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LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 411 February 2012 Society NEW YEAR (www.pugwash.org/) and ‘his Meetings role from the 1960s onward in HONOURS LIST 2012 rebuilding the mathematical ties and Events Congratulations to the following between European countries, who have been recognised in the particularly via the European 2012 New Year Honours list: Mathematical Society (EMS)’. Friday 24 February The ambassador went on to say, Mary Cartwright Knight Bachelor (KB) ‘[and] many people remember Lecture, London Simon Donaldson, FRS, Profes- the care you took when you [page 7] sor of Mathematics, Imperial were President of the Royal So- College London, for services to ciety, to cultivate closer ties with 26–30 March mathematics. [our] Académie des Sciences’. LMS Invited Lectures, Glasgow [page 11] 1 Commander of the Order of the MATHEMATICS Friday 27 April British Empire (CBE) POLICY ROUND-UP Women in Ursula Martin, Professor of Com- Mathematics Day, puter Science and Vice-Principal January 2012 of Science and Engineering, London [page 13] RESEARCH Queen Mary, University of Lon- Saturday 19 May don, for services to computer CMS registers ongoing concerns Poincaré Meeting, science. over EPSRC Fellowships London The Council for the Mathemati- Wednesday 6 June FRENCH HONOUR cal Sciences (CMS) has written Northern Regional to EPSRC to register its major Meeting, Newcastle FOR SIR MICHAEL continuing concerns about the [page 5] ATIYAH scope and operation of EPSRC Fellowships and other schemes Friday 29 June Former LMS President Sir Michael to support early-career research- Meeting and Hardy Atiyah, OM, FRS, FRSE has been ers in the mathematical sciences. Lecture, London presented with the insignia of The letter is available at http:// Monday 3 September the Grand Officier de la Légion tinyurl.com/6qsalub. Midlands Regional d’Honneur by His Excellency Meeting, Aberystwyth Bernard Emié, French Ambassa- Response to EPSRC action plan dor to the UK. This is the high- on IRM 2010 est recognition awarded by the The CMS has responded to the French Republic. EPSRC action plan on the Inter- NEWSLETTER At a ceremony in London the national Review of Mathemati- French Ambassador referred to cal Sciences 2010 (http://tinyurl. ONLINE: Atiyah’s international activi- com/c8zd3ag). The full response Go to www.lms.ac.uk/ ties including his presidency of is available at http://tinyurl. newsletter Pugwash from 1997 to 2000 com/7yvrt6v. LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 411 February 2012 HIGHER EDUCATION url.com/6qf2tqs); in particular, how to ensure National Curriculum Review update two-year GCSE courses in September 2012 that all 16–19 year olds study coherent, well An update on the National Curriculum review will have to sit their exams at the end of Higher Education in STEM subjects thought-out programmes that offer breadth has been released by the Department for Edu- the course in summer 2014. Students will The CMS has responded to the House of and depth and do not limit their options for cation together with a set of reports on the no longer be able to re-sit individual unit Lords Science and Technology sub-commit- future study or work. The LMS response will work undertaken so far. An update of the re- exams to boost their marks – although they tee inquiry into Higher Education in STEM be publicly available once it has been consid- view is available at http://tinyurl.com/6mxl8sf. may retake the whole GCSE exam. However, subjects. The inquiry in particular asked ered by the Education Select Committee. Michael Gove’s statement on the update is students will be given an early opportunity ‘how the UK builds the educational founda- available at http://tinyurl.com/7nld7n6. The to re-sit mathematics, English and English tions it needs to face the challenges of the LMS responds to consultation on the 16–19 final report from the Expert Panel is available Language GCSEs every November because future’. The CMS evidence will be publicly Funding Formula Review at http://tinyurl.com/7j7ezap. ‘these are key subjects needed to progress available once it has been considered by the The LMS also responded to the above con- A set of related reports has also been to further study or employment’. sub-committee. sultation in early January 2012. Proposals in published: the consultation included moving away from • A summary of the call for evidence is avail- World Maths Day SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES the current complex system of funding on able at http://tinyurl.com/7ns62q8. World Maths Day takes place on Wednesday the basis of ‘payment per qualification’ to • A report on what we can learn about sci- 7 March 2012. Students play at home and LMS responds to consultation on Study Pro- introduce a much simpler system of funding ence, English and mathematics from other at school against other students around the grammes for 16–19 year olds at the level of the learner. Such a change is jurisdictions is available at http://tinyurl. world in live games of mental arithmetic. For The LMS responded to the consultation in essential to realise the proposals in Professor com/829fgzw. more information visit www.worldmathsday. 2 early January 2012. The consultation was Alison Wolf’s report on vocational education. • A report on subject breadth in other juris- com. 3 seeking views on how to implement key rec- The LMS response will be publicly available dictions is available at http://tinyurl.com/ Dr John Johnston ommendations from Professor Alison Wolf’s once it has been considered by the Education 83q6pze. Mathematics Promotion Unit report on vocational education (http://tiny- Select Committee. ACME announces new chair GIVING MATHEMATICS Professor Stephen Sparks CBE FRS, Professor of Geology at the University of Bristol, has A VOICE LMS Newsletter www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter been appointed as the new chair of ACME. Cornell University Library has acquired a col- Editorial office: [email protected]; London Mathematical Society, Professor Sparks began his three-year term as lection of interviews of mathematicians con- De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655) chair on 13 January 2012 and takes over from ducted by Eugene Dynkin, Cornell’s Emeritus Events calendar: please send updates and corrections to [email protected] Professor Dame Julia Higgins FRS. A.R. Bullis Professor of Mathematics. Dynkin worked with the Library’s Division General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) Reports Editor: Professor R.A. Wilson ([email protected]) Supporting STEM in schools and colleges in of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) and Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) England: The role of research Digital Scholarship Services to organize and Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) This report, researched and written by the In- digitize his revolutionary conversations, many Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. stitute of Education, University of London, of which are interviews with Russian mathe- demonstrates the role of social science research maticians. They are now available online at Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the – and specifically education research – in sus- http://dynkincollection.library.cornell.edu. first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. Notices and advertisements are not accepted for events that occur in the first week of the publication month. taining and developing the STEM skills base in The interviews, which Dynkin recorded for England. It presents case studies of research un- more than half a century, serve as a rich source Advertising: for rates and guidelines, see www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/ratecard.html dertaken within education departments, schools of information not only about mathematics News items and notices in the Newsletter may be freely used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, and faculties in English higher-education institu- but history as well, providing insight into aca- although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter tions, and offers a number of recommendations demic life under the Soviet regime. The collection are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author or photographer for the rights to for future progress. The full report is available at contains nearly 150 audio and video recordings, reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. http://tinyurl.com/843uzfm. plus biographical information about each math- ematician and a select group of photographs. Charity registration number: 252660. End for GCSE modules Professor Dynkin was the LMS Hardy Under new proposals, students starting Lecturer in 1979. LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter [email protected] No. 411 February 2012 LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NORTHERN REGIONAL MEETING Wednesday 6 June 2012 CCE-1 002 Lecture Theatre, Business School Building, Northumbria University Programme: 2.00 Opening of the Meeting Michael Mackey (McGill University) A mathematical modeling study of neutrophil dynamics in response to chemotherapy and G-CSF 4 3.15 Anthony Shannon (University of Technology, Sydney) 5 Empirical approaches to the application of mathematical techniques in health technologies 4.30 Tea/Coffee 5.00 Eytan Domany (Weizmann Institute of Science) Complex dynamics of cellular transcriptional response: how do cells get on the fast lane? 7.00 Dinner at The Assembly Rooms These lectures are aimed at a general mathematical audience. All interested, whether LMS members or not, are most welcome to attend this event. For further details, to register or to reserve a place at the dinner, email the organisers ([email protected]).