THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
Forthcoming COUNCIL DIARY ects, meetings and conferences. 17 November 2006 The Personnel and Office Society Management (POMC) also met Meetings Council business generally falls earlier in the morning and into two categories: that Council accepted its recommen- 2007 which (at least in the short dation to increase the holiday Friday 9 February term) is confidential or person- allowance of staff and also to London ally sensitive, and that which is adopt a Childcare Voucher P. Maini routine or dull! This presents Scheme, whereby staff will A. Stevens difficulties for your Diarist have the option of receiving (Mary Cartwright who seeks items to hold read- tax-free vouchers in lieu of part Lecture) ers’ interest for a moment or of their salary. Since POMC is [page 5] two before they turn to the concerned with Society 1 later pages of the Newsletter employees and their welfare Friday 20 April to read about more specific and hardly at all with ‘Office Midlands Regional mathematical news and Management’, Council agreed Meeting events. Nevertheless, it is obvi- on the new name ‘Personnel Loughborough ous from my years on LMS Committee’ (thus increasing Y. Colin de Verdière Council that without the often the number of ‘PC’ subcommit- F. Kirwan formal and routine work done tees to four!). O. Viro by Council, its officers and sup- Council was delighted to port staff, the mathematical learn that, after quite lengthy Wednesday 30 May activities of the Society would negotiations, a new contract SW and South Wales be extremely limited. for LMS-EPSRC Short Courses Regional Meeting, With the increase in Society (see page 4) has been finalised Cardiff business in recent years, many and accepted. These week-long matters are remitted to sub- courses aimed at PhD students Friday 22 June committees. As usual, have been highly successful in London Programme Committee met the past; planning future immediately prior to Council, courses is now going on apace Thursday 25 October and reported a list of very and further proposals Northern Regional attractive future Society meet- are welcome. Meeting ings with world-leading speak- The Research Councils UK Sheffield ers. Programme Committee consultation paper on the continues to support many Efficiency and Effectiveness of Friday 23 November high quality Scheme 1 to 5 Peer Review was circulated. AGM, London grant applications, where it is Whilst the aim of reducing the Presidential Address clear that the LMS contribu- direct and indirect costs of tions make a real difference to reviewing research proposals is the viability of research proj- laudable, Council was wary of a THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
broad-brush approach, for example concen- took councillors to University College Brief descriptions of the criteria for each 31 December 2006); and it may not be award- trating resources on big grants, which would London, where the Annual General Meeting Prize are given below. Council reserves the ed to any person who has previously received be likely to disadvantage mathematics. The was followed by two excellent talks relating right not to make an award of any particular the De Morgan Medal, the Senior Berwick Society will respond to the consultation to Ricci Flow by Peter Topping and Richard Prize in the event that no candidate of suffi- Prize, the Senior Whitehead Prize, the Naylor through the Council for the Mathematical Hamilton. cient merit is recommended by the Prizes Prize or a Whitehead Prize. Sciences, highlighting the special needs of Kenneth Falconer Committee. The full regulations for each The Whitehead Prizes are awarded to math- mathematics. prize can be obtained from the Society (con- ematicians who on 1 January of the year of It is hardly surprising that the ‘Next Steps LMS PRIZES 2007 tact details as above). the award are normally resident in the United Initiative’ to prepare plans for a possible uni- The De Morgan Medal, the Society’s pre- Kingdom or members of the Society mainly Announcement and fication of the Society and the Institute of mier award, is awarded every third year (in educated in the United Kingdom, who are not Call for Nominations Mathematics and its Applications is regularly years numbered by a multiple of 3), in already Fellows of the Royal Society, and who on Council's agenda (see November In 2007, Council expects to award the De memory of Professor A. De Morgan, the have fewer than 15 years (full time equivalent) Newsletter page 8). Council received an Morgan Medal, Senior Whitehead Prize, Society’s first President. The De Morgan of involvement in mathematics at post-doctor- interim report from the Joint Planning Berwick Prize, up to four Whitehead Prizes, Medal is awarded to a mathematician who is al level, allowing for breaks in continuity, or Group, which led to discussions on the Vision and the Naylor Prize and Lectureship in normally resident in the United Kingdom on who in the opinion of the Prizes Committee are and Mission of a combined Society, on Applied Mathematics. 1 January of the year of the award. The only at an equivalent stage in their career. Grounds membership categories, and on the delicate Members wishing to nominate candidates grounds for the award of the Medal are the for the award may include work in and influ- matter of possible names for an should use the designated form, which is candidate's contributions to mathematics. ence on mathematics. This Prize may not be 2 amalgamated society. available to download from the LMS The Senior Whitehead Prize is awarded in awarded to anyone who has won any of the 3 Council concluded with the President website (www.lms.ac.uk) or can be obtained odd-numbered years, in memory of Professor Society’s other Prizes. Members are reminded thanking those about to retire from office: by contacting the Secretary to the Prizes J.H.C. Whitehead, a former President of the that the scope of the Whitehead Prizes (as of Martin Bridson (Vice President), Norman Committee (tel: 020 7927 0803, email: Society. The Senior Whitehead Prize is award- the other Society Prizes to be awarded in Biggs (General Secretary), Jim Howie [email protected]). Nominations should ed to a mathematician who is normally resi- 2007) includes all aspects of mathematics, and (Publications Secretary), David Abrahams, be received no later than Friday dent in the United Kingdom on 1 January of Council has emphasised that this includes Frank Kelly and Nina Snaith. A short walk 12 January 2007. the year of the award. The grounds for the applied mathematics, mathematical physics award may include work in, influence on or and mathematical aspects of computer science. service to mathematics, or recognition of lec- The Naylor Prize and Lectureship in turing gifts in the field of mathematics; the Applied Mathematics is awarded in even- Senior Whitehead prize may not be awarded numbered years, in memory of Dr V.D. Naylor. LMS Newsletter to any person who has previously received The Naylor Prize is awarded to a mathemati- General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) the De Morgan Medal, Polya Prize, Senior cian who is normally resident in the United Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Berwick Prize or the Naylor Prize. Kingdom on 1 January of the year of the Reviews Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) The Berwick Prize, named after Professor award. The grounds for the award may Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) W.E.H. Berwick, is awarded in odd-numbered include work in, influence on, and contribu- Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, years. The Berwick Prize is awarded to a tions to applied mathematics and/or the 57-58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (tel: 020 7637 3686; fax: 020 7323 3655; mathematician who, on 1 January of the year applications of mathematics, and lecturing email: [email protected], web: www.lms.ac.uk) of the award, is a member of the Society, is gifts. The Naylor Prize may not be awarded Designed by CHP Design (tel: 020 7240 0466, email: [email protected], web: www.chpdesign.com) not already a Fellow of the Royal Society and to any person who has previously received Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. has fewer than 15 years (full time equivalent) the De Morgan Medal, the Polya Prize, the Items and advertisements by first day of the month prior to publication. of involvement in mathematics at post-doc- Senior Berwick Prize or the Senior Whitehead Information in the Newsletter is free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated; attribution is toral level, allowing for breaks in continuity, Prize. The winner of the Naylor Prize is nor- requested when reproducing whole articles. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or in the opinion of the Prizes Committee is at mally invited to give the Naylor Lecture at a of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy an equivalent stage in their career. It is award- Society meeting in the following year. of the London Mathematical Society. ed in recognition of an outstanding piece of The award of the Fröhlich Lectureship and Charity registration number: 252660. mathematical research actually published by Forder Lectureship will be considered by the the Society during the last eight years (up to Programme Committee. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
LMS DURHAM LMS-EPSRC SHORT COURSES LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH SYMPOSIA We are pleased to report that the EPSRC has The Research Meetings Committee is respon- reached agreement with the LMS for contin- MARY CARTWRIGHT LECTURE sible for the planning of the LMS Durham ued funding of short courses for postgraduate Symposia, which have been running success- students for a further three-year period (and Friday 9 February 2007, University College London fully each July/August since 1974, with 84 potentially five years) beginning January 2007. symposia to date, in a wide range of mathe- The courses are complementary to those 3.30 – 4.30 P. Maini (Oxford) matical disciplines. In 2006 there were two that will be offered through EPSRC’s recently Emergent Phenomena – Fact or Fiction? Durham Symposia, both supported by EPSRC. announced integrated taught course centres. 4.30 – 5.00 Tea The centres are primarily offering broadening 3–13 July: Dynamical systems and statistical courses for students at the start of their PhD 5.00 – 6.00 A. Stevens (Leipzig) mechanics (organisers: C. Beck, C. Dettmann while the LMS courses are seen more as pro- Mary Cartwright Lecture and M. Pollicott) viding depth and breadth for students further Interacting Cell Systems: An Example for 11–21 August: Methods of integrable on in their PhD training. Both are intended to Mathematical Modeling in the Life-Sciences systems in geometry (organisers: F. Burstall, increase the international academic competi- S. Dorfmeister, M. Guest, F. Pedit). There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of members tiveness of the UK PhD, as identified in the of the Society or research students to attend the meeting. Contact Isabelle Robinson The Durham website (www.maths.dur.ac.uk/ International Review of Mathematics. ([email protected]) for further information. 4 events/Meetings/LMS/) gives information The Society has administered the short courses 5 about the above, and all previous symposia since 1999, since when over 30 courses have been including, in many cases, a list of participants, successfully run. The courses provide a five-day res- abstracts of talks, a symposium photograph idential lecture programme with material which (the earliest surviving photograph is from should normally be accessible to first year PhD stu- 1976), lecture notes and, for more recent dents. Each course aims to attract between LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY symposia, videos of the talks. The symposia in 25–40 participants. Recent courses include: 2004 and 2005 were as follows: • Mathematical Biology INVITED LECTURES 2007 • Euclidean Harmonic Analysis • Mathematical genetics The Geometric Langlands Correspondence • Stochastic Analysis (R Griffiths, G. McVean) David Ben-Zvi, University of Texas at Austin • Nonlinear Wave Phenomena • L-functions and Galois representations • Algebraic Topology (D. Burns, K. Buzzard, J. Nekovár)ˇ Mathematical Institute, Oxford, 10-14 April 2007 • Computational Differential Equations • Topological solitons and their applications • Optimal Stopping with Applications This lecture series will explore the geometric Langlands program, a subject of much (L. Brizhik, R. Ward, W. Zakrzewski). • Methods of Non-equilibrium Statistical exciting recent activity at the interface of representation theory, algebraic geometry • Conformal field theory and string theory Mechanics in Turbulence and quantum field theory. The lectures will assume a familiarity with first courses on Lie (P. Bowcock, P. Dorey, K. Wendland) The Research Meetings Committee, which groups and algebraic varieties. Research students are particularly encouraged to attend. • Operator theory and spectral analysis oversees the courses, would be pleased to have Lectures will begin at 2.30 pm on Tuesday 10 April and will finish by lunchtime on (B. Davies, Y. Safarov, E. Shargorodsky) proposals and ideas for further courses from Saturday 14 April. The main set of 10 lectures by David Ben-Zvi will be assisted by more The LMS Research Meetings Committee 2008. More information for potential organisers, specialized talks by Ian Grojnowski, Dmitriy Rumynin, Constantin Teleman and others. welcomes ideas for symposia for 2008 or those suggesting a course, is on the website or All mathematicians are welcome to attend the lectures. There will be a registration and later, from potential organisers and they should contact the Short Courses Facilitator fee of £30, payable on arrival. The registration fee will be waived for research others, who should contact the Chairman of at: [email protected]. Information about students. Limited funds are available to support participants. Priority will be given the Committee, Professor A.J. Scholl forthcoming courses is posted to all UK mathe- to research students and mathematicians who would benefit from attending the ([email protected]). More infor- matics departments and appropriate email lists. lectures, but who would otherwise be prevented from attending by financial mation about Durham Symposia is available For further information visit the website: constraints. Please apply by 15 February 2007 using the online application form on the LMS website (www.lms.ac.uk/activities/ www.lms.ac.uk/activities and click on the (www.maths.ox.ac.uk/~szendroi/newlanglands.html). researchmeetcom/). Research Meetings Committee link. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
BEIJING GAP MATHS TRIVIA
A Chinese member of the Association of 1. Who is the only mathematician to win an Learned and Professional Society Publishers olympic medal? (ALPSP) is very keen to find young science Harald Bohr, who worked on Dirichlet graduates who would be interested in spend- series and the Riemann zeta function, ing a year or so in Beijing, providing English- won a Bronze medal in the 1908 games language editing for their high-quality sci- when Denmark was third in the football. ence journals. They can offer a salary which is 2. What do Dirichlet, Kummer and Hensel very comfortable by Chinese standards – this have in common (besides Number would be an exciting post-degree gap year Theory)? experience for anyone who is interested in Dirichlet married Felix Mendelssohn’s entering publishing! If you would like to pass sister Rebecca. Kummer married Felix’s this information on to final year students in cousin Ottilie. Hensel’s grandmother was your department, they should contact Xiao Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of Felix and a Hong ([email protected]) direct, composer in her own right. preferably before the end of December. (See the excellent book Prime Obsession by John Derbyshire.) 6 RAMANUJAN PRIZE David Singerman 7 University of Southampton Dr Ramdorai Sujatha of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India is to receive NUMBER 17 the $10,000 Ramanujan Prize for 2006. Dr Sujatha is awarded the prize in recogni- I have a football tee-shirt commissioned with tion of her work on the arithmetic of alge- the equation for the flight of a football on braic varieties and her substantial contribu- the front and Galileo’s name on the back tions to non-commutative Iwasawa theory. In wearing the number 17 (the number I play in particular, together with Coates, Fukaya, for my team). I thought readers of the LMS Kato and Venjakob, she formulated a non- Newsletter might like to know about it. commutative version of the main conjecture The link to the shirt is at: www.philosophy of Iwasawa theory, which now drives much of football.com. the work in this important subject. An obvious choice to bolster any side The Ramanujan Prize was established at struggling to put the ball through the air International Centre for Theoretical Physics and in the back of the net. Coming off the (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, to honour young math- subs’ bench, proudly wearing Fermat’s Prime ematicians who have conducted outstanding Number 17, Galileo solves the problem with research in developing countries. The award superb positional sense. Once he knew the ceremony will take place on the 18 December incoming ball’s horizontal velocity u and at the ICTP in Trieste. The prize will be pre- vertical velocity v, he set y to be the perfect sented by Abel Laureate, Lennart Carleson. height off the ground for his volley The Ramanujan Prize is supported by then solved for x to discover where he the Norwegian Academy of Science and should position himself. As a Florentine, Letters through the Abel Fund, with the Galileo quite obviously played in the purple cooperation of the International of Fiorentina. Mathematical Union. For further informa- Marcus du Sautoy tion visit www.abelprisen.no/en/. University of Oxford THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
EPSRC NEWS The scheme has two parts: An email address ([email protected]) is publicised on Taught Course Centres for PhD Students in posters and fliers sent to research offices and Mathematical Sciences heads of departments. When researchers con- As a result of the recent call, EPSRC has fund- tact this email address they will receive a ed five centres covering the whole of the response containing information of the First mathematical sciences remit. The centres are: Grant Scheme, general information on EPSRC, and details of how to contact relevant staff • Scottish Mathematical Training Centre – within EPSRC for more help. There will be A taught course centre for UK PhD students: links to useful pages on the website, includ- A. Carbery (University of Edinburgh) ing the New Academics dedicated webpages. • A Taught Course Centre for the Where necessary this response e-mail will be Mathematical Sciences based at Oxford, tailored to answer any specific questions that Warwick, Imperial, Bath and Bristol: researchers may have, and to give the contact M. Lackenby (University of Oxford); details of appropriate EPSRC contacts. M. Pollicott (University of Warwick); J. Pile The New Academics webpages (University of Bristol), J. Gibbons (Imperial (www.epsrc.ac.uk/newacademics) are designed College), A. Spence (University of Bath) to be a central repository for all information 8 • MAGIC (Mathematics Access Grid: relevant to early stage career researchers. They 9 Instruction and Collaboration): N. Strickland include links to other pages as well as hints and (University of Sheffield), J. Gajjar (University tips to aid those preparing their first applica- of Manchester) tion for funding. If you wish to discuss this ini- • A National Taught Course Centre in Oper- tiative further, or would like more information, ational Research (NATCOR): K. Glazebrook please contact Dr Katie Finch (Katie.Finch@ (Lancaster University) epsrc.ac.uk, tel: 01793 444 097). • Academy for PhD Training in Statistics (APTS): W.S. Kendall (University of Warwick) Computational Engineering Mathematics (CEM) All the courses will start in October 2007 There has been a review of the 6-year joint and all centres will be making their material mathematics/engineering managed pro- available electronically in some form or other; gramme which started off as the CPDE initia- they will also have information on their web tive (Computational Partial Differential pages. Many of the consortia are delivering Equations) and was renamed after the sec- courses remotely so it may be possible for ond year as the CEM Initiative. This report departments not involved in these consortia will be on our web-site in the next two to link in with them if they have the appro- weeks. More importantly, we have produced priate technology. Other consortia are giving a research highlights booklet which contains physical lectures and, again, it may be possi- six case studies of research supported ble for your students to join them. For further through that initiative. If you would like a information, contact the co-ordinators. copy email [email protected].
New Academics Initiative Mathematical Sciences CASE Projects call 2007 EPSRC has launched a new activity entitled The Mathematical Sciences Programme CASE New Academics. The aim is to make it less project studentship exercise will continue to daunting for early stage career academics to run in 2007. Applications for collaborative contact EPSRC and get information on our projects in mathematics, statistics and opera- funding schemes. tional research with a non-academic partner
cont’d THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
are invited. There will be a maximum of Message from Annette Bramley, Programme 20 awards. Applicants seeking CASE project Manager for Mathematical Sciences studentships should complete a I am writing to let you all know that I will Mathematical Sciences CASE Project shortly be leaving the Mathematical Sciences Application Form for each studentship. The Programme at EPSRC to take up the role of original plus six copies of the form and the Engineering Programme Manager. My suc- case for support should be sent in hard copy cessor will be Mr David Harman, who brings to the EPSRC Mathematical Sciences with him a wealth of experience from many Programme by 8 December 2006. years at EPSRC. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to Maths for Engineers Summer Schools work with the Mathematics, Statistics and OR EPSRC plans to invest £300k on the develop- communities for the past three and a half ment of a series of training courses aimed at years. I have always enjoyed my interactions increasing the mathematical competencies of with the mathematical sciences community, UK postgraduate engineers, and exposing particularly through visits to institutions. I am them to the latest mathematical techniques. very excited about the substantial EPSRC Proposals for summer schools are sought to investments in the Mathematical Sciences fol- address specific areas of engineering lowing the International Reviews and 10 research. The aim of this initiative is to: although I will no longer be directly involved 11 • Provide postgraduate students with a I will be following the progress here with greater understanding and knowledge of interest! I was so inspired by the way the contemporary mathematical techniques in Mathematical Sciences community came core areas of engineering research; together to put forward the suite of taught • Provide an opportunity for Engineering course centres for PhD students which I hope PhD students to network with fellow will really offer our PhD students a new train- students, academic tutors and where ing experience. appropriate industrialists. I would like to thank you all for your sup- Summer Schools should focus on a specific port and input during my time as engineering topic of benefit to at least 30 UK Programme Manager and hope that our based engineering PhD students. Each paths will cross again at some point in Summer School should: the future. • Focus on the underpinning mathematical techniques required for the identified engi- With very best wishes, neering theme, covering the newest math- Annette ematical methods/techniques available. • Be run as a collaborative effort between PROBABILITY, STATISTICS & Engineers and Mathematicians, and could involve applicants from multiple institutions. FINANCIAL STOCHASTICS • Where appropriate involve industry, to Middlesex University is organising an interna- demonstrate the application of mathemat- tional workshop on Recent advances in prob- ical techniques. ability, statistics and financial stochastics to Closing date for applications: 4 pm on be held on 18-19 December in the Drawing 5 December 2006. Room in the Mansion at Trent Park campus. Please see the EPSRC website for full The workshop is supported by a grant from details of all calls, announcements and LMS. Further details at http://mubs.mdx.ac.uk/ information: www.epsrc.ac.uk. conferences/PSFS/. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
VISIT OF PROFESSOR INTERNATIONAL CENTRE and subsistence of a proportion of the mitted by 31 January or 31 July respectively. participants. ICMS staff will undertake all Information is available at www.newton. I.S. BORISOV FOR MATHEMATICAL non-scientific administration connected with cam.ac.uk/callprop.html. Professor I.S. Borisov (Institute of SCIENCES the workshop. One of the Scientific Mathematics, Novosibirsk) will be visiting the Call for Proposals Organisers (often an author of the initial pro- MATHEMATICAL UK during December supported by an LMS posal) will be appointed Principal Organiser scheme 2 grant. Professor Borisov is a Proposals are now invited for workshops to and be the main point of contact. WEEKENDS specialist in the theory of stochastic processes be held at the International Centre for For enquiries about ICMS or the proce- Over the last few years the European and random measures (Poisson, compound Mathematical Sciences (ICMS) in Edinburgh dures for submitting a proposal, please con- Mathematical Society has been holding occa- Poisson and Gaussian approximations). in 2008. ICMS particularly welcomes propos- tact Morag Burton, Workshops Co-ordinator, sional ‘joint mathematical weekends’. These He will give lectures at: als for workshops in rapidly-developing and ICMS ([email protected]). start on a Friday, and finish on the Sunday, • University of Leeds, 8 December (contact newly-emerging areas where there is a need both at lunchtime, so that they can be A. Veretennikov: email veretenn@maths. to evaluate new developments quickly. ISAAC NEWTON INSTITUTE attended during term-time. Each covers leeds.ac.uk) The Programme Committee will consider around four subjects, chosen by the local Call for Proposals • University of Leicester, 12 December (contact: proposals three times each year: in organisers to fit the research strengths of the M. Tretyakov: email [email protected]) December, July and March. Submissions will The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical local mathematicians, or new subjects they • University of Nottingham, 14 December be accepted at any time but applicants Sciences is a national research institute in would want to develop. For each subject, a (contact: S.A. Utev: email Sergey.Utev@ should allow sufficient time (we recommend Cambridge. It aims to bring together mathe- plenary lecture and two half-days of parallel 12 nottingham.ac.uk) three clear months) for proposals to be matical scientists from UK universities and sessions are organised. 13 For further information contact Dr S. reviewed and for the proposers to react to leading experts from overseas for concentrat- There have been five such events held Novak, Middlesex University (email: S.Novak@ the referees’ comments. ed research on specialised topics in all since 2003. They are listed at mdx.ac.uk, tel: 0208 4114258, fax: 0208 The current round of proposals should be branches of the mathematical sciences from www.emis.de/etc/former-weekends.html and 4114258). received by the last day of March 2007 in pure mathematics, applied mathematics www.math.sciences.univ-nantes.fr/WEM2006. order to be considered at the Programme and statistics, to theoretical aspects of Note that none has been held in the UK. YORKSHIRE AND DURHAM Committee meeting in July 2007. Organisers any discipline. Programme Committee would like to hear can expect to receive comments from At any time there are two visitor pro- from any Department in the UK which would GEOMETRY DAY reviewers about 8 weeks after the submission grammes in progress, each with about twen- like to consider hosting an EMS mathematical There will be a Yorkshire and Durham deadline. ty scientists in residence. Included within weekend within the next few years. Contact Geometry Day on Monday 12 January from Applicants should bear in mind the time these programmes are periods of particularly Stephen Huggett, Programme Secretary 11:00 am to 5:15 pm in the Willmore Room in needed to plan the meeting if a proposal is intense activity including instructional cours- ([email protected]). the Department of Mathematical Sciences, accepted for inclusion in the ICMS Workshop es and workshops. Seventy-seven pro- Durham University. Talks will be given by: Programme. Small meetings can be organ- grammes have now been completed, the UK-JAPAN WINTER • Dmitri Alekseevsky (Edinburgh) ized in 6-8 months from acceptance; others most recent being The Painlevé Equations • Simon Donaldson (Imperial College London) may require at least 12 months planning. and Monodromy Problems and Spectral SCHOOL 2007 • Tim Perutz (Cambridge) Potential organisers should contact ICMS Theory and Partial Differential Equations. The UK-Japan Winter Schools have been held • Luc Vrancken (Valenciennes) as early as possible to discuss ideas before The programmes currently taking place are since 1999. Every year the focus is on a special All interested are welcome to attend, submitting a firm proposal. The proposal Noncommutative Geometry and Stochastic topic. For the next Winter School the topic will although the organisers would appreciate document should not normally exceed five Computation in the Biological Sciences. be Number Theory. The aim of the School is to your letting them know if you plan to come. pages and should be submitted electronically The Institute invites proposals for research bring together Japanese and UK scientists, in For further information email John Bolton (PDF, PS, Word or DVI). Full instructions on programmes in any branch of mathematics or particular also young researchers and students (john.bolton@durham. ac.uk) or Wilhelm how to submit a proposal, together with the mathematical sciences. The Scientific from mathematics and mathematical physics, Klingenberg (wilhelm.klingenberg@durham. details of the refereeing process and criteria Steering Committee usually meets twice each in a relaxing and stimulating atmosphere. It ac.uk), or visit the website www.maths.dur. for selection, can be found on these web year to consider proposals for programmes will be held 7-10 January at the Centre for ac.uk/dma0jb/ydgd.html. The Yorkshire and pages: http://icms.org.uk/proposals.php. (of 4-week, 4-month or 6-month duration) to Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge. For fur- Durham Geometry Days are supported by an Successful applicants will be offered a run two or three years later. Proposals to be ther information visit the website LMS grant. funding package to contribute to the travel considered at these meetings should be sub- http://euclid.ucc.ie and click on the link. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
EUROPEAN WOMEN cal education, with a talk given by Toni Beardon (Cambridge, UK) speaking on the IN MATHEMATICS impact of computers and the internet on First Announcement globalising mathematics education. In addi- The 13th general meeting of European tion there will be an afternoon devoted to Women in Mathematics (EWM07), open to short talks and posters from PhD and post- members and non-members of EWM, will doctoral students, which will have parallel take place at the Centre for Mathematical sessions. A discussion on the role and future Sciences (CMS), University of Cambridge from of EWM is also planned. lunchtime on Monday 3 September to A conference banquet has been arranged lunchtime on Thursday 6 September 2007. at Trinity College, Cambridge on Wednesday Accommodation has been arranged at 5th September. There will also be receptions Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. at Newnham College and at the Master’s Many have been amazed and encouraged Lodge, Trinity College on the other evenings. by the experience of attending an EWM con- Participants will have the chance to go on a ference, never having previously been part of punting trip on the river in Cambridge. The a group of over 100 women listening intent- aim is to provide some childcare during the ly to a talk on state-of-the-art mathematical conference. 14 research, or had the opportunity to meet and There is a registration fee of £60 (£30 for 15 talk to women mathematicians in a variety of students) for the conference. The conference fields. The conferences have sparked collabo- dinner costs around an extra £35 per person. rations, follow-on meetings on related We may be able to reduce these costs if suffi- themes and, most importantly, have inspired cient sponsorship is found. Accommodation many women from graduate students to pro- at Fitzwilliam College costs between fessors as they develop their careers as work- £29.00–£41.60 per night (42.50–61.00) for ing mathematicians. bed and breakfast, depending on facilities. Talks at EWM07 will cover a range of math- The Organising Committee hopes to ematical areas. The invited speakers are obtain some funding for participants, partic- among the very best in their areas of ularly students and participants from devel- research, and we hope that there will be oping countries. In addition, opportunities something to interest all mathematicians. are available for women from developing Confirmed speakers so far include: countries to visit the ICTP in Trieste for a few • Natalia Berloff (Cambridge, UK) Quantum weeks around the time of this conference. fluids Please let us know if you would be interested • Lenore Blum (Carnegie Mellon University, in applying for such a visit. USA) Theoretical Computer Science Organizing Committee: Eva Bayer • Simone Gutt (Univ. Libre de Bruxelles) (Lausanne, Switzerland), Anne Davis Symplectic Geometry (Cambridge, UK), Catherine Hobbs (Oxford • Eleny Ionel (Stanford, USA) Symplectic Brookes, UK), Marjo Lipponen-Sahli (Turku, Geometry Finland), Ursula Martin (Queen Mary, London, • Dusa McDuff (Stonybrook, USA) Symplectic UK), Sylvie Paycha (Blaise Pascal, Clermont Geometry Ferrand, France) Caroline Series (Warwick, UK). • Cheryl Praeger (University of Western If you are interested in attending the meet- Australia) Group Theory ing, please email Amanda Stagg (ewm07@ • Vera Sos (Budapest) Combinatorics maths.cam.ac.uk). For further information visit There will also be a session on mathemati- the website: www.maths.cam.ac.uk/ewm. THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
BMC07 SWANSEA • Round Table: Publishing in the Future For further information contact B. Zegarlinski Hydrodynamics, Number Theory. The list of 16–19 April 2007 (organised by S. Hezlet) ([email protected]) or visit the web- invited speakers includes: • Presentation of the British Mathematical site www.ma.ic.ac.uk/~boz/ND06/ND06.html. The programme for the BMC07 is now more Olympiad Committee The host institution would like to acknowl- • A. Agrachev (Trieste, Italy) or less fixed. We expect as Plenary Speakers: We will also have a more extended out- edge the support of London Mathematical • J. Palis (IMPA, Brasil) • H.D. Cao (Lehigh University) reach programme. It is a pleasure to Society Scheme 3 grant which makes this • A. Varchenko (Chapel Hill, USA) • A. Connes (Collège de France) announce a Public Lecture by Caroline Series. meeting possible. • O. Viro (Uppsala, Sweden) • H. McKean (Courant Institute) Moreover, during the BMC07 Techniquest/ • B. Khesin (Toronto, Canada) • D. Stroock (MIT) mathcymru will organise lectures and events OPEN UNIVERSITY WINTER • E. Shustin (Tel Aviv, Israel) The meeting will be opened by Professor for school children on our Campus. This will • P. Biran (Tel Aviv, Israel) R. Davies, VC Swansea University, on 16 April include a fun lecture by our own David COMBINATORICS MEETING • S. Novikov (Maryland, USA and Moscow, 2007. As 15 April 1707 is the birthday of Williams. The 2007 Open University Winter Russia) Leonard Euler, Ivor Grattan-Guinness has Many publishers have already agreed to Combinatorics Meeting will be held on • Ya. Sinai (Princeton, USA) agreed to give a lecture on a topic related to participate in the book exhibition – a service Wednesday 24 January in the Christodoulou • V. Goryunov (Liverpool, UK) Euler. We have confirmation as Morning much appreciated. Meeting Room 11 (CMR 11) on the Open • S. Kuksin (Edinburgh, UK) Speakers of J. Bergstra (Amsterdam), Last, but not least, we are grateful that University campus in Milton Keynes. All are • D. McDuff (Stony Brook, USA) D. Calderbank (York), F. Leader (Cambridge), Ken Brown has agreed to a Session on the welcome and coffee will be available from • A. Vershik (St Petersburg, Russia) T. Leinster (Glasgow), J. Marklof (Bristol), RAE2008. This session will be on Tuesday 10.15 am. The speakers will be: • V. Kharlamov (Strasbourg, France) 16 P. Mörters (Bath), Z. Qian (Oxford), evening when Ken wil be joined by Caroline • Bill Jackson (Queen Mary) Compatible • D. Siersma (Utrecht, Holland) 17 M. Rathjen (Leeds), M. Singer (Edinburgh), Series and John Greenlees, two colleagues circuit decompositions of 4-regular graphs • J. Steenbrink (Nijmegen, Holland) A. Sobolev (Birmingham), D. Vassiliev (UCL), with long standing relations with the BMC. • Daniela Kühn (Birmingham) Generalized For further information contact the Steklov K. Wendland (Warwick). The sessions will be chaired by John Toland, matching problems Mathematical Institute, Gubkina 8, Moscow Many colleagues across the UK have President of the LMS. • Imre Leader (Cambridge) Intersecting 119991, Russia (email: [email protected]; agreed to help to organise Splinter Groups. On behalf of all my colleagues in Swansea, families of permutations website: http://arnold-70.mi.ras.ru). Topics include: Combinatorial Algebra and I would like to invite every member of • Vassili Mavron (Aberystwyth) Regular Representation Theory, Number Theory, the LMS to participate and contribute to Hadamard matrices, codes and quasi- Functional Analysis, Probability Theory, the BMC07. symmetric designs Geometric and Algebraic Methods in Physics, Looking forward to meeting you in • John Talbot (UCL) G-intersecting families Partial Differential Equations, Differential Swansea. More information is on the web at: of sets Geometry, Random Matrices, Logic and //bmc.swansea.ac.uk. For further information visit http://pure Theoretical Computer Science, History of Niels Jacob maths.open.ac.uk/combin, or contact Mike Mathematics. Grannell ([email protected]) or Terry There will also be an open splinter group. NONCOMMUTATIVE DAY Griggs ([email protected]). The organis- Anyone who wants to add to this part of the ers gratefully acknowledge the support of programme by arranging a further splinter A Noncommutative Day will be held on the British Combinatorial Committee. group is invited to contact [email protected] Thursday 7 December from 14:00–17:30 at as soon as possible. We expect that the two the Department of Mathematics, Imperial ANALYSIS AND Special Sessions College London. The speakers are: • Algebraic Topology (J. Greenlees) • J. Brodzki (Southampton) Topological SINGULARITIES • Harmonic Analysis (A. Carbery, J. Wright) invariants of noncommutative spaces An international conference on Analysis and will make an outstanding contribution to the • I. Krolak (Wroclaw) Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Singularities will be held at the Steklov scientific programme. Beyond the scientific semigroup for general commutation relations Mathematical Institute, Moscow, from 20–24 programme there will be other events • D. Petz (Budapest) Noncommutative August 2007, dedicated to the 70th birthday such as: probability of Vladimir Igorevich Arnold. The topics
• Students’ Conference (organised by • V. Turunen (Helsinki) Pseudo-differential will be: Algebraic Geometry, Singularity © Sidney Harris T. Brzezinski) operators on Lie groups Theory, Differential Equations, Mechanics, THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
REVIEW Sylvester’s work. However, this is not a defect, time. She has previously edited a volume on 1. At the Madrid ICM this summer the as this biography serves a different purpose. Sylvester’s voluminous correspondence and International Mathematical Union adopt- James Joseph Sylvester: Jewish Mathemati- While it would be interesting to have a math- uses this knowledge of the man and his times ed a new logo, and here is the web site cian in a Victorian World by Karen Hunger ematical biography of Sylvester, in which his to good effect. There are extensive historical describing it. A very good video describes Parshall, Johns Hopkins University Press, mathematical contributions are explained in notes and a bibliography of Sylvester’s work. the geometry of the logo. http://torus. 2006, pp 544, £46.50, ISBN 0801882915 some depth and are put in the context of cur- For anyone interested in gaining a feel for math.uiuc.edu/jms/Images/IMU-logo/ James Joseph Sylvester (1814–1897) was rent mathematical work, this volume plays the the practice of mathematics in the 19th cen- 2. Here is a wonderful edition of Euclid’s one of the giants of 19th century mathemat- different and equally vital role of exploring tury as well as understanding one of its major Elements, in which a Java applet illus- ics, serving (among many other offices) as sec- the cultural and social context in which figures, this is a book to consider reading. trates the diagrams. This is a very good ond President of the London Mathematical Sylvester worked and that shaped his career. J.W. Anderson use of the software, making the mean- Society and being awarded (among many The subtitle of this biography is Jewish University of Southampton ings of the propositions more immediate. other prizes) the second De Morgan Medal. Mathematician in a Victorian World, and this http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/ Over the course of his life, he saw the devel- aspect of Sylvester proved to be the major WEBSITES elements/elements.html opment of what we now see as the academic influence shaping his professional life. 3. Here is an old arithmetic trick, but very mathematician, a position that did not exist Although he attended Cambridge University, This is the first of an occasional series of short well presented. It comes, perhaps rather when he was young and a position that he he was not awarded a degree because of his pieces on websites which Newsletter readers unexpectedly, from a graphic designer in filled admirably when he was older. Jewishness, and he was not considered for a may find interesting, diverting, or both. I am Tehran! www.milaadesign.com/wizardy.html Let me begin by saying that I found this to fellowship during which he could continue by no means a connoisseur, and would wel- 4. Finally, arising from the Sokal affair, the 18 be a thoroughly enjoyable read. This is not a his mathematical work. While the effect of come contributions. (Without them, this hilarious automatic essay: www.else- 19 mathematical biography, in that the details of being Jewish was not always overt, it rippled series will be very occasional!) Remember where.org/cgi-bin/postmodern Sylvester’s mathematics are not explored in any through the whole of Sylvester’s life. that you can read this on the net, where Stephen Huggett significant depth, although the reader will get Sylvester wanted to find a position in which these sites are just a click away. University of Plymouth a reasonable idea of the scope and breadth of he could do mathematics and in which he could explore the process of discovering new mathematics with like-minded colleagues and students. Those of us who currently work in universities will be sympathetic to some of the incidents in his career and some of the battles he fought, and it is interesting to note that some of the same issues that vexed Sylvester continued to vex academics to this day. During his life, he held a number of univer- sity positions, as well as serving for many years as an actuary, in which role he was instru- mental in the establishment of the Institute of Actuaries, which continues to regulate the actuarial profession today. It was not until near the end of his career, when he was Professor of Mathematics at the then newly- founded Johns Hopkins University and then Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford, that he found a position where he could focus exclusively on the mathematics he had spent his life exploring. The author has done an excellent job of setting Sylvester’s story in the context of his THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
MATHEMATICIANS VISITING THE UK IN 2006/2007 Luo, J.S. (Tianjin University China) Theoretical Meyer, J. (Technical University Berlin) and Computational Fluid Mechanics with Complex Analysis, 1 Sep 06 – 31 Aug 08 Aberdeen University Sasaki, S. (Physiological Flow Studies particular interest in hydrodynamic insta- Oxford University (Mathematical Institute) Saito, K. (Japan) June 06 – Feb 07 Laboratory, Tohoku University) Fluid bility and transition to turbulence, Almeida, P.J. (Portugal) Number Theory, Bath University Dynamics, Sep 06 – Sep 07 Oct 26 – Dec 06 1 Jan – 31 Dec 07 Dereich, S. (Technical University Berlin) Durham University Polizzi, F. (Universita della Calabria, Italy) Baptista, J. (Portugal/Cambridge) Theoretical Probability, Apr 07 – Mar 08 Curtright, T. (Miami, USA) 10 Jun – 7 Jul 07 Algebraic Surfaces, 5 Sep 06 – 5 Jan 07 Physics, 1 Oct 06 – 30 Sep 07 McLean, W. (University of New South Jordan, P. (NASA Stennis Space Center, USA) Strojby, J. (Lund University, Sweden) Caprace, P-E. (Brussels) Algebra and Wales, Australia) Numerical Analysis/PDEs, Numerical Analysis, Epiphany Term 07 Mathematical Finance, 28 Sep – 1 Dec 06 Geometry, 1 Oct 06 – 30 Jun 07 Jan – Jul 07 Kao, H-C. (National Normal University, Lancaster University Caspi, A. (Berkeley) Computational Biology, Brunel University Taiwan) Aug 06 – Aug 07 Orr, J.L. (University of Lincoln, Nebraska) 19 Sep 06 – 30 Apr 07 Chkadua, O. (Georgian Academy of Sciences, Pollet, P. (Queensland, Australia) 29 Apr – Operator Algebras, 3 Jan – 3 Jul 07 Escudero Liebana, C. (Madrid) Mathematical Tbilisi, Georgia) Theory of Pseudo-Differential 27 May 07 Leeds University Biology, 1 Oct 05 – 30 Sep 07 Operators; Mixed Boundary Value Problems Zuleta, K. (EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland) Grabiner, S. (Pomona College, California, Fuji Moto (Meiji University, Japan) OCIAM, of Elasticity, Theory of Cracks, Asymptotic Oct 06 – Oct 07 USA) Banach Algebras, 10 Jan – 7 Jun 07 1 Apr 06 – 31 Mar 07 Properties of Solutions in a Neighborhood Edinburgh University Angsheng Li (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gehrke, M. (Denmark) Algebra, 24 Aug – of Singular Points, one month 07 Blasco, O. (Universidad De Valencia) Analysis, Beijing) Logic and Computability Theory, 31 Dec 06 Every, A.G. (Wits University, SA) Wave 21 Aug 06 – 31 Mar 07 1 Feb – 1 Mar 07 Kai Meng Tan (Singapore) Representation 20 Propagation, dates tba Glasgow University (Mathematics) Dinh Nho Hao (Hanoi Institute of Theory, 1 Jun – 30 Nov 06 21 Natroshvili, D. (Georgia Technical University, Hartman, F. (Villanova University, PA, USA) Mathematics and Free University Panovska, J. (Unilever) Mathematical Biology, Tbilisi, Georgia) Partial Differential Algebra, 1 Sep – 31 Dec 06 of Brussels) Inverse Problems, 2 Nov – 1 Oct 06 – 30 Jun 08 Equations and Integral Equations, Heriot-Watt University 15 Dec 06 Patcher, L. (Berkeley) Mathematical Biology, Boundary Value Problems of Solid Last, G. (University of Karlsruhe, Germany) Zhonggen Su (Zhejiang University) Applied 1 Sep 06 – 1 Jul 07 Mechanics, one month early 07 Probability Theory, Applied Probability, Probability, including Random Partitions Pittenger, A. (Baltimore) Quantum Cambridge University (DPMMS) 15 Feb – 15 Apr 07 and Related Topics, 1 Jan 06 – 16 Jan 07 Computing, 1 Aug 06 – 31 Jul 07 Fukaya, T. (Keio University, Japan) Number Puhalskii, A. (University of Colarado, USA) Leicester University Scheerlink, N. (Leuven, Belgium) Mathemat- Theory, Feb 06 – Feb 08 Probability Theory, Applied Probability, Milstein, G.N. (Ural State University, ical Biology, 1 Oct 06 – 31 Mar 07 Grambsch, P. (University of Minnesota) Jan – Dec 06 Ekaterinburg, Russia) Stochastic Numerics, Shalloway, D. (Cornell University) Mathemat- Biostatistics, 1 Jan – 31 Dec 07 Imperial College London Estimation, Control, Stability Theory, 1 Dec ical Biology, 1 Jan – 30 Jun 07 Ishigami, Y. (University of Electro- Chan, Y.M. (University of Hong Kong) 06 – 3 Mar 07 Sole, J. (Barcelona) Mathematical Biology, Communications, Tokyo) Combinatorics, Differential Geometry, 24 Jan 06 – 31 Jan 08 Liverpool University 1 Jan – 31 Dec 07 1 Apr 06 – 31 Mar 07 El Ghany, H.H.A. (Industrial Education Gussein-Zade, S.M. (Moscow State Thomas, D. (Victoria, Australia) Applied Miermont, G. (CNRS, Paris) Probability, College, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt) Lomonosov University, Russia) Singularity Combinatorics, 1 Mar – 31 Jul 07 1 Oct – 31 Dec 06 Generalised Moment Problem, 15 Oct 06 – Theory, 22 Jan – 12 May 07 Travieso, C. (Gran Canaria) Nonlinear Pelosi, M.K. (Western New England College, 30 May 07 Loughborough University Dynamic Modelling, 1 Oct 06 – 30 Jan 07 USA) Statistics, 1 Jan – 30 Jun 07 Hindberg, H. (University of Tromsö, Ruijsenaars, S. (Centre for Mathematics & Portsmouth University Taqi Ali, I. (Kuwait University) 1 Sep 07 – Norway) Statistical Signal Processing, Computer Science, Amsterdam) Theory of Afzalinejad, M. (Tehran Teaching Training 31 Aug 08 Nonstationary Complex-valued Stochastic Analytic Difference Equations and Special University) Operational Research, Wassermann, A. (Marseilles, France) Algebra, Processes and Time-frequency Analysis, Functions, 1 Oct 06 – 31 Jan 07 17 Sep 06 – 17 Mar 07 1 Oct – 31 Dec 06 1 Jan – 30 Dec 07 Manchester University Royal Holloway, University of London Cambridge University (DAMTP) James, G. (Institut National des Sciences Lancaster, P. (University of Calgary) Matrix Byun, J.W. (Korea University) The Adesso, G. (Dipartimento di Fisica Appliquées, France) Travelling Waves in Analysis, Dec 06 – Mar 07 Construction of Searchable Encryption ‘E.R. Cainiello’, University of Salerno) Lattice Dynamical Systems, 13 Nov – 22 Dec 06 Nottingham University Schemes, Jan – Aug 07 Quantum Information, Oct 06 – Jan 07 Koltsova, O. (Nizhny Novgorod State Chini, G. (University of New Hampshire, USA) Southampton University Monaghan, J. (Monash University) Fluid University, Russia) Dynamical Systems, Environmental and Biological Fluid Turzi, S. (Politecnico di Milano, Italy) Applied Dynamics, 1 Mar – 1 Sep 07 19 Sep 06 – 31 Jan 07 Mechanics, 1 Jul – 31 Dec 06 Mathematics, 1 October 06 – 31 Jan 07
cont’d THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER No. 354 December 2006
St Andrews University Analysis and Stochastic Processes, Feb – Jul 07 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 24 Winter Combinatorics Open University Atkinson, M. (University of Otago, New University College London Meeting, Open University (354) Zealand) Pattern Classes of Permutations, Fujiwara, A. (Osaka University, Japan) This calendar lists Society meetings and 1 Jul – 31 Dec 06 Quantum information Theory, other events publicised in the Newsletter. FEBRUARY 2007 Rich, A. (Manchester College, USA) History of Noncommutative Statistics, Information Further information can be obtained from 9 LMS Meeting, Mary Cartwright Lecture, Mathematics, 16 Aug 06 – 17 Jan 07 Geometry, Aug 06 – 31 Mar 07 the appropriate LMS Newsletter whose num- London (354) Swansea, University of Wales Warwick University ber is given in brackets. A fuller list of meet- 16 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Knopova, V. (V.M. Glushkov Institute of Stanghellini, E. (University di Perugia, Italy) ings and events is given on the Society’s web- Meeting, Edinburgh (350) Cybernetics, Kiev, Ukraine) Mathematical Graphical Models, 21 May – 26 Oct 07 site (www.lms.ac.uk/meetings/calendar.html). MARCH 2007 DECEMBER 2006 4-7 21st Century Mathematics Conference, 1-2 Khovanov Homology for Knots and Lahore (353) Lighthill Institute of Mathematical Sciences Links Workshop, Liverpool (353) 16 Edinburgh Mathematical Society De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS 7 Noncommutative Day, Imperial College Meeting, Dundee (350) Tel: +44 (0)20 7863 0881 Email: [email protected] London (354) 26-30 Theory of Highly Oscillatory 8 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Problems Workshop, INI, Cambridge (353) Tuesday 12th December 2006 Meeting, Heriot-Watt (350) 26-31 Geometric Flows and Related Topics 11-15 Representation Theory and Physics Symposium Workshop, Warwick, (350) 22 Evening Lectures Conference, City University, London (352) 23 12 Psychology and Mathematics LIMS APRIL 2007 PSYCHOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS Evening Lectures, De Morgan House, 10-14 LMS Invited Lectures, The Geometric London (354) Langlands Correspondence, Oxford (354) Hardy Room, De Morgan House, 57 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS 15-16 Theoretical Fluid Dynamics in the 16-19 BMC, Swansea (354) 21st Century Conference, Imperial College 17-19 BAMC, Bristol (354) 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm There’s no-one quite like Grandad London (352) 20 LMS Midlands Regional Meeting, Steve Blinkhorn (Psychometric Research & Development Ltd) 18-19 Recent Advances in Probability, Loughborough Newly rediscovered evidence casts fresh light on early developments of mathematics applied to psychology. The original work of Charles Spearman on general intelligence may have been Statistics and Financial Stochastics 27 Edinburgh Mathematical Society distorted by the teaching practices of a prep school: the sources of his data, believed lost, have Workshop, Middlesex University (354) Meeting, Stirling (350) been found. JC Maxwell Garnett, in contact with Spearman, Cyril Burt and Godfrey Thomson, 18-22 Trends in Noncommutative developed an approach to multiple factor analysis during the First World War that antedated Geometry, INI, Cambridge (349) MAY 2007 Louis Thurstone by a decade and a half. What was said in 1923 when Cyril met Louis, and did 14-13 Jul Braids Programme, Louis want to hide it? How personalities, feuds, short tempers and rivalries marked the JANUARY 2007 Singapore (353) contemporaneous hatching of multivariate methods and theories of intelligence, and what 5-6 The Hall-Higman Theorems 18-20 Midwest Geometry Conference, use the military made of the Grote Professor of Mind and Logic during the First World War. Conference, Oxford (352) Iowa, USA (350) 7-10 Number Theory, UK-Japan Winter 25 Edinburgh Mathematical Society 5:45 pm – 6:15 pm Break for Refreshments School, Cambridge (354) Meeting, Aberdeen (350) 6:15 pm – 7:00 pm Numbers in the Brain 8-31 Mar Interface Problems and 30 LMS South West & South Wales Professor Brian Butterworth (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL) Applications in Fluid Dynamics, Regional Meeting, Cardiff The Brain appears to have a mechanism for recognising and representing number and Singapore (351) order. Here I discuss evidence from patients, from synaesthetes, from MRI, TMS and optical 10-15 Analysis on Graphs & its Applications JUNE 2007 topography that is beginning to show how this mechanism works. I will also discuss how LMS/EPSRC Short Course, Gregynog Hall, 22 LMS Meeting, London and why it fails to work in more than 5% of the population. University of Wales (353) Frank Smith and the LIMS committee 12 Yorkshire & Durham Geometry Day, JULY 2007 Entrance is free and event is open to all. RSVP: [email protected] Durham (353) 2-6 Effective Computational Methods for 19 Edinburgh Mathematical Society Highly Oscillatory Problems Workshop, Meeting, Edinburgh (350) INI, Cambridge (353) GEORGE CAMPBELL DE MORGAN (1841–1867) © Tucker Collection © Tucker
A thoroughly committed mathematician, mathematics for the University of London. George Campbell De Morgan was the third Nicknamed ‘the younger Bernoulli’, in refer- child of Augustus and Sophia De Morgan. He ence to the fact that his father too was an able attended University College School from 1856 mathematician, George’s health was never to 1857 and then UCL, where he gained numer- strong. He presented only one paper to the ous distinctions, winning the first prize in his LMS On the development of a certain class of father’s class, a valuable scholarship, and the functions read on 13 December 1866. His death University of London gold medal when he took of consumption in October 1867 devastated his M.A. in 1863. From 1863-65 he was a math- the senior De Morgan and robbed the world ematics master at the School, also examining in of a mathematician of very great promise.