October 2003
THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
Forthcoming LMS 2003 ELECTIONS Newsletter, should be returned together with payment to the Society AND OFFICERS London Mathematical Society Meetings The ballot papers for the office by Monday 17 November. November elections to Council 2003 and Nominating Committee are SUBSCRIPTIONS Friday 24 October being circulated with this copy Southampton of the Newsletter. Nine candi- AND PERIODICALS South West and dates for Members-at-Large of The annual subscription to the South Wales Regional Council were proposed by the London Mathematical Society Meeting Nominating Committee. C.J. for the 2003-04 session shall be: Nonlinear Dynamics Budd was nominated directly by Ordinary Members £30.00; [page 5] J.R. Blake, seconded by J. Kyle, Reciprocity Members £15.00; 1 P. Bishop and G.R Robinson, in Associate Members £7.50. The Friday 21 November accordance with By-Law II.2. prices of the Society’s periodicals London Peter Goddard has resigned to Ordinary, Reciprocity and L.C.G. Rogers as President and the current Associate Members for the 2003- M.H.A. Davis President-Designate Frances 04 session shall be: Proceedings (Naylor Lecture) Kirwan is nominated as the next £60; Journal £60.00; Bulletin [page 3] President. Chris Lance has come to £30.00 and Nonlinearity £42.00. the end of his term of office as Journal of Computation and Publications Secretary and Jim Mathematics remains free. 2004 Howie is nominated to replace him. Friday 20 February Please note that completed ANNUAL London ballot papers must be returned D. Schleicher by 13 November 2003. SUBSCRIPTION S.M. Rees Norman Biggs The LMS annual subscription, (Mary Cartwright General Secretary including payment for publica- Lecture) tions, for the session November ANNUAL DINNER 2003 - October 2004 is due on 1 Wednesday 12 May November 2003. Together with Nottingham The Annual Dinner will be held this Newsletter is a renewal form Midlands Regional after the Annual General to be completed and returned Meeting Meeting on Friday 21 November with your remittance in the at 7.30 pm at The Montague on enclosed envelope. the Gardens Hotel, 15 Montague No action is required if you are Street, London WC1. The cost is already paying by direct debit, and £32.00 per person and members do not wish to change your choice may book places for guests. The of publications. Fully complete and booking form, enclosed with this return the form if you are paying THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No.No. 319 318 October June 2003
by direct debit but wish to change your choice of INTERNATIONAL REVIEW At a buffet lunch and during informal discus- presentation of the main points to the Steering publications or add/delete a subscription to the sions in the afternoon each sub-Panel will have Group, sponsors and other key groups. European Mathematical Society. Bank accounts OF MATHEMATICS the opportunity to talk to young research work- Work has also started on a document to be of members paying by direct debit will be debit- Report 7 ers, but by 4.00 pm the visitors have to leave for sent to the Panel before they visit us. This ed with the appropriate amount on 15 January the next venue, where this cycle repeats itself. ‘data document’ is intended to contain all 2004. Other members should either enclose a Over the summer we have been busy in put- Then, on Thursday evening the whole the background information on the people cheque (£ sterling or US$) with their form or, if ting together the details of the International Panel re-convenes in London, for a briefing in mathematics and statistics, the funding they have a UK bank account and wish to take Panel’s visit in December. The overall struc- on the Royal Society’s support for research in processes, and organization and policies at a advantage of this convenient form of payment, ture of the visit is as follows, although some mathematics and statistics. national level. It will also contain a number request a direct debit mandate. Although the of the details may still change. Friday starts with another briefing, on the of ‘landscape documents’ describing the facility to pay by credit card is open to all mem- The Panel members arrive in the afternoon role of research institutes in UK Mathematics, most significant recent research in the vari- bers of the Society, it is our preference that mem- of Monday 1 December. That evening there and a users’ forum showing how industry and ous branches of our discipline. bers continue to pay by direct debit. will be briefings on the Research Councils commerce link to the mathematics research Please monitor the website and on the RAE. base. Then the Panel works on its report in (www.cms.ac.uk/irm) for the latest develop- PUBLICATIONS PRICING Tuesday starts with another briefing, on earnest. This process continues right through ments; you can email comments to me at the various ways in which the learned and until late on Saturday afternoon, by which [email protected]. POLICY professional societies support research, but time the main elements of the report should Stephen Huggett The London Mathematical Society has a pricing most of the day will be spent on preparation be complete and the Panel can then give a Scientific Secretary to the Review 2 structure for its journals that allows individual for the visits to venues. The Panel divides into 3 members to purchase them at a substantial dis- four sub-Panels, which travel to their first count. These discounted prices are intended venues late on Tuesday afternoon. for personal use only and the journals should At each venue there will be a working din- be kept among your personal belongings and ner on Tuesday evening. Then on Wednesday LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY not deposited, even temporarily, in a library, the morning will be taken up with short pre- common room or other public area. Issues of sentations covering the very best research. Annual General Meeting the journals should be accessible to other The programme for these is being proposed mathematicians or students only with your by the various host departments associated permission, given individually in each instance. with each venue. Friday 21 November 2003 University College London LMS Newsletter 3.15 – 3.30 Annual General Meeting General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) 3.30 – 4.30 Professor L.C.G. Rogers (Cambridge) Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) 4.30 – 5.00 Tea Reviews Editor: Professor M.P.F. du Sautoy ([email protected]) 5.00 – 6.00 Professor M.H.A. Davis (Imperial College) Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) 2002 Naylor Prize Lecture Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses 57-58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (tel: 020 7637 3686; fax: 020 7323 3655; of members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting. email: [email protected], web: www.lms.ac.uk) Requests for support, including an estimate of expenses, may be Designed by CHP Design (tel: 020 7240 0466, email: [email protected], web:www.chpdesign.com). addressed to the Programme Secretary at the Society (web: Printed by: Armstrong Press Ltd, Southampton (tel: 023 8033 3132, email: [email protected]). www.lms.ac.uk; email: [email protected]). Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by first day of the month prior to publication. The meeting will be followed by the Annual Dinner. For further details Information in the Newsletter is free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated; attribution is see the announcement in this Newsletter. All enquiries may be addressed requested when reproducing whole articles. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy to Susan Oakes (tel: 020 7637 3686, e-mail: [email protected]). of information in the Newsletter. Charity registration number: 252660. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No.No. 319 318 October June 2003
RESEARCH NETWORKS IN associated with the proposal, the effective- ness of the dissemination activities and the LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY SOUTH WEST MATHEMATICS extent to which the new collaborations will This call by the EPSRC Mathematics lead to the application of novel mathemat- AND SOUTH WALES REGIONAL MEETING Programme aims to establish a number of ics in other fields. Selection of proposals high quality interdisciplinary research will be dependent on the quality and merit Nonlinear Dynamics Networks. These Networks will engage of the proposed activity and on the fund- the mathematics research community ing available in competition with other University of Southampton, 24 October 2003 (including statistics and operational proposals. research) with other disciplines, to pro- For further information see the EPSRC The South West and South Wales Regional Meeting of the London Mathematical mote the transfer of knowledge and website (www.epsrc.ac.uk) or contact: Dr Society will be held on Friday 24 October at the Highfield Campus of the University of Southampton. There will be a reception and dinner afterwards. Precise details encourage collaborative activity. Rachel Woolley, Associate Programme will be posted on the website (see below). Networks must involve researchers from Manager (Mathematics) at EPSRC (tel: 01793 other disciplines, for example life scien- 44 4183; e-mail: [email protected]). 3.30 - 4.30 Marcelo Viana (IMPA, Brasil) Multiplying matrices tists, engineers and computer scientists, as 4.30 - 5.00 Tea/coffee well as mathematicians, statisticians DAVID A. SPENCE 5.00 - 6.00 Philip Holmes (Princeton) Piecewise-holonomic mechanics, and/or operational researchers from both hybrid dynamical systems and escaping cockroaches academe and industry. Professor David A. Spence, who was elect- There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of members 4 Networks are welcomed in any area of ed a member of the London Mathematical of the Society or research students to attend the Society meeting. Requests for sup- 5 research where there are challenges that Society on 20 May 1988, died on 7 port, including an estimate of expenses, may be addressed to the Programme require the application of novel mathemat- September 2003 aged 77. He graduated Secretary at the Society (web: www.lms.ac.uk; email: [email protected]). ics. Potential subjects for research Networks with BSc and MSc degrees from the This will be followed by a weekend (25-26 October) Workshop on Nonlinear include: University of New Zealand, with a PhD Dynamics and Life Sciences. The speakers are: • Supply Chain Management; from the University of Cambridge and still • Roman Borisyuk (Plymouth) Dynamics of neural activity, synchronisation and • Portfolio Choice for Financial Services and later with a DSc from Oxford University. He information processing Industry; was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical • Pietro-Luciano Buono (CRM, Montreal) Analysis of delay-differential equation • Mathematics for Genomics; Society and of the Institute of Mathematics models in biological science • Mathematics for Drug Design and and its Applications. David Spence joined • Tsuyoshi Chawanya (Osaka) Attractive structures of saddles and exotic attractors in dynamical systems with forced invariant sets Delivery. the Staff of the Royal Aircraft • Tomas Gedeon (Montana) Symmetry breaking bifurcations, normalized cuts and Networks that address research chal- Establishment, Farnborough (now the neural coding problem lenges identified by the Industrial QinetiQ!) from 1952-1964, after which he • Philip Holmes (Princeton) Optimal decisions: from neural spikes, through stochas- Mathematical and System Engineering moved to Oxford University, becoming a tic differential equations, to behavior Faraday Partnership in its industrial Reader in both Engineering and • Tim Lewis (NYU) Dynamics of spiking neurons connected by inhibitory and electrical coupling roadmap ‘Mathematics, Giving Industry Mathematics. In 1981 he was appointed as • Stefano Luzzatto (Imperial) Stability of dynamics under various kinds of perturbations the Edge’ are particularly encouraged a Professor of Mathematics at Imperial • David Rand (Warwick) Uncovering design principles underlying cellular systems: (see www.smithinst.ac.uk/news/Roadmap College, where he had special responsibili- clocks, regulatory nets and signals Launch). ties for the Teaching of Mathematics to • Ian Stewart (Warwick) Patterns of synchrony in networks – the groupoid formalism • John Terry (Loughborough) Modelling and detection of nonlinear interactions in neural systems Proposals can be submitted at any time Engineers. He was an applied mathemati- • Marcelo Viana (IMPA) Equilibrium states and will be assessed against the usual crite- cian, with strong interests in aerodynamics, ria for research Networks. The normal including turbulent flow and hypersonic Some financial support is available for research students at UK institutions and for EPSRC peer review processes will be used. flow, and in the geophysics of plate tecton- participants from countries other than North America, Western Europe and Australia In addition to quality, additional criteria ics and mantle flows. In all these studies he to attend the Workshop. For further details contact David Chillingworth (tel: 02380 that will be used in assessing Network pro- used asymptotics to powerful effect. He 593677, email: [email protected]). For queries about accommodation, dinner, car parking etc., contact Philip Langman ([email protected]). The pro- posals will include: the added value of the retired in 1991 but remained mathemati- gramme for the workshop, together with local arrangements and other information, collaborative links formed by the Network cally active in ‘retirement’ in spite of a long is posted on the web (www.maths.soton.ac.uk/nonlineardynamics /nonlin.htm). and the synergy between individuals illness. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No.No. 319 318 October June 2003
ICIAM 99 FUND (ii) Any other activity within the UK in industri- The fund will close once its resources are PS (PostScript) files, enclosing an accompany- al and applied mathematics that the com- exhausted and in any case no later than ing letter, to the Ferran Sunyer i Balaguer The Council of the London Mathematical mittee deems suitable for recommendation. November 2004. Applications, which will be Foundation. Submissions should be sent Society continues to invite applications from There is no formal form of application, but considered three times per year, should be before 1 December 2003 to the following UK residents to a restricted fund created by a information, to be provided in writing and mailed to the Convener (Professor R.J. Knops, address: Fundació Ferran Sunyer i Balaguer, donation from ICIAM 99 Ltd. Grants are signed by the applicant, should include as Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt Carrer del Carme 47, E-08001 Barcelona, awarded on the recommendation of an ad appropriate: University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS) to reach him Spain (e-mail: [email protected]). For further infor- hoc committee consisting of Professor R.J. • Brief description, purpose, duration and either by 1 November 2003, 1 March 2004, mation on the Ferran Sunyer i Balaguer Knops (Convener), Professor J. Carr, Dr B.A. intended location of the proposed activity. 1 July 2004 or 1 November 2004. Foundation, visit the website (www.crm.es/ Olde Daalhuis, Professor T. Easingwood and • Names and affiliation of those principally FerranSunyerBalaguer/ffsb.htm). Professor L. Thomas. involved. THE FERRAN SUNYER I The winner of the prize will be chosen by a The purpose of the fund is to help support • Itemised list of costs with supporting justi- Scientific Committee consisting of: H. Bass activities in the following two categories: fication. BALAGUER PRIZE (University of Michigan), A. Córdoba (i) Organisation of short workshops in the • For meetings, whether a registration fee is Each year in honour of the memory of Ferran (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), UK that continue the most promising intended to be charged, and its amount. Sunyer i Balaguer, the Institut d’Estudis P. Malliavin (Université de Paris VI), themes that have emerged from ICIAM • Other (proposed) sources of income. Catalans awards an international mathemati- J. Oesterlé (Institut de Mathématiques de 99 and ICIAM 03. • Any other relevant information. cal research prize bearing his name. This prize Jussieu) and O. Sierra (Universitat Politècnica was awarded for the first time in April 1993. de Catalunya). 6 The competition is open to all mathemati- Previous winners include: 7 cians, subject to the following conditions: • Fuensanta Andreu-Vaillo, Vincent Caselles NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD • The prize will be awarded for a mathemat- and José M. Mazón, Parabolic Quasilinear ical monograph of an expository nature Equations Minimizing Linear Growth in association with the presenting the latest developments in an Functionals (2003). LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY active area of research in Mathematics, in • Alexander Lubotzky and Dan Segal, which the applicant has made important Subgroup Growth (2002). contributions. • André Unterberger, Automorphic G.H. HARDY JUNIOR RESEARCH • The monograph must be original, written Pseudodifferential Analysis and Higher- in English, and of at least 150 pages. The level Weyl Calculi (2002). FELLOWSHIP IN MATHEMATICS monograph must not be subject to any • Martin Golubitsky and Ian Stewart, The previous copyright agreement. In excep- Symmetry Perspective (2001). Applications are invited for the G.H.Hardy Junior Research Fellowship in tional cases, manuscripts in other lan- • Juan-Pablo Ortega and Tudor Ratiu, Mathematics for three years from 1 October 2004. The person appointed will guages may be considered. Hamiltonian Singular Reduction (2000). be expected to undertake advanced research in any branch of mathematics. • The prize, amounting to 10,000, is provid- • Patrick Dehornoy, Braids and Self- The Fellowship carries a stipend of £13,510 per annum (subject to review). ed by the Ferran Sunyer i Balaguer Distributivity (1999). A single Fellow is entitled to live in College if suitable rooms are available Foundation. The winning monograph will • Juan J. Moralez-Ruiz, Differential Galois or to a housing allowance, meals in College, and to entertainment, be published in Birkhäuser Verlag’s series Theory and Non-integrability of research and book allowances. Progress in Mathematics, subject to the Hamiltonian Systems (1998). usual regulations concerning copyright Application forms and further particulars are available from the College and authors’ rights. NORWEGIAN Secretary, New College, Oxford OX1 3BN (tel: 01865-279548, email: • The submission of a monograph implies the [email protected]) and particulars are available on the web- acceptance of all of the above conditions. MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY site www.new.ox.ac.uk under “Job Vacancies”. The closing date for • The name of the prize-winner will be After being run from Oslo since 1918, the receipt of applications is Monday 3 November 2003. announced in Barcelona in April 2004. Norwegian Mathematical Society (NMF) Monographs should preferably be typeset recently moved its headquarters to The College is an equal opportunities employer. in TeX. Authors should send a hard copy of Trondheim. Contact details are: Norsk the manuscript and a disk with the DVI and Matematisk Forening, Institutt for matematiske THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
fag, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway (fax: to US$35.00 per copy (no further discounts 7359 3524; web: www.matematikkforen apply). This sale extends until 31 December ingen.no). The President of the Society is 2003. For further information and online Professor Kristian Seip (Trondheim ordering refer to the AMS website University). (www.ams.org/bookstore-getitem/ LMS members are invited to become reci- item=WRLDIR/12). procity members of NMF at half price (which currently means that you will pay less than £5 COMPUTERS FOR AFRICAN a year). Send an email to [email protected] for further information. The next ‘Ski and SCHOOLS Mathematics’ conference is taking place in The University of Zimbabwe is in crisis. A lec- early January at Rondablikk near Rondane turer’s salary is now so low that it will hardly National Park. pay for the basic necessities of life, and con- tributions made towards a pension are now H.S.M. COXETER’S worthless. Moreover no money is available for equipment. The students are in little bet- BIOGRAPHY ter condition, as it is now impossible to sur- H.S.M. Coxeter’s biography is being vive on the student grant, and with 70% 8 researched and written by Toronto writer unemployment the chances of supplement- 9 Siobhan Roberts for publication by Penguin ing the grant are negligible. Canada and by Walker & Company in the A further disaster for the Mathematics United States (authorized by Coxeter and his Department is that early this year someone family). Any anecdotes, insights, letters, can- broke in to the Computer Laboratory, did photos, etc, pertaining to the life or work smashed the computers and took away of Coxeter would be very appreciatively saleable components. received, and given due credit, by the author. With the help of generous donations from Please get in touch at robertssiobhan@ the London Mathematical Society and Sir hotmail.com, or by post at 525 Bloor St W, Michael Atiyah, Computers for African Toronto, Ontario M5S 1Y4, Canada. Schools (CFAS) has sent twenty-one comput- ers to replace those destroyed. The consign- WORLD DIRECTORY OF ment also includes a further eleven comput- ers for the Tropical Resources Ecology MATHEMATICIANS Programme which is run from the university. The World Directory of Mathematicians has CFAS is a Bristol-based charity which has so served a very useful purpose for many far sent out over 1600 computers to schools decades, but because of the cost of produc- in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. If you tion and the lack of sales of the directory, the want to know more about this charity phone Executive Committee of the International Andrew Gulland on 0117 924 8549, or visit its Mathematical Union (IMU) has decided to website (cfas.org.uk). discontinue publication. Therefore, the Further bad news from the university is 12th Edition of the World Directory of that the Professor of Mathematics, Temba Mathematicians will be the last edition. Shonhiwa, has now left. Professor A.G.R. In order to make the final edition available Stuart is acting Head of Department, and we to as many people as possible, the IMU, all wish him well in these very difficult times. through the American Mathematical Society Andrew Gulland (AMS), will discount the price from US$70.00 Computers for African Schools THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE postdoctoral research workers over periods mathematics for IT (or MathFIT), mathemati- annual series of Study Groups with Industry. of up to five years. cal finance (in a partnership with The The Partnership has produced the UK’s first EPSRC MATHEMATICS Doctoral training grants. In 2000, EPSRC took Actuarial Profession), the NERC-EPSRC pro- industrial roadmap and pathways for action PROGRAMME, 1998-2003 the momentous decision to introduce a new gramme in environmental mathematics and for mathematics and computing which pres- way of delivering resources to support statistics, and in the responsive mode, math- ents a vision for the application of the math- This article presents a general overview of research students. Instead of issuing individ- ematical biology, healthcare mathematics, ematical sciences to industrial competitive- some of the developments that have been ual studentship awards, funds would be and applied industrial mathematics. ness over the next 10 years. introduced by the Engineering and Physical issued as grants much earlier in the calendar Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Instructional courses for mathematics and Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) into its year giving universities and academic depart- Sciences. This EPSRC flagship Institute in statistics doctoral research students. To Mathematics Programme over the last five ments much greater flexibility over the mathematics was established in 1992 with a address the criticisms that the breadth of years, and some personal comments by the deployment of funds. EPSRC decided to end major grant awarded by the then Science training that mathematics and statistics PhD EPSRC Mathematics Programme Manager the individual student nomination process and Engineering Research Council, with con- students receive is more narrowly focused during that time. A fuller version has been that had operated well for many years in the tinued core funding being taken over by than those of their more mature overseas posted on the LMS web site. Mathematics Programme, believing that ear- EPSRC, and to a smaller extent by PPARC. counterparts, the EPSRC has entered into During the last five years or so, many inter- lier announcement of doctoral training The programmes at the Newton Institute productive partnerships with the LMS and esting and far-reaching developments have grants and the flexibility that these offered are widely regarded as being of very high the Royal Statistical Society to deliver and occurred in the EPSRC Mathematics would outweigh the advantages of operat- quality. The Mathematics Programme co- co-finance with universities a number of Programme, famously acknowledged as the ing a national student selection process. funds the Institute with the EPSRC instructional courses each year for doctoral 10 “jewel in the EPSRC crown.” The Programme EPSRC has re-introduced a peer review Engineering, Materials, Information & students. 11 has grown considerably in visibility, and the process to advise on the levels of doctoral Communications Technologies, Physics and Postdoctoral fellowships in mathematics. In potential for mathematics to make signifi- training grants and on enhanced stipends to the Life Sciences Interface Programmes. The the late nineteen nineties, the EPSRC was cant impacts in the research agendas of other counteract the difficulty of recruiting good Institute has done much in recent years to convinced of the desirability of giving the disciplines and research endeavours is now students in the shortage areas of statistics improve its engagement with the different most able young researchers the opportuni- widely recognised. and operational research. mathematics communities in the UK. An ties of support through the award of per- Budget increases. Over the period 1998 to Strategic programmes in multidisciplinary interesting development, encouraged by sonal postdoctoral fellowships in mathemat- 2002 the research grants budget grew signif- areas. One of the key messages of the EPSRC the EPSRC, has been the sign of closer links ics and theoretical physics. The Mathematics icantly, more than doubling from £4.6 million Council has been the need for greater con- being developed between the Institute and Programme typically supports about 8-10 in 1997/98 to £11 million in 2001/02. This nectivity of mathematics with other disci- the International Centre for Mathematical each year. EPSRC also enables the Institut came as a result of the recognition of the plines. Mathematics is not only pervasive, Sciences in Edinburgh, which holds promise des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques (IHES) in pervasiveness of mathematics and the poten- but also offers the prospect of addressing for the benefit of the community and for Paris to offer annually two postdoctoral fel- tial for the community to interact with aca- and contributing to the solution of difficult mathematics. lowships, named in honour of the eminent demic researchers in other disciplines and challenges in other research areas. That is The Industrial Mathematics and System British mathematician William Hodge for with other users who are likely to be able to not to imply that the benefit is in one direc- Engineering Faraday Partnership managed tenure in the stimulating and creative envi- exploit mathematical methods for the bene- tion. Challenges in other disciplines and in by the Smith Institute. The Faraday ronment of IHES. fit of their businesses. different contexts can pose new opportuni- Partnership is the leading mathematics Mathematics Strategic Advisory Team. The Interdisciplinary critical mass research. ties for developing new mathematical organisation in the UK that facilitates inter- remit of the SAT is to advise the EPSRC and Traditionally the support of most mathe- methodologies. To help catalyse multidisci- actions between industrial companies of var- the programme manager on the strategic matics research projects is small scale, of plinary research collaborations, several ious sizes and a wide range of academic insti- aspects of the Mathematics Programme, to the order of a few thousand pounds. In strategic activities have been introduced. All tutions. It was established in 2001 with fund- help develop the business case, and to offer order to create critical masses of interdisci- these have been co-funded with other EPSRC ing from the DTI and EPSRC. EPSRC has commentary on new research opportunities plinary research collaborations that hold programmes, other research councils or third invested £1 million in several promising – some peripheral to core mathematics – but promise for making significant internation- party organisations, each of which has research projects, and provides additional where the contribution of new mathematics al impact, an opportunity was introduced recognised the valuable contribution that resources to support a number of CASE stu- is crucial. The SAT is chaired by the EPSRC in 2001 to support major projects in which basic mathematics research can make to dentship awards collaboratively with compa- Chief Executive, and the membership con- mathematics research engages with activi- their research agendas. Examples include nies. EPSRC also contributes funds via the tains individuals whose research interests ties in other disciplines involving several computational engineering mathematics, Faraday Partnership to the long-running are broad. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
Relations with the mathematical societies. Conclusions and personal remarks The last five years have been marked by of Reading. On Tuesday 28 October he will lec- Relationships between the EPSRC and mathe- During the five years that I have been associ- many innovative developments by EPSRC, an ture in Oxford at 5.00 pm in the Functional matical societies have steadily grown during ated with the EPSRC Mathematics increased visibility for the EPSRC Mathematics Analysis Seminar, Mathematical Institute. For the last five years. Annual meetings of the Programme, I have greatly enjoyed the inter- Programme, and an increase in new funding further information on Professor Brooks’ visit, EPSRC Chief Executive and the Mathematics actions with the mathematics community and opportunities and directions. The mathematics please contact Professor Wright Programme management team are held with with others who have been keen to encour- research community must continue to engage ([email protected]) or the local organisers the Council for the Mathematical Societies age the development of the community. with those in other disciplines, not only as a in London and Oxford, respectively, Professor and representatives of the Operational Amazingly during that period I met both The means of advancing their research challenges Chu ([email protected]) and Professor Batty Research Society. These meetings have Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and saw but also to stimulate and explore exciting new ([email protected]). proved invaluable to the EPSRC in communi- the Princess Royal at the 2002 International research directions in mathematics. This will cating the key high level messages of rele- Mathematics Olympiad in Glasgow. Of require researchers to look outside the silos of NBFAS vance to the mathematics community and for course, there is never enough money to sup- their own discipline to engage in dialogue the Societies to raise with EPSRC the concerns port all the many excellent research projects with colleagues in other disciplines (perhaps A meeting of the North British Functional of the communities they represent. submitted to EPSRC, and some of the hardest even within their own institutions!), to take Analysis Seminar (NBFAS) will be held in room Public awareness activities. The EPSRC has decisions that I had to make were to decide time to learn their research language and cul- C4 of the Mathematics Building at the given some attention to increasing the wider which projects should be funded in the light ture, and to take risks in forming new collabo- University of Nottingham, on Saturday 1 appeal of mathematics. To coincide with the of peer review advice and available funding. rations and new lines of research. November, from 2.00 pm - 5.30 pm. The main International Year of Mathematics 2000, the Nevertheless, the Programme enjoys a high I remain optimistic about the future of speaker will be Professor Jerome Kaminker of 12 EPSRC financed a series of twelve posters pro- profile within the EPSRC and increasingly at mathematics in the UK. There is now a grow- IUPUI, Indianapolis, USA. The meeting is sup- 13 duced by the Isaac Newton Institute on trains national levels. Long may this continue. I ing recognition at many levels in national life ported financially by the LMS and all are wel- in the London Underground and the publica- firmly believe that the research supported by – not just by mathematicians – of the impor- come to attend. For further information, tion of an attractively written and designed the EPSRC Mathematics Programme is mainly tance of mathematics and its many contribu- please contact Dr Michael Dritschel, Newcastle brochure, Cutting Edge Mathematics, superbly world class quality. This is now being more tions to a modern knowledge-based economy. University ([email protected]). written by science writer Nina Morgan. The widely recognised. It will be, of course, for The academic community should seize the EPSRC has also supported individuals and the international review to confirm this and opportunity to communicate the excitement groups who are doing an excellent job of com- to identify areas that are weaker and others and relevance of mathematics to others out- municating the excitement and relevance of that need strengthening for strategic reasons. side the discipline – school children, opinion mathematics to school children and the wider I have visited many academic departments, formers and the wider public. public. One example is a series of workshops spoken to many groups (one whose session Alasdair Rose staged for school children by Bath University with me finished after 11 pm still etched to show how mathematics and science can be indelibly on my mind!), met interesting and VISIT OF PROFESSOR entertaining and relevant. enthusiastic people, and struggled to under- International review of UK mathematics. stand their mathematics. One of the pleas- J.K. BROOKS The EPSRC has conducted a series of interna- ures of working for a research council is the Professor J.K. Brooks of the University of Florida tional reviews to cover the remit of its port- opportunity to catalyse interactions between (Gainesville), the distinguished expert on folio. Mathematics is the sixth in the present different research communities and individ- Measure Theory, will visit London, Reading and series. A review steering group has been ual researchers who would not otherwise Oxford in October on a visit sponsored by the formed under the chair of Martin Taylor interact in the course of their professional LMS under its Scheme 2 grant. He will lecture (UMIST) with the Chief Executive of EPSRC lives. I have greatly valued and appreciated on Equicontinuity: Applications to C*-algebras and representatives of the Mathematical the good relations established with the math- and stochastic integration. His first lecture will Societies. The steering group has appointed ematical societies, and I like to think that the be in London on Monday 20 October at 4.30 an international review group chaired by initial meetings of EPSRC staff with the presi- pm in the Seminar Room, School of Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Director of the dents and executive secretaries of the mathe- Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary College. Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques, Paris. matical societies helped to generate the dis- He will lecture in Reading on Wednesday 22 The review group is expected to complete its cussions that led to the eventual creation of October at 2.30 pm in Room 314, Mathematics report at the end of 2003. the Council for the Mathematical Societies. Department, Whiteknights Campus, University © Sidney Harris THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
HODGE THEORY IN A NEW described his very non-Hodge-like results RECORDS OF PROCEEDINGS AT from that year which preceded his celebrat- CENTURY ed diagramatic methods in tensorial and The International Centre for Mathematical twistorial calculus. In the conference itself MEETINGS Sciences, Edinburgh, held a conference from Maxim Kontsevich gave a talk about his 20-26 July, to commemorate the centenary of noncommutative Hodge theory, using simi- ORDINARY MEETING Sir William Hodge, the originator of Hodge lar Feynman diagram methods to organise held on Tuesday 22 July 2003, jointly with the Edinburgh Mathematical theory – ‘one of the landmarks in the history homological algebraic information, and Society, as part of the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences of mathematics in the 20th century’ accord- solved the problem of defining (or renor- ‘Hodge Centenary Meeting’, held at the University of Edinburgh. Over ing to Hermann Weyl. There was a quite malising) the physical theory of ‘Kodaira- 100 members and visitors were present for all or part of the meeting. spectacular array of speakers, including four Spencer gravity’ (at least according to those Fields Medallists, the world’s leading experts who understood it). Edward Witten gave a The meeting was opened at 2.00 pm by the Edinburgh Mathematical in Hodge theory, former colleagues and stu- fascinating talk about the physics of gauge Society President, Professor A. GILLESPIE, who chaired a business meeting dents of Hodge such as Fritz Hirzebruch and theories (which can be thought of as non- of that Society. The President, Professor P. GODDARD, FRS, then assumed Sir Roger Penrose, and members of the abelian Hodge theory) leading to a series of the Chair. Five people were elected to Ordinary Membership of the Hodge family. mathematical conjectures. These and David London Mathematical Society: M. Carr, M. de Visscher, D.J. Hoyt, M.E. Hodge was born in Edinburgh and spent Morrison’s excellent talk (with colour Jimenez Contreras and J. Virtanen; five people were elected to Associate most of his academic career in Cambridge. He graphics, no less, a rarity in pure mathe- 14 Membership: C.A. Hoenselaers, E. Katirtzoglou, A.A. Miller, M. Pistoriu pioneered the use of differential geometry matics) on birational geometry and Hodge 15 and M.J. Thompson; and one person was elected to Reciprocity (in particular Kähler geometry) and function- theory, illustrated the prominent role of Membership: J.C. Goodwin (Australian Math. Soc.). al analysis (harmonic theory) in algebraic Hodge theory in the interaction between The Records of the Proceedings of the Society Meetings held on 11 geometry. This was revolutionary at the time geometry and string theory. and produced deep and surprising results March and 14 May 2003 were signed as a correct record. that have now become standard tools in geometry, and even in areas of physics and The President announced the award of the Joint LMS-IMA David number theory. His work also led naturally to Crighton Medal for 2003 to Professor J.M. Ball, FRS. a question of whether some of his analytical- ly defined topological invariants (the Hodge Professor Goddard introduced a lecture given by Sir Michael Atiyah, classes) of an algebraic variety could be FRS, on ‘Sir William Hodge – The Man and the Mathematician’. described algebraically (as algebraic cycles). This is the famous Hodge conjecture, one of Professor Gillespie introduced a lecture given by Sir Roger Penrose, FRS, the Clay millennium prizes for which $1 mil- on ‘Mathematical Experiences as a Cambridge Research Student under lion is offered. William Hodge’. A joint meeting of the London Mathematical Society and Edinburgh After tea, Professor P. GRIFFITHS, Institute of Advanced Studies, Mathematical Society was held on the Princeton, introduced a lecture given by Professor F. Hirzebruch, For Mem Tuesday of the conference. Sir Michael RS, on ‘Hodge Numbers, Chern Numbers, Catalan Numbers’. Atiyah gave a general talk about Hodge’s Edward Witten and Sir Michael Atiyah life, full of photographs, family archives, Professor Goddard closed the meeting and expressed the thanks of the funny stories and his personal reminis- There were talks about pure Hodge theo- Society to the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the ICMS, University of cences as a former student of Hodge. ry and the Hodge conjecture by the giants of Edinburgh and the speakers for putting on such an excellent meeting. Professor Hirzebruch described more of the the field: Griffiths, Beilinson, Green, Soulé, history of the mathematics around at that Schmid, Voisin and Bloch (in chronological After the meeting a reception and dinner were held at the Playfair time and gave an interesting lecture on order). There were also talks by Cheeger, Library, University of Edinburgh. characteristic classes. Sir Roger Penrose, McDuff and Donaldson illustrating how who spent a year as Hodge’s student, some parts of Hodge’s Kähler methods can THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
now be extended to other settings, in partic- Rees was 1970s BBC archive footage pre- ular symplectic geometry. One of Simon sumably meant to illustrate the Hodge con- Donaldson’s talks in fact announced an jecture: an Open University lecturer (com- extension of these methods to almost all plete with bad beard and flares) in front of smooth compact 4-manifolds (those with a graph of y=x, and a young man (worse
b+>1) to give an astounding structure theo- beard, couldn’t see his trousers) solving the rem for 4-manifolds in terms of a generalisa- Rubik’s cube in record time. We then cut tion of Lefschetz pencils. Having polished off back to the studio where the newsreader 4-dimensional differential topology he added 7 and 9 and wondered about a sum turned to three dimensions, giving an so hard that it was worth $1 million. The enlightening account of Perelman’s work on whole thing was mostly hilarious rather the Poincaré conjecture (another Clay $1 mil- than patronising, describing mathematics lion prize) and Thurston’s geometrisation with awe as well as the usual bemusement; conjecture, as described by Michael Singer in most people cried with laughter as it was last month’s Newsletter. This lead into a half- played back to the participants. hour discussion session on the topic, in par- ticular giving us a chance to hear Kontsevich and Witten discuss a few of the physical 16 ideas motivating the work. 17
Jean-Pierre Bourguignon and Sir Roger Penrose
The conference also featured problem ses- sions for people to ask questions (‘What was Fritz Hirzebruch Beilinson talking about ?’) and so most peo- ple got a good deal out of the week, as well Even BBC Scotland was there, filming as getting to see the most stellar collection of their ‘and finally’ piece for the 6 O’clock mathematicians outside of the ICM. News. Interspersed with clips of lectures and Richard Thomas interviews with Atiyah, Griffiths and Elmer Imperial College London THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
HISTORY IN THE UNDER- LTSN MATHS, STATS & OR Bookings should be confirmed by post with GEOMETRY & ASTRONOMY payment in advance - the cost is £35 includ- GRADUATE MATHEMATICS NETWORK SHARING OF ing a buffet lunch. Cheques should be made Gresham College 2003/4 CURRICULUM: PROJECTS PRACTICE out to the University of Birmingham. Professor Harold Thimbleby, Gresham WHY AND HOW? Professor of Geometry (and other mathe- Much of teaching and learning in mathematics is MEETING IN HONOUR OF matical sciences), will give the following This inclusive workshop is aimed at people provided using traditional lectures and assess- Public Lectures: currently teaching or thinking of introduc- ment is examination-dominated. An area that PROFESSOR R. WONG • ‘Unplugging computers’ ing history into the undergraduate mathe- has great potential for developing both mathe- City University of Hong Kong is organizing 9 October matics curriculum. History of mathematics matical skills and graduate skills is that of sub- an international conference on • ‘Magic pictures’ uniquely allows mathematics students to stantial project-based activities. Such activities are Mathematics and its Applications from 28 – 30 October acquire experience of, and confidence in, also highly rated by graduates and their employ- 31 May 2004. The aim of the conference is • ‘Plugging computers in!’ the humanities while contributing to their ers. Within undergraduate BSc and Masters pro- to share in the most recent developments in 27 November development as mathematicians. As exter- grammes the provision of final year projects is typ- mathematical research, and to enhance • ‘Computer circles’ nal pressure increases to produce literate ically available but often constrained by the international academic exchanges and col- 26 February mathematics graduates with a wide range demands on resources in defining project briefs laboration. In addition, the conference will • ‘The century’s grand challenge for of transferable skills, it is now time to and supporting students, and by assessment be dedicated to Professor Roderick Wong, computing research’ reflect on the role history of mathematics issues. However, sharing of best practice in effec- Director of the Liu Bie Ju Centre for 18 March 18 can play in UK higher education. tive management, support and assessment could Mathematical Sciences of City University of • ‘Better programming’ 19 Many history of mathematics lecturers provide a means to minimise the staff resources Hong Kong, on the occasion of his 60th 13 May have a passionate commitment to their required and to maximise the student learning birthday. Professor John Barrow, FRS, Gresham subject but are often isolated with little experience and attainment of project skills. Plenary speakers: S.S. Antman (Maryland Professor of Astronomy (and other physical opportunity to compare notes with their For staff familiar with project activities the University, USA), R.A. Askey (Wisconsin sciences), will give the following Public counterparts in other universities. This investment in staff time and required expertise University, USA), J. M. Ball (Oxford University, Lectures: workshop aims to bring together as many is often considerable and the issues surround- UK), D.J. Benney (MIT, USA), M. Berry (Bristol • ‘Why is the universe so big?’ of us as possible to pool resources, share ing assessment have resulted in a generally University, UK), J. P. Bourguignon (IHES, 21 October experience and think about the way patchy provision. The QAA Subject Overview France), A. Bressan (ISAS, Italy), P.G. Ciarlet • ‘Did the universe have a beginning?’ ahead. Issues discussed will include styles noted this as the greatest weakness although a (City University, Hong Kong), D. S. Jones 27 November of teaching and assessment, use of differ- number of (un-named) Institutions have been (Dundee University, UK), T.T. Li (Fudan • ‘What are the constants of nature?’ ent media and resources, and how the accredited as having good provisions. University, China), P.L. Lions (Collège de 9 December BSHM can help to develop the subject in This workshop will be held on Wednesday France, France), T.P. Liu (Stanford University, • ‘Are there other dimensions?’ UK universities. Speakers are: Howard 12 November at the Department of USA), Z.M. Ma (Peking University, China), 22 January Hoare (Birmingham), Peter Ashwin Mathematics, University of York. It is aimed R.M. Miura (New Jersey Technical Institute, • ‘What is a black hole?’ (Exeter), Jay Kennedy (Manchester), at sharing practice for the implementation, USA), L. Nirenberg (New York University, 19 February Jeremy Gray (Warwick) and Bob Davies support and assessment of final-year project- USA), R.E. O’Malley (Washington University, • ‘Is the universe simple or complicated?’ (Open). based activities. The number of participants USA), F.W.J. Olver (Maryland University, USA), 22 April This workshop will be held at All Souls will be restricted to 30 persons. An outcome J.M. Roquejoffre (Paul Sabatier University, The Astronomy Lectures are delivered at College, Oxford, on Saturday 15 November. of the day will be to establish commended France), S. Smale (Toyota Technical Institute, 1.00 pm and the Geometry Lectures are deliv- The registration fee (including coffee, buf- practice in key areas for wider dissemination. USA), A.C.C. Yao (Princeton University, USA). ered at 6.00 pm on Thursdays at Gresham fet lunch, tea) is £20. To register or ask any If you would like to register for this work- For further information contact College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, London questions about practicalities or the con- shop please contact LTSN Maths, Stats & OR Maggie Mak, Executive Officer, Liu Bie Ju EC1N 2HH. Admission to the lectures is free tent of the workshop, contact Eleanor Network, The University of Birmingham, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, City and without tickets. Further details can be Robson, All Souls College, Oxford OX1 4AL Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (tel: 0121 University of Hong Kong (email: obtained from Gresham College (tel: 020 (tel. 01865 281402, email: eleanor.rob- 414 7095, email [email protected]) or use [email protected]; tel: +852 2788 9816; 7831 0575; fax: 020 7831 5208; e-mail: [email protected]). Registration dead- the online form (http://ltsn.mathstore.ac.uk/ fax: +852 2788-7446; website: [email protected]; web: www. line is Friday 31 October. workshops/projects03/regform.shtml). www.cityu.edu.hk/icma2004). gresham.ac.uk). THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
DE MORGAN CENTRE (Bedford Park, Chiswick – decorated in associa- HOLGATE LECTURES tion with Morris), as well as in numerous other MERTON Few members of the Society may be aware of museums in London and elsewhere. In 1907, at 2003/04 the new De Morgan Centre for the Study of the age of 68, he found that his pottery had In 1997 the London Mathematical Society COLLEGE, 19th Century Art and Society, opened last year failed to produce much financial reward, so he extended its provision of lectures at a popular in Wandsworth’s West Hill Library, 38 West turned his hand to writing and produced seven level. The Holgate Lectures (so named in mem- OXFORD Hill, London SW18 1RZ (tel 020 8871 1144; fax: best-selling novels. There is a memorial to him ory of Philip Holgate, who helped ensure the 020 8875 9357; email: [email protected]; in Chelsea Old Church and a Blue Plaque on his success of the Popular Lecture series) provide RESEARCH web: www.demorgan.org.uk). house in 127 Old Church Street, Chelsea. help for locally based groups to invite high This commemorates William Frend De Evelyn Pickering was one of the first students quality lecturers to give a talk on a mathemat- FELLOWSHIP IN PURE Morgan (1839-1917), the eldest son of Augustus at the Slade School of Art in 1873 and exhibited ical subject, at a level suitable for those in the De Morgan1, and his wife Evelyn Pickering De at the first exhibition at the Grosvenor Gallery. 15 to 18 age group who may be considering MATHEMATICS Morgan (1855-1919). William became the most She married William in 1887 but continued to mathematics for future study. The lectures are noted potter of the Arts and Crafts Movement, paint and is considered one of the most impor- designed with the aim of enhancing the stu- Applications are invited for this an associate of the pre-Raphaelites and of tant woman painters of nineteenth century dents’ interest and awareness of mathematics Fellowship, tenable for 3 years from William Morris. He re-invented the glazing Britain. Her work is in the pre-Raphaelite style. and of encouraging them to appreciate the 1 October 2004, for research in Pure techniques used by medieval islamic potters and The De Morgan Centre is housed in an 1887 importance, excitement and beauty of mathe- Mathematics including its applications in Computing. Although this is primarily a the technique of lustreware. He was awarded hall which has been adapted as a permanent matics. Although the lectures are usually Research Fellowship, the Fellow will be the Silver Medal of the Society of Arts in 1892. exhibition space. The Centre is interested in pitched at mathematical level of the 15 to 18 20 expected to give 16 lectures a year at the 21 He was commissioned to decorate P&O liners knowing more about the De Morgan family year old they are by no means the only audi- Mathematical Institute and provide a and the Czar of Russia’s yacht. His tiles and pot- and last year they held a reunion of descen- ence that has been encountered and good limited amount of undergraduate teaching. tery can be seen at the British Museum, the dents. They have enough adjacent space for publicity can result in the involvement of many The Stipend for a University Lecturer is Victoria & Albert Museum, Leighton House (12 a small lecture/meeting and it would be a interested adults as well. Such was the success £22,191 at age 30 or above. In addition, Holland Park Road, Kensington), Fulham Public lovely place to hold an LMS or BSHM meeting. of this scheme that it has been enlarged and the Fellow will hold a part-time Library, the former Richmond Fellowship House David Singmaster extended with five Holgate Lecturers. consultancy at GCHQ, Cheltenham, for at 8 Addison Road, Kensington, the Tabard Inn 1 First LMS President. This year’s lecturers and the topics they are two months each summer, with a offering are: supplementary stipend of £3,000 a year. Professor D.S. Broomhead: The Mite’s Tale - Funding of up to £2,000 per year for from randomness to chaos; The Gambler’s travel overseas will also be available from Tale - randomness, chaos and order; The GCHQ. Appointment is restricted to Mathematician’s Tale-taking the rough with British Nationals only and is open to both the smooth. men and women. Dr H.M. Byrne: Modelling early tumour growth; Making more of experiments; Further particulars and application forms can be obtained from: Mathematics and macrophages: weapons for The Warden’s Secretary, fighting cancer?; Using mathematics to Merton College, Oxford OX1 4JD. explain experimental results. Tel: 01865 276352 Fax: 01865 276282 Dr M. du Sautoy: The Music of the Primes; [email protected] Why Beckham chose the number 23 shirt; Duelling with the monster; The search for the unbreakable code. The closing date for applications is Dr H.E. Mason: Beyond the Rainbow: UV and X-ray Observations of the Sun; SOHO: The 10 November 2003. Solar and Heliospheric Observatory; Total Solar Eclipse; Waves and the Sun; The Solar E-mail applications cannot be accepted. Spectrum: Atoms and Ions. (cont’d) THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
Dr A.B. Slomson: How to Play Games with subject, but rather an extension of play. 400 YEARS OF BRITISH its twentieth anniversary. The Society was Trees; How to Count, Probably: an introduc- When the bell rang and masters tried to founded in 1983 by a group of prominent tion to combinatorics; What computers cannot teach something dull, all you had to do was MATHEMATICS French applied mathematicians who had do; Polynomials - both simple and quadratic. to put on a studious expression, and allow The Centre for the History of the Mathematical become aware of the specific needs of their The lecturers will not charge fees for the break to continue in your head. On the inside Sciences at the Open University is hosting a one- discipline and wanted to work together for lectures themselves, an honorarium being pro- you could muck around with polygons, surds, day meeting on ‘400 Years of British its continuing growth. The SMAI now has a vided to them by the London Mathematical quadratics and prime numbers. Having Mathematics’, to celebrate the 60th birthday of membership of about 1,200, both from the Society; but the Education Committee expects missed the key point about what it is to be Robin Wilson. The speakers are June Barrow- academic and industrial communities. local organisers to reimburse lecturers’ travel human, it is no wonder that Molesworth Green, Norman Biggs, Allan Chapman, Goals of the Society expenses and subsistence costs and to cover became bitter. Raymond Flood, Keith Hannabuss, Graham The main goal of the Society is to aid the local costs. If this is not possible without out- Now, one must approach books of mathe- Jagger, Adrian Rice, Jackie Stedall and Jim development of applied mathematics side help, the LMS Education Committee does matics popularization with extreme caution. Tattersall. The meeting will take place in Room through research, industrial applications, provide a number of small grants. They are prone to diverse faults. For example, CMR15, The Open University, Milton Keynes, on teaching and the training of researchers and Further information may be obtained from they may sell more copies in a week than one’s Tuesday 20 January 2004, from 10.00 am to 5.00 engineers. the Society’s website (www.lms.ac.uk/activities/ own books will sell in a lifetime. Success is not pm. There is no entry fee for this meeting, but The SMAI strives to raise awareness about education_com/holgate_general.html) or something easily forgiven in a colleague. since space may be limited, it would be appreci- developments in the practice of applied from the Society’s Administrative Officer, Moreover, parts of this book are extremely ated if those thinking of attending would email mathematics, and to encourage and facilitate Frances Spoor (tel: 020 7637 3686, fax: 020 funny. How will Acheson live this down? [email protected] or [email protected]. such developments. The Society is thus 22 7323 3655, email: [email protected]). There is a category of mathematical popu- intended to be an organization that all inter- 23 larization (not this book) which is intellectually NEWS FROM THE SMAI ested in applied mathematics and its uses are BOOK REVIEW degenerate; this is when the author takes a more than welcome to join. In particular, it phenomenon in the material world (waves, In 2003, the Société de Mathématiques provides a meeting ground for universities, 1089 and All That - A Journey into Mathematics fish, planets, etc.) and pretends that because a Appliquées et Industrielles (SMAI) celebrates research institutions and industry. by David Acheson, Oxford University Press, piece of applied mathematics is effective at 2002, pp 178, £12.99, ISBN 0-19-8516231. modelling some aspect of the phenomenon in This book is an ideal present for friends question, then by looking at a glossy picture of and relatives who are not mathematicians, the reality the reader (or more accurately the but have enough curiosity to spend a gentle viewer) has access to the mathematics. You afternoon trying to find out what mathe- might as well try to experience music by look- matics is about. It is also an ideal stocking ing at a picture of an orchestra. It may be true filler for bright adolescents. The author gives that a picture is worth a thousand words, but an attractive tour of some proper mathemat- that merely serves to underline the tiny value ics from an elementary perspective. of the word (the Yen of intellectual exchange). The title of this slim but sturdy volume is a Look at the relationship between mathe- homage to Sellar and Yeatman’s 1066 and All matics and reality the other way (but private- That, which in 1964 I thought was the funni- ly). There is sense in admiring the efforts of this est book ever written. This genre includes particular material world to model perfect Willans and Searle’s Molesworth ouevre, and mathematical reality. Acheson’s Indian Rope it is no accident that Molesworth surfaces in Trick is a case in point. A sequence of linked the book under review. Molesworth’s world rods will stand upright and stable if one end is is a close parallel of my daily life in 1964; les- vibrated sufficiently quickly. This is a beautiful sons on mostly dull subjects were given by mathematical result, and we should ruffle real- masters who ranged from the kind through ity behind the ears for managing to emulate it. to the grotesque and psychopathic. The Buy this book. tragedy of Molesworth was that he did not Geoff Smith understand that mathematics was not a University of Bath THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
The Society also takes a strong interest in The SMAI monograph series the teaching of applied mathematics in uni- Mathématiques et Applications publishes versities and engineering schools, as well as in textbooks, mostly based on PhD courses THE INSTITUTE OF secondary education. In addition, the SMAI (DEA) taught in universities and engineering works to encourage continuing education in schools. By July 2003, the series had forty MATHEMATICS AND ITS the various fields of applied mathematics. one titles, published by Ellipses (Vols.1-9) Structure and by Springer-Verlag (starting with APPLICATIONS There are currently four specific scientific Vol.10). The SMAI also published in 2003 interest groups within the Society: three volumes of selected work of J.L. Lions. FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES • The Groupe pour l’Avancement des Since 1995, the SMAI has assumed the sci- Méthodes Numériques de l’Ingénieur entific responsibility for the journal M2AN Cryptography and Coding IX Royal Agricultural College, (GAMNI) was founded in 1973 as an inde- Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Cirencester, 16 - 18 December 2003 pendent organization and integrated into Analysis, and also in 1995 launched a new the SMAI in 1983 when the Society was European Series in Applied and Industrial Modelling Permeable Rocks IV University of Southampton, launched. The GAMNI is concerned with Mathematics, in short ESAIM (published by 29 March - 1 April 2004 the development of numerical analysis in EDP Sciences), and covering four specialist industry. journals. Quantitative Modelling in the University of Salford, • The MAS group (Modélisation Aléatoire et Workshops, Congresses, Summer Management of Health Care IV 31 March - 2 April 2004 24 Statistique) was founded in 1991. MAS Schools 25 promotes statistical methods and applied Every year the Society organizes national Modelling in Industrial University of Salford, probability theory in a wide range of tech- meetings of the specialist groups, and in Maintenance and Reliability V 5 - 7 April 2004 nologies or applications. 2001 a generalist meeting called SMAI 2001 Analysing Conflict and its St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, • The MODE group (Mathématiques de which covered the scientific spectra of the Resolution 28 - 30 June 2004 l’Optimisationet de la Décision), also various SMAI thematic groups was also founded in 1991, is dedicated to the devel- organized. It has been decided that the sec- Boundary Integral Methods III: University of Reading, opment of applied mathematics in such ond generalist SMAI meeting will take place Theory and Applications 14 - 18 September 2004 domains as nonlinear analysis, optimiza- in 2005. tion, discrete mathematics, operations The SMAI also organizes a summer school Mathematics in Signal Royal Agricultural College, research, mathematical modelling in econ- in scientific computing, the Centre d’Été Processing VI Cirencester, 14 - 16 December 2004 omy, finance and the social sciences. Mathématique de Recherche Avancée en • The AFA group (Association Française Calcul Scientifique (CEMRACS), hosted by the Mathematics of Flood Risk Venue and dates d’Approximation) stems from an associa- Centre International de Recherches to be confirmed 2005 tion created in 1989 that was integrated as Mathématiques (CIRM), and a SMF (Société a group into the SMAI in March 2000. Its Mathématique de France) venue located on CO-SPONSORED CONFERENCE goal is to promote the study and use of the Marseille-Luminy campus1. International Conference on City University, London, function approximation, modelling and The SMAI is involved in the award of sever- Mathematical Modelling and 10 – 14 July 2005 geometric design, multi-resolution analysis, al prizes including the Jacques-Louis Lions Applications smoothing, signal analysis, image analysis, Prize in applied mathematics. The prize is a tomography and scientific visualisation. Grand Prix of the French Academy of Sciences. For further details of all these conferences visit our website on Activities of the Society It is awarded every two years to an outstand- www.ima.org.uk or contact: Lucy Nye, Conference Officer, The Institute of The SMAI engages in several publishing ing applied mathematician for his or her Mathematics and its Applications, Catherine Richards House, 16 Nelson endeavours and organizes meetings, work- research developed in France or in relation Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1EF. shops, congresses and summer schools. with a French laboratory, in the fields to which Publications Jacques-Louis Lions greatly contributed: PDEs, Direct line: (01702) 356110 Switchboard: (01702) 354020 Three times a year, the Society publishes a newslet- control theory, numerical analysis, scientific Email: [email protected] Fax: (01702) 354111 ter called Matapli which is sent to all members. computing and its applications. (cont’d) THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 319 October 2003
Relations with other Learned Societies CALENDAR OF EVENTS DECEMBER 2003 MAY 2004 and International Relations The SMAI maintains and develops relations This calendar lists Society meetings and 8-12 Stochastic Methods in Coagulation 28-31 Meeting in Honour of Professor with French and foreign learned societies. In other events publicised in the Newsletter. and Fragmentation EuroWorkshop, INI, Wong, City University, Hong Kong (319) France, the Society coordinates its efforts Further information can be obtained Cambridge (314) with societies interested in related fields: the from the appropriate LMS Newsletter 16-18 Cryptography and Coding IX, IMA JUNE 2004 Société Mathématique de France (SMF), the whose number is given in brackets. A Conference, Royal Agricultural College, Société Française de Statistique (SFdS), fuller list of meetings and events is given Cirencester (319) 27-2 Jul Fourth European Congress of Femmes et Mathématiques, and is actively on the Society’s website Mathematics, Stockholm (315) involved in the Commission de Réflexion sur (www.lms.ac.uk/meetings/diary.html). JANUARY 2004 28-30 Analysing Conflict and its l’Enseignement des Mathématiques (CREM). Resolution, IMA Conference, Oxford Joint initiatives include publishing a booklet OCTOBER 2003 9 UK & Republic of Ireland SIAM Section (319) entitled L’Explosion des Mathématiques Annual Meeting, Sheffield University which promotes mathematics for a wide 2 Robert Hooke Commemoration Symp- (316) JULY 2004 audience. This brochure is going to be trans- osium, Oxford (311) 10-11 New Frontiers in Computational lated into Finnish and English. 24 LMS South West & South Wales Mathematics Workshop, Manchester 4-11 ICME10 – International Congress of Today, research, whether theoretical or Regional Meeting, Nonlinear Dynamics, University (318) Mathematical Education, Denmark (308) applied, is international. Thus, the SMAI is itself Southampton University (319) 20 400 Years of British Mathematics 12-16 IWOTA – International Workshop 26 an institutional member of the EMS and has 25-26 Nonlinear Dynamics & Life Meeting, Open University (319) in Operator Theory and Its Applications, 27 formed ties throughout the world with societies Sciences Workshop, Southampton 20-23 Towards a Predictive Biology Newcastle University concerned with the development of applied University (318) Conference, INI, Cambridge (316) mathematics, such as the AMS and SIAM in the 25 John Wallis Tercentenary Meeting, SEPTEMBER 2004 United States, the IMA in the United Kingdom, New College, Oxford (318) FEBRUARY 2004 and counterparts in Germany, Italy and Spain. 27-31 Geophysical Granular & Particle- 1-6 Pan-African Congress of These ties have led to active participation of the Laden Flows, Satellite Meeting, INI, 20 LMS Mary Cartwright Lecture, London Mathematics, Tunisia (308) SMAI as a founding member of what is now Cambridge (318) 14-18 Boundary Integral Methods III: ICIAM (International Council for Industrial and MARCH 2004 Theory and Applications, IMA Applied Mathematics) which organizes the NOVEMBER 2003 Conference, Reading University (319) International Congress for Industrial and 29-1 Apr Modelling Permeable Rocks IV, Applied Mathematics every four years. 1 North British Functional Analysis IMA Conference, Southampton University DECEMBER 2004 Together with others the SMAI has estab- Seminar, Nottingham University (319) (319) lished the ICIAM Lagrange Prize, in recogni- 12 Sharing of Projects Practice 31-2 Apr Quantitative Modelling in the 14-16 Mathematics in Signal Processing tion of a life-time contribution to applied Workshop, York University (319) Management of Healthcare IV, IMA VI, IMA Conference, Cirencester (319) mathematics. The first Lagrange Prize was 15 Belfast Functional Analysis Day, Conference, Salford University (319) awarded to J-L. Lions at ICIAM 1999 in Queen’s University Belfast (315) APRIL 2005 Edinburgh, and the second in Sydney to 15 History in the Undergraduate APRIL 2004 E. Magenes in 2003 as part of the ICIAM prize Mathematics Curriculum Workshop, 4-7 BAMC/BMC, Liverpool University award ceremony. Oxford (319) 5-7 Modelling in Industrial Maintenance For more information, please consult the 21 LMS Annual General Meeting and and Reliability V, IMA Conference, Salford AUGUST 2006 SMAI website (smai.emath.fr), write to SMAI, Naylor Lecture, London (319) University (319) Institut Henri Poincaré, 11 rue Pierre et Marie 23-27 Remarkable Delta ’03 5-8 British Mathematical Colloquium, 22-30 International Congress of Curie, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05, France, or Conference, Queenstown, New Zealand Queen’s University, Belfast (315) Mathematicians 2006, Madrid, Spain email [email protected]. (314) 19-22 British Applied Mathematics Michael Théra Colloquium, East Anglia University President 1 See LMS Newsletter No. 314 pp 22-24. JAMES WHITBREAD LEE GLAISHER DE MORGAN MEDALLIST 1908
Dr Glaisher received the De Morgan 300 papers on a wide range of topics Medal on 12 November 1908. His first including definite and numerical integra- original paper, published while he was tion, the theory of numbers, elliptic func- still an undergraduate, dealt with non- tions, particularly the development of evaluable integrals and contained elabo- series connected with the theta functions, rate tables of the integrals computed by differential equations (mainly the inte- himself. At the time of the award of the gration of ordinary linear equations in De Morgan Medal he had published over series) and astronomy.