THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 388 January 2010 Society COUNCIL MEETING Many members who are involved in teaching and ex- Meetings 20 November 2009 amining undergraduate math- and Events The future assessment of math- ematics will, at some time, ematics research, the teaching have faced issues with degree 2010 of undergraduate mathemat- classification, students with Friday 26 February ics, and how the LMS works failed modules, and the remov- Mary Cartwright with its members were the al of blackboards from lecture Lecture, Durham focus of November’s Council theatres. To support colleagues [page 3] meeting. in HE departments, Council Through the CMS (Council approved a position state- Wednesday 14 April for Mathematical Sciences), the ment drafted by the Education Northern Regional LMS is responding to a consul- Committee, addressing these Meeting, Newcastle tation by HEFCE (the Higher matters, with reference to the Monday 21 June Education Funding Council for relevant subject benchmarks. SW & South Wales England) on the forthcoming It is hoped that this document Regional Meeting Research Excellence Frame- will provide useful ammuni- Cardiff work (REF). The most conten- tion for members in discussions tious part of HEFCE’s proposals within their own institutions, Friday 2 July is the inclusion of ‘impact’ in and for explaining to non- Hardy Lecture the assessment. Council agreed mathematical colleagues some London that CMS should respond by of the distinctive features of Monday 13 September arguing that the definition of the teaching and assessment Midlands Regional ‘impact’ should be broadened, of mathematics degrees. This Meeting, Nottingham in line with Research Council document will be circulated to Friday 19 November definitions, to include academ- Heads of Department soon. Annual General ic and scientific impact, par- One positive outcome of the Meeting and Naylor ticularly since advances in the discussions about the future of Lecture, London mathematical sciences are of- the LMS over the past year has ten exploited by other academ- been the greater interest and ic fields. Council was concerned involvement of members in the about the intrinsic difficulty of affairs of the Society. To build measuring ‘impact’ (not just on this, Council set up a work- in the mathematical sciences), ing group on membership, and CMS will be recommend- which will include non-Council ing a reduction in weighting of members, and act as a cham- ‘impact’ in the final REF results. pion for membership issues. HEFCE’s proposal to move to a Key issues for this group in- single assessment panel for the clude a membership drive and mathematical sciences was wel- improving communications. comed as a positive step. The Society’s website needs January10-NL.indd 1 14/12/2009 16:31:12 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER urgent improvement, and the group will be 1. To enable an incoming President to be are appointed as the Representative of an investigating the sort of information and put forward for election by the member- Institutional Member. functionality which members want from ship to the post of President-Elect in the Further details of the proposed changes the new website. The working group will November elections a year ahead of the will be found on a separate leaflet sent be asking you for your opinions! retirement of his or her predecessor; the with this Newsletter. Council closed by thanking those retir- President-Elect would then serve as a full The proposals will be considered at a ing Officers and members-at-large for their member of Council for the year prior to Special General Meeting to be held at 3:30 service to the Society. Particular thanks election to the office of President. pm on Friday 26 February 2010 at the Mary were expressed to Sir John Ball for his care- 2. To require that the nominations put Cartwright Lecture in the Arthur Holmes ful leadership of the Society through dif- forward by Nominating Committee should Lecture Theatre, University of Durham. ficult times; to Peter Cooper for his tireless be publicised to the membership a month Ivor Goddard and invaluable work as Executive Secretary in advance of the deadline so that members Executive Secretary for the past seven years; and to Martin may put forward any further nominations Smith, who has provided great support to in the knowledge of Nominating Commit- both CMS and Council. tee’s proposals. Elizabeth Winstanley 3. To remove the restriction that Honor- ary Members may not vote on matters of the Society’s business, noting that several CHANGES TO BY-LAWS Honorary Members had previously been Ordinary Members and it was invidious to Council has proposed changes to the By- remove the right of voting from them on laws of the Society. These address four the award of Honorary Membership. matters: 4. To clarify the position of members who LMS Newsletter General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655; e: [email protected], w: www.lms.ac.uk) Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author for the rights to reproduce. The LMS cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information in the Newsletter. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the London Mathematical Society. Charity registration number: 252660. January10-NL.indd 2 14/12/2009 16:31:12 No. 388 January 2010 1. To enable an incoming President to be are appointed as the Representative of an PRIZES DEADLINES put forward for election by the member- Institutional Member. ship to the post of President-Elect in the Further details of the proposed changes Readers are reminded that the deadline for November elections a year ahead of the will be found on a separate leaflet sent receipt of nominations for the 00 Soci- retirement of his or her predecessor; the with this Newsletter. ety Prizes is Friday 22 January 2010. Prizes President-Elect would then serve as a full The proposals will be considered at a available in 00 include the De Morgan member of Council for the year prior to Special General Meeting to be held at 3:30 Medal, Senior Berwick Prize, Fröhlich Prize election to the office of President. pm on Friday 26 February 2010 at the Mary and up to four Whitehead Prizes. A nomina- 2. To require that the nominations put Cartwright Lecture in the Arthur Holmes tion form can be downloaded from www. forward by Nominating Committee should Lecture Theatre, University of Durham. lms.ac.uk. For full details of all these prizes be publicised to the membership a month Ivor Goddard please see the Society’s November Newslet- in advance of the deadline so that members Executive Secretary ter (No. 386) or email [email protected]. may put forward any further nominations in the knowledge of Nominating Commit- tee’s proposals. 3. To remove the restriction that Honor- ary Members may not vote on matters of LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY the Society’s business, noting that several Honorary Members had previously been MARY CARTWRIGHT MEETING 3 Ordinary Members and it was invidious to remove the right of voting from them on the award of Honorary Membership. Friday 26 February 2010 4. To clarify the position of members who Arthur Holmes Lecture Theatre, University of Durham 3.30 Opening of the Meeting LMS Newsletter Special General Meeting General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) Ana Achúcarro (Leiden) Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Title TBC Reviews Editor: Dr C.M. Roney-Dougal ([email protected]) Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) 4.30 Tea Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, 5.00 Mary Cartwright Lecture London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 7323 3655; e: [email protected], w: www.lms.ac.uk) Typeset by the London Mathematical Society at De Morgan House; printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. Ruth Gregory (Durham) Fun with extra dimensions Publication dates and deadlines: published monthly, except August. Items and advertisements by the first day of the month prior to publication, or the closest preceding working day. A dinner will be held after the meeting. Contact Isabelle Robinson News items and notices in the Newsletter are free to be used elsewhere unless otherwise stated, ([email protected]) for further information. although attribution is requested when reproducing whole articles. Contributions to the Newsletter are made under a non-exclusive licence; please contact the author for the rights to reproduce. The There are limited funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of 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. members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting.