable 6 Function Theory Meeting, University 20-24 Dissipative PDEs in Bounded and Un- Homotopy Theory, ICMS Workshop, College London (394) bounded Domains and Related Attractors, Edinburgh (394) 6 Scottish Computational Mathematics ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (394) Symposium, Heriot-Watt University (395) 27-28 Statistical Properties of Rare Events, JUNE 2011 6-7 2020 Vision: Maths and Stats in Exeter (395) 6-8 Nonlinear Diffusion: Algorithms, Analysis Higher Education Over the Next 10 Years, 29 LMS Popular Lectures, Birmingham (395) and Applications Workshop, Warwick (395) Birmingham (394) 6-10 Oscillatory Integrals in Harmonic 6-8 British Topology Meeting, Oxford (391) OCTOBER 2010 Analysis, ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh (394) 6-8 European Symposium on Algorithms, 11-15 The Higher-Genus Sigma Function 26-30 Signal Processing with Adaptive Liverpool (394) and Applications, ICMS Workshop, Edinburgh Sparse Structured Representations ICMS 6-10 Multivariate Approximation and Inter- (394) Workshop, Edinburgh (394) polation with Applications ICMS Workshop, 18 Patterns, Nonlinear Dynamics and 26-30 New Developments in Non- Edinburgh (386) Applications Meeting, Leeds (395) Commutative Algebra and Applications 6-10 Fluid-Kinetic Modelling in Biology, ICMS Workshop, Skye (394) Physics and Engineering Workshop, INI, Cambridge (394) NOVEMBER 2010 7-9 Function Theory and Dynamical Systems 19 LMS Annual General Meeting, Naylor JULY 2011 Workshop, University College London (394) Lecture, London 1 LMS Meeting, London 7-10 C*-algebras Workshop, Nottingham 4-8 Set Theory ICMS–ESF Meeting, Edinburgh (395) DECEMBER 2010 (394) 9-10 Mathematics of Crime Course, London 6-10 Birational Geometry, ICMS Workshop, 18-22 ICIAM 2011, Vancouver, Canada (388) (395) Edinburgh (394) 19 LMS Northern Regional Meeting, Leeds 12-17 Highly Oscillatory Problems: From 6-10 Uncertainty in Climate Modelling, INI, 19-22 Homogeneous Structures Workshop, Theory to Applications, INI, Cambridge (389) Cambridge (395) Leeds

Sept10-NL.indd 35 27/08/2010 14:24:38 J.R. HARRIS LMS member 1879–1883 Heath & Bullingham, Plymouth

James Rendel Harris, MA Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge Professor of New Testament Greek at Johns Hopkins University

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