THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

Forthcoming THE BY-LAWS A separate form for suggest- Proposed Changes ing names to the Nominating Society Committee for potential candi- Meetings Council in June considered a dates for the 2007 elections is series of amendments to the By- also included. In addition mem- 2007 Laws. These had been prepared bers will be invited to make Wednesday to take forward several recent nominations direct in the April 24 October resolutions of Council and to Newsletter next year. Northern Regional make other adjustments to suit Meeting, Sheffield Charity Commission guidelines, ANNUAL GENERAL L. Breen along with clarification and tidy- A. Cattaneo ing of other areas. A paper is MEETING [page 4] included with this Newsletter The Annual General Meeting 1 laying out the nature of the of the Society will be held at Friday 23 November changes and the reasons for 3.15 pm on Friday 23 November AGM, London them. These changes to the By- 2007 at the Chemistry M. Struwe laws will be proposed at the Auditorium, University College J.F. Toland Annual General Meeting on 23 London, 20 Gordon Street, Presidential Address November 2007. London. The business shall be: [page 5] Peter Cooper (i) elections to Council and Executive Secretary Nominating Committee; 2008 (ii) the adoption of the Annual Friday 8 February Report for 2006-07; Mary Cartwright LMS 2007 (iii) the report of the Treasurer; Lecture, Oxford ELECTIONS (iv) appointment of Auditors; Monday 31 March AND OFFICERS (v) presentation of certificates Northern Regional to Prize winners; Meeting, Manchester The ballot papers for the (vi) proposals for changes to November elections to Council the By-Laws (see above). Monday 9 June and Nominating Committee are I hope that as many members Midlands Regional being circulated with this copy of as possible will be able to attend. Meeting, Birmingham the Newsletter. Ten candidates for Peter Cooper Members-at-Large of Council Executive Secretary Friday 4 July were proposed by the Nominat- London ing Committee for six vacancies. ANNUAL DINNER Monday 15 The current President- September Designate, Brian Davies, is nom- The Annual Dinner will be held SW & South Wales inated as the next President. after the Annual General Regional Meeting Please note that completed Meeting at 7.30 pm on Friday Swansea ballot papers must be returned 23 November at The Hotel by Thursday 15 November 2007. Russell, London WC1. The cost is THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

£42.00 per person and members may book ‘brokering’ partnerships, and helping the The EPSRC hopes this will strengthen links As this work progresses, members are invit- places for guests. The booking form, successful partnerships to operate successful- with the students it sponsors and enable it to ed to send views directly to the NSI group and enclosed with this Newsletter, should be ly. The person would be expected to work for conduct a long-term evaluation of how its can be assured that all comments received returned together with payment to the about 1 day per week, on average. students have developed their careers beyond will be brought to the attention of the group London Mathematical Society office by If any readers know of someone who may their first destinations. The LMS and EPSRC at its next meeting. Although the NSI group Monday 19 November. be interested, or would wish to do the work will also benefit from closer collaboration. does not guarantee to reply to all messages it themselves, they should contact Peter Cooper, Further details of the scheme are available may on occasion choose to do so. The email PART-TIME FACILITATOR the Executive Secretary, at the Society in the on the EPSRC website (www.epsrc.ac.uk). The address to use is [email protected]. first instance ([email protected]). membership application form for the Society FOR AFRICAN MENTORING has an additional section to obtain the infor- ICRA AWARD SCHEMES EPSRC-FUNDED STUDENTS mation required. Email [email protected] for an application form or download one The series of International Conferences on As readers will have seen, the Society is AND LMS MEMBERSHIP from the LMS website (www.lms.ac.uk/contact/ Representations of Algebras (ICRA) was involved in establishing pilot projects to sup- The LMS is one of several learned societies membership.html). established in 1974 to exchange the latest port mathematics and its teaching in sub- that are taking part in a scheme with EPSRC Members are encouraged to make results in the rapidly developing field of Saharan Africa. The Society, ICMS, IMU and to offer ‘free’ membership to EPSRC-funded their students aware of, and sign up for Representations of Finite-Dimensional the African Mathematics Millennium Science students. Under this scheme EPSRC will meet this scheme. Algebras. From the outset a major focus has Initiative (AMMSI) have received grants from the costs of students’ subscriptions (but not been to bring together leading and well- 2 the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme journals) for up to five years. IMA-LMS NEXT established experts with young researchers 3 Trust for this purpose. The project is designed Students will benefit from free member- who are just starting out, and to profit great- to counter the mathematics ‘brain-drain’ ship of the Society and consequently enjoy STEPS INITIATIVE ly from the possibilities of exchange, and from sub-Saharan Africa by supporting qual- access to a range of services that will benefit The most recent meeting of the Next Steps from associated workshops where recent ified mathematics professionals in situ. their further professional development. In Initiative Joint Planning Group, that is con- advances are presented in detail. The Society is seeking a part-time particular, participation in events (confer- sidering the formation of a new single math- At ICRA XI in Patzcuaro, Mexico 2004, the Facilitator to work on the operation of the ences, networks, etc) and keeping more ematics society, was held on 6 July 2007. The Scientific Advisory Committee decided to scheme, offering advice and assistance to closely in touch with activities in the mathe- meeting reviewed all the work currently establish an ICRA Award, to be awarded at potential applicants in the UK and Africa, matics community. under development (Vision and Mission; each session of ICRA for outstanding work by Public Benefit; Research; Constitution; young mathematicians in the field of Membership) and agreed that work on the Representations of Finite Dimensional final three themes would be started – Algebras. LMS Newsletter Journals, Finance and Administration. It is At ICRA XII in Torun,é Poland 2007, the inau- General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) hoped that a Model for Implementation for a gural ICRA Award has been awarded to Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) New Society should be ready for considera- Osamu Iyama (Nagoya University, Japan), for Reviews Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) tion by Councils in the spring of next year. his original and influential work on develop- Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) The work has been steady and many contrib- ing a ‘higher’ theory for almost split Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57-58 Russell Square, utors are hard-pressed to find time in their sequences and Auslander correspondence, London WC1B 4HS (tel: 020 7637 3686; fax: 020 7323 3655; email: [email protected], web: www.lms.ac.uk) busy schedules to contribute comprehensive- and his subsequent work on Calabi-Yau cate- Designed by CHP Design (tel: 020 7240 0466, email: [email protected], web: www.chpdesign.com) ly to this delicate task. gories, which have strong connections with Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. the cluster algebras of Fomin-Zelevinsky. The Items and advertisements by first day of the month prior to publication. Comments sought chairman of the Scientific Advisory Information in the Newsletter is free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated; attribution is As described above, the NSI group is Committee and of the Selection Committee requested when reproducing whole articles. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of developing a model that if implemented was Professor Andrzej Skowronski.é information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy would lead to the replacement of both the The next ICRA conference and workshop of the London Mathematical Society. Institute of Mathematics and its Applications are planned to be held at the University of Charity registration number: 252660. and the London Mathematical Society by a São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil from 30 July – new society. 8 August 2008. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NORTHERN REGIONAL MEETING ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Hicks Lecture Theatre 7, University of Sheffield Friday 23 November 2007 Wednesday 24 October 2007 3.15 – 3.30 Annual General Meeting (see details on page 1) 2.30 Opening of the meeting 3.30 – 4.30 Professor M. Struwe (Zürich) Fröhlich Lecture Larry Breen (University of Paris, XIII) 4.30 – 5.00 Tea 4 Differential forms: an intrinsic perspective 5 5.00 – 6.00 Professor J.F. Toland (Bath) 3.45 Tea Presidential Address 4.30 Alberto Cattaneo (University of Zürich) The Poisson sigma model The meeting will be held in the Chemistry Auditorium, 7.00 Dinner in the Rutland Arms Hotel, Bakewell Christopher Ingold Building, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1. Please note early start.

There are limited funds available to contribute in part to For further details or to reserve a place at the dinner, which costs the expenses of members of the Society or research students £28.50 including wine, email [email protected]. to attend the meeting. Requests for support, including an estimate of expenses, may be addressed to the Programme The meeting will be followed by a workshop from 25–27 October on Lie algebroids and Lie groupoids in differential geometry. For further Secretary at the Society (web: www.lms.ac.uk; email: details, see http://kchmackenzie.staff.shef.ac.uk/october07/ or email [email protected]). Kirill Mackenzie ([email protected]) or Ieke Moerdijk The meeting will be followed by the Annual Dinner at the ([email protected]). Hotel Russell. For further details see the announcement in this There are funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of Newsletter (page 1). All enquiries may be addressed to Susan members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting Oakes (tel: 020 7637 3686, email: [email protected]). and workshop. Requests for support, including an estimate of expenses, may be addressed to Kirill Mackenzie (email above). THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

5ECM The award comprises a certificate contain- Call for Registration and Abstracts ing the citation and a cash prize of
5000. The prize is presented every four years at the The Fifth European Congress of European Congress of Mathematics by the Mathematics (5ECM) will be held in President of the EMS. The recipient is invited Amsterdam from 14-18 July 2008, under the to present his or her work at the conference. auspices of the European Mathematical The first prize was awarded to David Society (EMS) and under special patronage C. Dobson (USA) in the year 2000 during of the Koninklijk Wiskundig Genootschap 3ECM in Barcelona. The prize was not award- (KWG). On the website www.5ecm.nl you ed in 2004. The endowing Institute for will find the Call for Registration and Industrial Mathematics in Kaiserslautern is Abstracts with all information about the responsible for managing the prize fund as Congress known so far. In a few days regis- well as its administration. tration will open. Please note that members Nominations for the prize must reach the of the EMS and of the KWG pay a reduced Helsinki office of the EMS by email (ulmanen@ fee. Registration before 1 April 2008 fur- cc.helsinki.fi) no later than 1 February 2008. ther reduces the fee. Please use the text ‘Felix Klein Prize’ in the subject field of the email. The complete nom- 6 FELIX KLEIN PRIZE ination must be submitted in pdf format. 7 Call for Nominations EUROPEAN MATHEMATICAL The prize, established in 1999 by the European Mathematical Society (EMS) and SOCIETY PRIZES the endowing organisation, the Institute for The European Mathematical Society has Industrial Mathematics in Kaiserslautern, is issued a call for nominations for its prizes to awarded to a young scientist or a small group be awarded at the 2008 European Congress of young scientists (normally under the age of Mathematics. Ten prizes are to be award- of 38) for using sophisticated mathematical ed to European mathematicians who have methods to solve a concrete and difficult not reached their 35th birthday on 30 June industrial problem. 2008, although the maximum age may be There are no restrictions on eligibility increased by up to three years in the case of other than those specified in the Principal an individual with a broken career pattern. Guidelines. The Prize Committee is responsi- Mathematicians are defined to be ‘European’ ble for solicitation and evaluation of nomi- if they are of European nationality or their nations, which may be made by anyone, normal place of work is within Europe. The including members of the Prize Committee. It Prizes are to be awarded for work published is the responsibility of the nominator to pro- before 31 December 2007. The nomination vide all relevant information to the Prize for each award must be accompanied by a Committee, including a résumé and docu- written justification, a résumé and a citation mentation of the benefit to industry and the of about 100 words that can be read at the mathematical methods used. The Prize award ceremony. Committee will report its nomination to the For further information contact the chairman EMS President at least three months before of the Prize Committee, Professor R. Tijdeman the date of the award. The prize is awarded by email: [email protected] or by to a single person or a small group and telephone: +31715277138. The deadline for cannot be split. nominations is 1 November 2007. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

GRAHAM ROBERT ALLAN vative. Leeds was to concentrate on three dis- Garth Dales writes: Graham contributed sem- about the life and/or work of any mathe- tinct areas of research in pure mathematics; inal papers on Banach algebra theory, and matician, living or dead. University students Graham Robert Allan died on 9 August 2007 Graham was appointed in 1970 as a professor was an international leader in his field. and the general public can write a longer at the age of 70 years. He was elected to the to build and lead a group in functional analy- I took Graham’s Part III course on Banach piece on any mathematical topic or Society on 19 May 1964 and was awarded the sis, and he was very successful in this. He was algebras in the year 1966-67. I was very much application they think the world should Junior Berwick Prize in 1969. He served the also Head of Pure Mathematics at Leeds attracted by the beautiful clear lecturing know about. Society as Member of Council and was an edi- from 1975 to 1978. style which covered the details carefully, but The winning entries will be read by an tor of the Proceedings from 1976 to 1981. However, Graham did not welcome the never became pedantic; he always took great international audience of over 200,000 in Graham was born in Southgate, north increasing burden of administrative duties, care to ensure that his lectures were accessi- the June 2008 issue of Plus. The closing date London, and was an only child. The family coupled with financial stringency imposed on ble to his audience. The material was, to me, is 31 March 2008, and more information moved to the Cotswolds during the war, but the University, and he missed the stimulation a lovely blend of algebraic foundations with on the competition can be found on the returned to London in 1943, and Graham of the very strong undergraduates and gradu- a substantial super-structure of real, com- Plus site http://plus.maths.org/competition. then attended Minchenden Grammar School ate students that he had had at Cambridge. He plex, and functional analysis. Besides the fame and glory of seeing your in Southgate, from which he obtained an returned there as a Lecturer in Mathematics Always Graham was kind, quiet, thought- article published in Plus, there are also prizes exhibition in mathematics to Sidney Sussex and Fellow of Churchill in 1978; he became a ful, and considerate; he inspired great affec- for the best submissions, including signed College, Cambridge, in December 1954. Reader in Functional Analysis in 1980, again tion in his research students and others; he copies of popular science books and an Graham served in the Royal Air Force from Director of Studies at Churchill from 1985, and was very modest about his own achieve- Apple iPod. 1955 to 1957, mainly spent at a radar station Vice-Master of the College from 1990 to 1993. ments. His former students and many friends Dr Marianne Freiberger 8 in East Anglia, and was well prepared mathe- He was Chairman of the Mathematics Faculty in the mathematical community will miss Editor of Plus Online Magazine 9 matically when he went to Cambridge in 1957. Board in 1997 and 1998. Graham retired in him greatly. Graham was a Wrangler in Part II of the 2003, but continued to teach a Part III course ISAAC AWARD 2007 Mathematical Tripos in 1960 and took Part III until 2006. A book based on these lectures will THE PLUS NEW WRITERS in 1961. He was then supervised by Frank shortly be published by OUP. Dr Michael Ruzhansky (Imperial College Smithies from 1961 to 1964; his PhD thesis Graham had about 20 research students AWARD – BRING MATHS London) has been awarded the 2007 ISAAC Contributions to the theory of locally convex over his career, so his influence on the devel- TO LIFE Award by the International Society for spaces was very much his own work. opment of his subject of Banach algebra the- Analysis, its Applications and Computation In 1962 Graham married Elizabeth ory was substantial. Former graduate stu- Plus magazine (http://plus.maths.org) is (ISAAC), for his contributions to areas of Gemmell in 1962, a town planner with dents include John Rennison (Kent), Ian Craw trying to find the science writers of the partial differential equations, microlocal Lancashire County Council. (Aberdeen), Garth Dales (Leeds), Peter future, who can make mathematics lively analysis, and harmonic analysis. The ISAAC Graham became a Research Fellow at McClure (Manitoba), Peter Dixon (Sheffield), and interesting for a general audience. Award is the biannual prize awarded at the Sidney Sussex in 1963-64, and then began a Ghotsi Haghany (Isfahan), Thomas Ransford Published online and free of charge, Plus is ISAAC Congress to a scientist of age up to long connection with Churchill College, being (Laval), Michael White (Newcastle), Frederic an award-winning magazine about maths 40 at the time of the congress for elected as a Fellow and Director of Studies in Gourdeau (Laval) and Thomas Vils Pedersen which is aimed at the general public. Its arti- particular merits in analysis, its applications Mathematics there in 1964. He moved to (Copenhagen). Important overseas friends cles by top mathematicians and science writ- and computation. Newcastle University as a Lecturer in Pure and collaborators included Anthony O’Farrell ers provide a window into the world of Mathematics in 1967 but this appointment in (Maynooth), Wieslaw ZelazkoÉ and Jaroslav maths with all its beauty and applications, INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY Newcastle did not last long: in 1969 Graham Zemánek (Warsaw), Jean Esterle (Bordeaux), and cover fields as diverse as art, medicine, became a lecturer at Cambridge and again a and Alexander Helemskii (Moscow). cosmology and sport. The Plus new writers ON GENERAL RELATIVITY Fellow of Churchill College. Graham became a Roman Catholic in 1979, award gives our readers a chance to join our AND GRAVITATION This second sojourn in Cambridge was even persuaded by intellectual considerations; he acclaimed list of authors, including physicist shorter. At that time, there was a consider- deeply loved philosophy and theology, and Stephen Hawking, mathematician and writer At the July 2007 General Assembly of the able expansion of university education in the this was a major part of his life. A full Marcus du Sautoy, and NASA astronaut International Society on General Relativity UK, and in particular the School of requiem mass was celebrated on 17 August Michael Foale. and Gravitation, Professor Malcolm Mathematics at Leeds University was to 2007 at the Catholic Church in Cambridge. There are three categories to this writing MacCallum was elected for a further 3-year expand substantially. The plan for pure He is survived by Elizabeth, and two competition: Secondary school students are term as its Secretary. At the end of this term mathematics was striking and perhaps inno- daughters, Juliet and Clare. invited to write a piece of up to 900 words he will have been in that post for 15 years. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL For details of how to make a donation He will give a short course of lectures in through the Stellenbosch Foundation the Leeds Computability Seminar, and (on SCIENCES SCHOOLS ENRICHMENT CENTRE Charitable Trust see http://www0.sun.ac.za/ 5 December) a talk On the complexity of the Educational opportunities in mathematics Professional Teachers. Participants will attend stigting/make_a_donation_give.html. Please successivity relation in computable linear and science in South African schools are still Saturday sessions at one of the Stellenbosch send a covering letter saying what you would orderings to the Leeds Logic Seminar. For fur- seriously affected by the legacy of apartheid. University Interactive Telematic classrooms, a like the money to be used for. I am very ther details of the visit of Professor Wu contact Resources are poor and the majority of chil- network which extends across South Africa. grateful for any support and always happy to Professor Barry Cooper ([email protected]). dren are taught by mathematically unquali- The website www.aimssec.aims.ac.za offers give further information. The visit is supported by an LMS Scheme 4 grant. fied teachers. The South African Government a problems page, details of AIMSSEC courses Toni Beardon, MMP and AIMSSEC National Strategy for Mathematics Science and events and ask AIMS, an Online Forum Centre for Mathematical Sciences COMPUTAT 2007 and Technology 2005-2009 states: where AIMS students and graduates discuss Cambridge University “The shortage of competent teachers mathematics and answer questions from [email protected] At COMPUTAT 2007 research in different results in less qualified and inadequately pre- learners and teachers. fields of Mathematics and Computer Science pared teachers assuming teaching roles. The South African and UK schools, linked by VISIT OF PROFESSOR and their teaching will be presented. negative consequence hereof manifests as a Motivate video-conference masterclasses, Simultaneously the 10th National Congress vicious cycle of low quality teaching, poor provide professional development for teach- GUOHUA WU of the Cuban Society for Mathematics and learner performance, and a constant under- ers and enrichment for learners of all ages. Professor Guohua Wu (Nanyang University, Computer Science will take place. The supply of quality teachers” Topics have included measurement and scale, Singapore) will be visiting the University of Congress will take place from 21–23 10 So far all the work of the African Institute for financial mathematics, calculation of distances Leeds from 26 November to 14 December. His November. For further information contact 11 Mathematical Sciences Schools Enrichment along international flight paths, astronomy, work on relative computability is particularly Tania Toledo Riverón, Scientific Secretary, Centre (AIMSSEC) has been done by unpaid avalanches, uses of quadratic equations, the concerned with various computability theoret- Pedagogical University of Holguín, Cuba (tel: volunteers. All students come from disadvan- sun and energy, the Transit of Venus and the ic aspects of the Ershov hierarchy, and relation- + 5324 482145, fax: + 5324 481168, email: taged communities and receive full bursaries. collection, analysis and exchange of statistics ships to computation using partial information. [email protected]). AIMSSEC needs to raise funds to appoint a about the different countries. South African Director and staff so as to expand AIMSSEC supports local schools with work- its support for mathematics teaching and learn- shops for teachers and learners, and seeks ing, curriculum development, dissemination of funding to expand the programme for AIMS resources and research in mathematics educa- students and graduates to work as volunteer tion. AIMSSEC is modelled on, and draws tutors in township schools. resources from, the Cambridge University AIMSSEC makes a little go a long way: Millennium Mathematics Project. My vision is £2.50 pays for a learner to participate in a for AIMSSEC to provide equally powerful and video-conference masterclass, £10 pays for a effective support for mathematics teaching resource pack of teaching materials and £300 and learning in schools across Africa. pays all expenses for a teacher for a 10-day Assisted by a large international group of residential professional development course experienced teacher trainers I have run seven followed by three months distance learning, 10-day residential professional development including travel, tuition, accommodation, courses, followed by three months distance food, stationery and a package of teaching learning, for a total of 285 mathematics teach- materials to take back to school. The total ers and subject advisers. Another 60 are enrolled cost of a 10-day residential course for 50 for the January 2008 course. A selected group teachers followed by three months’ distance will be trained as subject leaders in mathemat- learning is £15,000. ics in a new 2 year part-time e-learning course The AIMSSEC account is administered by (a continuation of the established AIMSSEC Stellenbosch University. Cheques should be course) run in partnership with Stellenbosch made payable to: Stellenbosch Foundation – University and the Mathematics Centre for AIMSSEC Cost Centre R268. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

THE INSTITUTE FOR Mathematical Imaging and Digital Media This programme will take place at the MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES, Institute for Mathematical Sciences (National SINGAPORE University of Singapore) in Singapore from 5 May–27 June 2008. Data-driven and Physically-based Mathematical imaging is a multidiscipli- Models for Characterization of Processes nary field that synergizes many areas of sci- in Hydrology, Hydraulics, Oceanography ence, technology and mathematics to pro- and Climate Change vide solid foundation, new ideas and tech- The Institute is jointly organizing this niques and understanding of almost every programme with Pacific Institute for aspect of imaging science ranging from hard- Mathematical Sciences, UBC, taking place ware design to image enhancement, from from 7–27 January 2008 in Singapore. The image representation to image understand- 3-week programme will consist of a full ing, and from modeling of pattern formation week of seminars/lectures, and two weeks of to synthesis of artistic graphics. workshops and research discussions aimed Digital media comprises hardware and at developing research collaboration. software systems that enable real-time Three main topics are covered in the human-machine interaction. It involves a 12 programme are: wide range of technologies that cut across 13 • Development of a fully integrated data- various disciplines in sciences, mathematics, driven and physical-based models for engineering and computer sciences with water resources management applications in diverse fields, including com- • Dynamic and statistical downscaling on munications, education, medicine, finance, climate change study games, entertainment and lifestyle. • Nonlinear wave dynamics and tsunami The emphasis is on the applications in modeling imaging science and digital media of the The first week will be dedicated totally to recent developments in the areas of approxi- seminars/lectures on the three topics mation and wavelet theory, numerical analy- described above. Each of the following two sis and scientific computing, and statistical weeks will start with two days of presenta- and data analysis. The focus will be on the tion by a number of invited speakers, focus- following themes: ing on the topics described above. The • Mathematical imaging and digital media: remaining three days of each of these two Mathematical methods for computer weeks will be reserved for work in smaller graphics, computer vision, mesh genera- multi-disciplinary groups. The groups will tion, image restoration and reconstruction, Where and When: address a number of concrete challenges image enhancement, image segmentation, The launch meeting will be held on associated with the three topical areas. The object detection, image decomposition, Wednesday 24th October starting at 9:30am at general idea is to arrive at possible research image representation, image compression. St Anne’s College, Oxford. collaboration in the immediate future, and • Wavelet theory and applications: Sparse Registation and more information: to draft scientific publications by the end of data representation and approximation by Tea, Coffee and a buffet lunch will be You can register online at: the workshop. For general enquiries email wavelets and redundant systems, noise provided. www.maths.ox.ac.uk/oxpde/meetings/launch/ [email protected], for scientific enquiries removal, stochastic wavelet analysis, Talks will be followed by a drinks reception registration.php email Yui Liong ([email protected]) and for inverse problems via wavelet methods. in the new Centre at the Gibson updates on the programme and registration For general enquiries email imssec@ Building/Block 21, Radcliffe Infirmary, More information can be found at: visit www.ims.nus.edu.sg/Programs/ocean07/ nus.edu.sg and for scientific enquiries email Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HA. www.maths.ox.ac.uk/oxpde/meetings/ index.htm. Zuowei Shen ([email protected]). THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

BRITISH ASSOCIATION grads project, at which a number of mathe- Mathematical Sciences Section matical organisations exhibited their work. The following day, Section President The British Association Mathematical Sciences Professor Robin Wilson donned 18th century Section Committee put on an impressive and dress to transform himself into Leonhard well-attended programme this year, ensuring Euler. He then went on to describe the life that the mathematical sciences were well rep- and works of this prolific Swiss mathemati- resented at the BA Festival of Science in York cian who was born 300 years ago. Cambridge from 9–15 September. University’s Professor Keith Moffat spoke on Dr Reidun Twarock, an EPSRC advanced Euler’s work on dynamics whilst Professor research fellow in the departments of Chris Budd of the University of Bath also Mathematics and Biology at the University of dressed up, this time as Johann Bernoulli, to York, gave a lecture entitled Microworld talk about Euler’s fabulous formula (eiπ = -1). Adventures: A Symmetry-Approach to Another mathematics session at the BA Viruses, explaining her research into the Festival looked at careers in mathematics structures of viruses by exploring their sym- from the perspective of How mathematics metries. This in turn had led the biologists to changed my life, and Professor Budd gave a a new and deeper understanding of how further session as part of the schools’ pro- 14 viruses function and enabled them to predict gramme. The Section committee already has 15 other structures. This was followed by a plans in place for next year’s festival which reception sponsored by the more maths will be held in Liverpool.

© M.R. Smith

Johann Bernoulli (aka Chris Budd) Leonhard Euler (aka Robin Wilson) THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

JAMES CLERK MAXWELL

For a scientist of Maxwell’s stature, there are My main task now is to raise the funds for few memorials to him. Maxwell himself was the statue and I hope that members of the a genuinely modest man and did not seek London Mathematical Society will contribute publicity. His early death, before his ideas to this overdue celebration of one of the had been fully absorbed, cut short the fame brightest stars in our firmament. that came to such octogenarians as Newton Our target is £300,000 and any contribu- or Kelvin. In 2006 the 175th anniversary of tions can be sent to: The President, The Royal his birth raised his profile in his home city Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh (of which Edinburgh EH2 2PQ. Cheques should be Maxwell had been a Fellow) initiated plans made payable to The Royal Society of for a statue of him. A prime site was identi- Edinburgh – Clerk Maxwell Fund. The RSE is fied on George Street in the heart of the a registered Scottish charity (No. SC000470), New Town, and close to the present building so that, for UK taxpayers, Gift Aid offers tax of the RSE, as pictured. Planning permission advantages. We have also set up arrange- has now been obtained and the project has ments for tax-payers in other countries. I widespread support. welcome discussion with those who would 16 The sculptor, Alexander Stoddart like to contribute. Any surplus funds, left 17 (www.alexanderstoddart.com) has extensive over after covering all costs associated with experience of public monuments. He was the statue, will go into a Clerk Maxwell fund responsible for the statue of David Hume of the RSE, which will be used to support RSE and Adam Smith in Edinburgh and of John objectives in science and the humanities. Witherspoon in Princeton. It is our hope that Michael Atiyah, President of The Royal the statue of Maxwell can be completed by Society of Edinburgh October 2008, the end of my term as Past President of The London President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Mathematical Society (1975–1977) THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

INSTITUT DES HAUTES ÉTUDES SCIENTIFIQUES EDINBURGH talks concerned problems of behaviour of solutions of integrable equations, orthogo- The Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, located in Bures-sur-Yvette (France), welcomes each MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY nal polynomials and discrete integrable sys- year up to 250 mathematicians and theoretical physicists from all over the world for periods ranging from two to three weeks up to one or two years. The Edinburgh Mathematical Society tems, interrelation between classical inte- 2007–08 programme is as follows: grable systems and soliton solutions of wave Created in 1958, IHÉS is an international research institute, registered as a Foundation in the public 2007 equations, Calogero-Moser systems and the interest since 1980, the purpose of which is to support and develop theoretical research in the math- 12 October, Edinburgh, AGM & Presidential Bethe ansatz method. A highlight of the ematical sciences, physics and more recently, in molecular biology. IHÉS is financed by different insti- Address, Dr C.M. Campbell workshop was the talk by McKay who point- tutions, such as: the French Research Ministry, several European research agencies among which the 9 November, Glasgow, Professor C.A. Stuart ed out those integrable systems structures Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Commission, the US 7 December, Strathclyde, Professor P.K. Jimack appeared in the theory of modular functions. National Science Foundation, and also some private foundations and companies. The EPSRC has 2008 Some further talks were presented on other now been supporting IHÉS for a number of years. In doing so, its aim is to foster closer links between British and French mathematical research centres. 18 January, Edinburgh, Professor F.C. Kirwan algebraic aspects of integrable systems. 15 February, Edinburgh, 125th Anniversary Meet- The overall number of scheduled talks was British mathematicians and theoretical physicists are invited to apply to IHÉS for visits (for more ing, Professor J.F. Toland, Professor E. Zelmanov deliberately limited so that participants could information, consult the website www.ihes.fr). They can use their stay to work with researchers 14 March, Dundee, Professor A. Stevens benefit from discussions in the remaining from other research groups in the Paris area. 25 April, Aberdeen, Professor A.A. Ranicki time. This structure proved very successful. In Director: Jean-Pierre Bourguignon 23 May, St Andrews, Professor C.W. Parker particular there was ample opportunity to Permanent Professors: Thibault Damour, Mikhael Gromov Maxim Kontsevich, For further information contact Tom discuss the work of younger participants 18 Laurent Lafforgue, Nikita Nekrasov Lenagan ([email protected]) or visit based on their poster presentations leading 19 Honorary Professor: David Ruelle www.maths.ed.ac.uk/~ems. to a fruitful exchange of ideas and forming a Léon Motchane Chair: Alain Connes basis for future developments in the field. Louis Michel Chairs: Michael Douglas, Jürg Fröhlich, Samson Shatashvili ISLAND III All of the participants clearly enjoyed the meeting and the social aspects were enhanced Long term CNRS visitors: Christophe Breuil, Ofer Gabber, Dirk Kreimer, Algebraic Aspects of Integrability Christophe Soulé, Claire Voisin by the atmosphere and the outstanding cui- This workshop took place at the beginning of sine at the Machrie Hotel and demonstrations External Members of the Scientific Committee: Curtis Callan, Michael Green, July this year, supported by an LMS confer- of the art of whisky making by local distillers. Stanislas Leibler, George Papanicolaou, Marc Mézard, Gerd Faltings ence grant. This helped to support one of our We have been encouraged to start think- WILLIAM HODGE FELLOWSHIPS 2008/2009 invited speakers, as well as research students ing about Island IV for the year 2011. at UK universities and participants from for- For the purposes of dissemination the pre- In 2000 the EPSRC committee reviewing IHÉS suggested that the EPSRC and IHÉS offer each year mer Soviet Union countries. sentations appear on the conference website two one-year fellowships bearing the name of Sir William Hodge, the eminent British mathema- The workshop was held on the splendidly www.maths.gla.ac.uk/island/island3 and a tician. The fellowships enable outstanding young mathematicians and theoretical physicists to rugged and peaceful Island of Islay. The iso- refereed special issue of the Glasgow spend time at IHÉS. At the last review in 2005, it was suggested that fellows be encouraged to lated setting drew the participants together Mathematical Journal will be devoted to the have a UK-based mentor and be involved with the UK mathematics community. and encouraged interaction. The main speak- conference. Applicants must have a PhD in the Mathematical Sciences or Theoretical Physics obtained in 2006, ers included Date, Dubrovin, Noumi, Claire Gilson 2007 or in early 2008. One of the two grants will be awarded to an applicant who has spent at Ruijsenaars, Varchenko and Veselov, whose University of Glasgow least the preceding nine months at a UK academic institution or has just graduated from a UK institution. Applications will be reviewed and selection made based on the sole criterion of excel- lence in research by the IHÉS Scientific Committee in December 2007. The Committee consists of the Permanent Professors, the Director, and the external members (the list can be found above). Fellowships would start in the autumn of 2008. Applications should be sent through the IHÉS website (www.ihes.fr) and should include: the application form, a cover letter, a CV, a publication list, a research project, two or three letters of recommendation, and a proposal for a UK mentor. Deadline for applications: 22 November 2007. For more information contact: IHÉS – 35, route de Chartres, F-91440 Bures-sur-Yvette (France), tel: +33 1 6092 6605, fax: +33 1 6092 6609, email: [email protected], website: www.ihes.fr. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

REVIEWS easy to read, and in the hands of a lively 2. G. Assayag, H.G. Feichtinger and J.F. in any depth but Wilson was able to demon- instructor would be highly suitable for the Rodrigues (eds.), Mathematics and Music: strate several of the variety of ways in which Music: A Mathematical Offering by David J. liberal arts courses mentioned above. A spe- A Diderot Mathematical Forum, Springer, mathematics occurs in music. Benson, Cambridge, 2006, £25.99 paperback, cial feature of this book is the excellent 2002. He showed how mathematics underlies the ISBN 0-521-619998, £65.00 hard back ISBN 0- accompanying audio CD of musical examples. 3. G. Mazzola, The Topos of Music: Geometric musical structure of pieces by Telemann, 521-85387; The Math Behind the Music by Dave Benson’s excellent book requires a Logic of Concepts, Theory and Performances, Purcell and Haydn, and we heard a mathe- Leon Harkleroad, Cambridge/MAA, 2006, higher level of mathematical sophistication. Birkhäuser, 2002. matically-based piece by the contemporary £40.00 hardback, £14.99 paperback, ISBN, Starting with waves and harmonics, he intro- 4. Erich Neuwirth, Musical Temperaments American composer Carlton Gamer. Bach led 0-521-81095-7/0-521-00935-9. duces the mathematics of vibrating strings (with CD-Rom), Springer, 1997. to Sullivan and Britten and the programme In recent years there has been an explosion of and resonance, Fourier series and Bessel func- finished rather unexpectedly with the Fugue interest in exploring the many connections tions, and presents a mathematical analysis of Private Passions with Robin Wilson for Tinhorns from Guys and Dolls. In its between mathematics and music. A number of the sounds of various musical instruments. He 9 September 2007, Radio 3 course we learned about the place of music UK universities offer joint degrees in the two then turns to tunings and temperaments and As is noted elsewhere in these columns, the in Robin’s life, his choral singing and his subjects, while in US liberal arts colleges it is an gives a thorough treatment of musical scales – connections between mathematics and apparently limited terpsichorean skills. ideal topic for students needing to fulfil a math- from various 18th-century tunings to contem- music are increasingly the subject of public Such a programme clearly does mathe- ematics requirement. The AMS–MAA Joint porary microtonal systems. This leads to a interest. These connections are explored in matics a great service. Our subject is too Winter meetings now regularly feature well- study of digital music and the synthesis of the two new books reviewed in this often presented in the media as abstruse attended sessions on mathematics and music. musical sounds. The book concludes with a Newsletter; Robin Wilson’s public lectures and of interest only to specialists. In this 20 In view of this, it is not surprising that there wide-ranging study of symmetry in music. This have attracted large audiences in several context Wilson came across as much the 21 has been an corresponding increase in books is an impressive book that no-one seriously cities; they have been discussed on In our enthusiastic amateur singer and G&S buff as on the subject – from edited collections such interested in the subject should be without. Time on Radio 4; and they have been the mathematician, and his and Berkeley’s as J. Fauvel, R. Flood and the reviewer’s Music Robin Wilson explored by conferences like Bridges in conversation, along with such varied but and Mathematics: From Pythagoras to Fractals The Open University London last year, which included a mathe- lovely music in which the mathematical con- [1] and a Springer book Mathematics and matical concert, and the forthcoming meet- nections were elucidated but not over- Music, arising from a European Mathematical References ing on Mathematical and Musical stressed, can only have improved the listen- Society forum [2], to Mazzola’s massive book 1. John Fauvel, Raymond Flood and Robin Instruments in Oxford this December, organ- er’s appreciation of the value and interest on music and topos theory [3]. Other recent Wilson (eds.), Music and Mathematics: ised by the British Society for the History of of mathematics. books focus on specific topics, such as From Pythagoras to Fractals (paperback), Mathematics. Tony Mann Neuwirth’s Musical Temperaments [4]. The Oxford University Press, 2006. Robin Wilson’s appearance as Michael University of Greenwich two books under review are Berkeley’s guest on Private welcome additions to this col- Passions was timely in this lection – they are very differ- context. And, unlike some of ent from each other, and from the other items mentioned the books just mentioned. above, it will have attracted a Leon Harkleroad’s book is very general audience expect- aimed at a general reader and ing (and getting) a pro- is good to dip into. It covers gramme on music rather than the traditional topics of pitch, maths. It was therefore a con- the mathematics of sound, siderable achievement for the twelve-tone scale, tuning Wilson, in his conversation and temperament, and pat- with Berkeley, to bring in so terns in music, as well as less many mathematical ideas well-known topics as change while conforming to the pro- ringing and probabilistic gramme’s normal focus on the

music. Suffice it to say that it music. The mathematics, nat- © Sidney Harris is engagingly written and urally, could not be discussed THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

A Disappearing Number The play takes place in two different times no attempt was made. The Continuum None of the main characters here did any Barbican Theatre and several different locations and all this is Hypothesis, identified as responsible for significant talking, the programme being full There is much in the world of mathematics interwoven into two hours with no interval Cantor’s mental instability and eventual sui- of scenes of intense staring into the distance that can make good theatre. Dramatists who and no breaks between scenes. Yet the pace cide, was described as trying to ‘join up’ one with furrowed brow. Commentary from cur- draw on it generally find, however, that at is kept up throughout and everything seems infinity to the next: not wrong, but it could rent experts included arm-waving excitement some point they need to explain something to flow naturally. The performances are also have been explained better. However, we from Gregory Chaitin and sage observations to the audience. There are a number of first rate. In particular I found Saskia Reeves shared a few aspirational mountain views from Roger Penrose. devices they can use, for example a lecture by entirely convincing as Ruth, even in the with Malone so it wasn't too gloomy. These four thinkers had in common an one of the protagonists, or another character opening lecture. Next in line was Boltzmann, for his insights obsession with abstract and fundamental who at appropriate times asks for something The timing of the Newsletter means that into the foundations of Physics rather than ideas and eventual suicidal mental imbalance. to be translated into ordinary language. by the time you read this, A Disappearing mathematics. Here the false certainties of But which comes first: do you need a precari- A Disappearing Number, which is centred Number will be almost at the end of its run at Hapsburg Vienna were undermined by ous relationship with your own consciousness on the story of the collaboration between the Barbican. If you do get the chance, how- Boltzmann’s introduction of probability and in order to pursue abstract foundational Srinivasa Ramanujan and G.H. Hardy, begins ever, I strongly recommend it. entropy to the basic physical laws. Plenty of questions in the first place? This rather long with a contemporary mathematician, Ruth, Peter Saunders scope here for well-ordered Viennese ball- programme did little to dispel the popular giving a lecture in which she does just King’s College London room scenes, ominous music and overlaid notion that deep thinking must be bad for enough to give the audience some idea of visuals of the sands of time. Also Malone had you, while at the same time it missed oppor- what is going on – including the important Dangerous Knowledge a trip to Duino on the Adriatic where tunities to convey in clear terms some impor- 22 fact that problems that can be stated in 8 August 2007, BBC4 TV Bolzmann took his own life, perhaps (as it tant mathematical ideas. The attractive 23 simple terms can sometimes be solved only It was a big night for mathematics and mad- was suggested) the only way for him to halt though repetitive visual images failed to by methods totally incomprehensible to the ness. After another chance to see Russell time’s arrow. make up for the thin scientific content. lay person. Crowe as John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, the We remained in Vienna with Gödel, David Chillingworth What I found especially fascinating is how programme Dangerous Knowledge pursued attempting to clarify what could or could not University of Southampton the device is made to work in both directions. the theme that too much mathematics can be be known by mathematical logic. Here the For the play is at least as much about mathe- bad for your sanity – or at least, the kind of broad direction of Gödel’s ideas came over maticians in general as it is about two abstract mathematics that probes the nature quite well (Hilbert had a walk-on role) famous ones from the past. Ruth is someone of logical thought itself. although as so often the sharpness of the INVITED LECTURES 2008 who experiences in her life many of the same Engagingly presented by David Malone, Incompleteness Theorem was allowed to fuzz things that everyone else does and yet at the after the breathless quotation from Blake into “there are some truths that cannot be Professor Andrew Okounkov same time has this other reality that is so proved by logical thought”. Gödel’s sad Random Surfaces important to her and that most people know To see the world in a grain of sand, decline into paranoia leading to his death 7–11 April 2008 nothing about. and to see heaven in a wild flower, through malnutrition soon after the death of It would have been difficult to have made hold infinity in the palm of your hands, his wife, who used to prepare his food, was The 2008 LMS Invited Lectures will be Ruth talk enough about mathematics and and eternity in an hour well conveyed. A startling clip of a home given by Professor Andrew Okounkov what it means to her and at the same time movie of Gödel, Einstein and others livened (Princeton) on Random Surfaces. The come across within the play as largely an ordi- and suitably spooky visuals the programme up the story for a few seconds. lectures will take place at the Institute nary, normal person, as she is meant to be. began with Georg Cantor and his quest to Finally to Turing, not as the wartime code- for Mathematical Sciences, Imperial Instead, the compulsion and the fascination make logical sense out of infinities of differ- breaker but as a deep thinker about thought College London from 7–11 April 2008. for mathematical ideas are mostly expressed ent sizes. Some clever graphical devices were itself: Can thought be automated? Are our There will also be lectures by by Ramanujan and Hardy, and she has to say used to try to show where paradoxes lie, and brains computers? How can such questions Nekrasov, Szendröi and others. comparatively little for the audience to under- how it is that there are more points on a line be formalised mathematically? There was no For further information contact Richard stand that she too shares that world – if not than those with rational coordinate, but it suggestion here that he declined into mad- Thomas ([email protected]) quite to the degree that they did. Ruth helps was all pretty impressionistic. There was a ness, but the combined pressures of intense or visit the website www.ma.ic.ac.uk/ the audience to understand Ramanujan and chance to put across some serious mathemat- abstract thought and the humiliation of ~rpwt/LMS.html. Hardy, but even more importantly, they are ics, such as Cantor’s argument that there are being ‘treated’ for homosexuality appear to crucial if the audience are to understand her. more decimal expansions than integers, but have driven him to eat the poisoned apple. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES MARKOV-CHAIN MONTE CARLO METHODS 25–28 March 2008

in association with: Newton Institute programme entitled Combinatorics and Statistical Mechanics (14 January to 4 July 2008)

Workshop organisers: Mark Jerrum (Queen Mary, London), Elchanan Mossel (Berkeley) and Yuval Peres (Microsoft and Berkeley).

Theme of workshop: Markov-Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a technique for generating random samples from a specified probability distribution – often one of a combinatorial or statistical-mechanical nature – by simulating a Markov chain whose state space includes the structures of interest. MCMC methods are widely applied in diverse areas such as computational biology, astronomy, finance, statistics, computer science and statistical physics. MCMC methods are only applicable when 24 the Markov chain converges rapidly to the target distribution. The mathematical 25 analysis of MCMC methods, focusing on the rate of convergence to equilibrium, has become a highly developed branch of probability theory and theoretical computer science. Lately, ideas from statistical physics and elsewhere have led to a number of variants and alternatives to the MCMC methodology. The study of these alternatives requires the development of new mathematical techniques. This workshop aims to bring together researchers from all the above-mentioned areas with the goal of deepening cooperation and promoting the cross-fertilization of ideas.

Topics will include (but are not limited to): • The context: models, problems and ideas from physics and elsewhere • Probabilistic and analytic techniques for MCMC (sophisticated couplings, Martingale methods, log-Sobolev, cutoff) • Developments of MCMC, and competing techniques • Computational perspectives (including fundamental complexity-theoretic barriers)

Keynote speakers will include: Eric Vigoda (Georgia Tech) and Fabio Martinelli (Rome).

Further information and application forms are available from the web at: www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programmes/CSM/csmw02.html. Completed application forms should be sent to Tracey Andrew, Programme & Conference Secretary, Isaac Newton Institute, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge CB3 0EH or via email to: [email protected].

Closing date for the receipt of applications is 30 November 2007. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER No. 363 October 2007

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 15-17 Recent Advances in Mathematics and ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES its Applications International Symposium, This calendar lists Society meetings and Calcutta (360) HIGH DIMENSIONAL STATISTICS IN BIOLOGY other events publicised in the Newsletter. 17-21 Future Directions in Phylogenetic Further information can be obtained from the Methods and Models INI Workshop, 31 March to 4 April 2008 appropriate LMS Newsletter whose number is Cambridge (358) in association with: Newton Institute programme entitled Statistical Theory given in brackets. A fuller list of meetings 18-20 Cryptography and Coding and Methods for Complex, High-Dimensional Data (7 January to 27 June 2008) and events is given on the Society’s website Conference, Cirencester (362) (www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/calendar.html). Workshop organisers: Peter Bickel (UC Berkeley), Ewan Birney (EBI), Wolfgang Huber JANUARY 2008 (EBI) and Richard Durbin (Sanger Institute). OCTOBER 2007 7-11 Contemporary Frontiers in Theme of workshop: The study of biological systems has been revolutionized by the 3 4000 Years of Geometry, Gresham High-Dimensional Statistical Data Analysis, advent of large scale systematic data gathering. Led by the Human Genome project, but College Lectures, London (362) INI Workshop, Cambridge (359) extending across many biological disciplines, an increasing number of large and complex 7-11 Pacific Rim Conference, Hong Kong (353) 7-11 Algebraic and Symplectic Geometry datasets has been developed which inform our biological understanding of both the nor- 8 Gauge Theory, String Theory and UK-Japan Winter School, Warwick (362) mal workings of organisms in biology and processes which cause disease. Unification, LMS Spitalfields Day, INI 16 Squaring the Circle and Other The analysis of these datasets, which has become an increasingly important part of biology, Cambridge (362) Impossibilities, Gresham College Lectures, poses a number of interesting statistical problems, largely driven by the complex inter-rela- 12 Edinburgh Mathematical Society London (362) 26 tionships between measurements. The size and complexity of these datasets make even AGM, Edinburgh (363) 18 Edinburgh Mathematical Society 27 adaptation of existing statistical techniques to biological problems novel. In some cases, 17 4000 Years of Algebra, Gresham Meeting, Edinburgh (363) the development of entirely new statistical methods is necessary. Methods developed College Lectures, London (362) 21-25 Zeros of Graph Polynomials INI and developing for high dimensional (large p) and possibly small sample size (small n) 22 Technical Publishing in New and Old Workshop, Cambridge (361) inference seem particularly germane. So do methods such as FDR for simultaneously Media, Open University (362) testing many hypotheses. 24 Centre for Nonlinear PDE Launch FEBRUARY 2008 In this workshop we aim to provide a collegial, interdisciplinary group of both statisticians Meeting, Oxford (363) 6 A Millennium of Mathematical Puzzles, and biologists to exchange ideas and challenges at the Newton Institute in Cambridge 24 LMS Northern Regional Meeting, Gresham College Lectures, London (362) UK. Drawing on both nearby expertise at the Hinxton Campus (the EBI and the Sanger Sheffield (363) 8 LMS Mary Cartwright Lecture, Oxford Institute) and worldwide expertise in statistics the workshop will involve short talks 15 Edinburgh Mathematical Society from both biologists and statisticians and less structured, collaboration-based time. NOVEMBER 2007 Anniversary Meeting, Edinburgh (363) 1-5 Recent Advances in Functional and 27 From Hilbert’s Problems to the Future, Invited speakers: R. Aebersold (ETH, Zürich), J. Ahringer (Cambridge), P. Bertone (EBI, Delay Differential Equations Workshop, Gresham College Lectures, London (362) Cambridge), E. Birney (EBI, Cambridge), S. Brunak (Denmark), M.L. Bulyk (Harvard), Halifax, Canada (361) G. Crawford (Duke), M. Dermitzakis (Sanger, Cambridge), R. Durbin (Sanger, Cambridge), M.B. Eisen, (Berkeley), J. Ellenberg (EMBL), A. Enright (Sanger, Cambridge), A. Fraser 7 4000 Years of Numbers, Gresham College MARCH 2008 (Sanger, Cambridge), E. Furlong (EMBL), R. Gentleman (Harvard), W. Huber (EBI, Lectures, London (362) 9-12 Mathematics and its Applications in Cambridge), M. Hurles (Sanger, Cambridge), T. Hyman (MPI, Dresden), D. Koller (Stanford), 9 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Information Technology, Lahore, Pakistan (362) N. Luscombe (EBI, Cambridge), E.M. Marcotte (Texas at Austin), E. Margulies (NHGRI), Meeting, Glasgow (363) 14 Edinburgh Mathematical Society L. Pachter (UCB), E. Segal (Weizmann), M. Snyder (Yale), T. Speed (UCB), H. Stunnenberg 21-22 Mathematical Thinking Workshop, Meeting, Dundee (363) (NCMLS), S. Tavare (Cambridge), W.H. Wong (Stanford). Nottingham (362) 25-28 BMC, York 21-23 Computat, Cuba (363) 31 LMS Northern Regional Meeting, Further information and application forms are available from the web at: 23 LMS AGM, London (363) Manchester www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programmes/SCH/schw02.html. Completed application 31-4 Apr High Dimensional Statistics in forms should be sent to Tracey Andrew, Programme & Conference Secretary, DECEMBER 2007 Biology, INI Workshop, Cambridge (362) Isaac Newton Institute, 20 Clarkson Road, Cambridge CB3 0EH or via email to: 7 Edinburgh Mathematical Society [email protected]. Meeting, Strathclyde (363) APRIL 2008 Closing date for the receipt of applications is 30 November 2007. 10-14 Integrability and the Gauge/String Corr- 7-11 LMS Invited Lectures, A. Okounkov, espondence INI Workshop, Cambridge (358) Imperial College London (363) A.R. CLARKE LMS member 1874-1880 © Tucker Collection © Tucker

Alexander Ross Clarke, RE, CB, FRS, Hon. FCPS Corresponding Member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg