LONDONLONDON MATHEMATICALMATHEMATICAL SOCIETYSOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 433 February 2014 Society MeetingsSociety MATHEMATICIANS many years been active in ad- Meetings HONOURED IN dressing the gender imbalance and Events in mathematics and was a and Events NEW YEAR’S LIST member of the LMS Women 2014 in Mathematics Committee The London Mathematical from 2008 to 2013. She has also Friday 28 February Society (LMS) would like extend been active in the European Mary Cartwright its warmest congratulations to Women in Mathematics, having Lecture, York its former President, Professor served as Convenor, as well as page 17 Frances Kirwan, FRS, and also to chairing the Prizes Committee Monday 31 March Professor Celia Hoyles, current of the European Mathemati- Northern Regional President of the Institute of cal Society’s 6th European Meeting, Durham Mathematics and its Applica- Congress of Mathematicians 1 page 24 tions (IM), on becoming Dames in 2013. Professor Kirwan has Commander of the Order of the recently been awarded the LMS Tuesday 8 April British Empire in the New Year’s Senior Whitehead Prize. Society Meeting Honours list. Celia Hoyles receives at BMC, London Frances Kirwan receives her her honour for services to page 19 honour for services to Math- Education. She is Professor of 14–17 April ematics. She is Professor of Mathematics Education at the Invited Lectures, Mathematics at the University Institute of Education, London, University of of Oxford with an outstand- and formerly Director of the East Anglia ing research contribution in National Centre for Excellence page 21 algebraic geometry. Through- in the Teaching of Mathemat- out her notable career she ics. She has been a leading Wednesday 16 has received many honours, advocate for the development April including being elected a of mathematics education in Joint Meeting with Fellow of the Royal Society in the UK and has directed many the Royal 2001 (only the third female research projects in this area. Meteorological mathematician to attain this Professor Hoyles was awarded Society, London honour), and the President an OBE in 2004 for services page 16 of the London Mathemati- to Mathematics Education. In Friday 25 April cal Society from 2003 to 2005 the same year she took up the Women in (only the second female ever position of the government's Mathematics Day, elected). Professor Kirwan is Chief Adviser for Mathemat- London a member of a number of UK, ics, a role she held until 2007. page 15 European and International In 2011 she received the first Scientific Advisory Committees, Royal Society Kavli Education NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER including that of the Max Planck Medal, awarded to ‘an indi- Institute for Mathematics in vidual who has made a signifi- ONLINE:ONLINE: newsletter.lms.ac.uk Bonn. Professor Kirwan has for cant impact on science or math- newsletter.lms.ac.uk cont’d LMSLMS NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER http://newsletter.lms.ac.uk [email protected] No. 433 February 2014 1 ematics education within the UK’. Professor Hoyles have been recognised. The huge con- 50 • This comes after the government an- • coordinating and delivering a wide range 50 2 Hoyles became IMA President in January tribution to the mathematical community 51 nounced as part of the 2013 Spending Re- of maths continuing professional de- 51 3 this year. depends on the effectiveness of mathemat- 52 view that it was increasing science capital velopment (CPD) and school-to-school 52 4 Professor Terry Lyons, FRSE FLSW FRS, ics education and on the development of 53 funding in real terms from £0.6 billion in support; 53 5 President of the LMS, said: ‘Mathematics is world-class mathematical research. Both 54 2012–13 to £1.1 billion in 2015–16, and in • ensuring maths leadership is developed 54 6 vital to society in so many different ways are indispensible and we are very fortunate 55 line with inflation to 2016–17. The gov- – eg running a programme for aspiring 55 7 and we are delighted that the outstanding to have benefited from the services of both 56 ernment will also set a long-term capital heads of maths departments; and 56 8 contributions of Frances Kirwan and Celia Frances Kirwan and Celia Hoyles’. 57 budget for science in the next Parliament • helping maths enrichment programmes 57 9 The LMS would also like to congratulate 58 growing in line with inflation to 2020–21. to reach a large number of students from 58 10 John Pullinger, President, Royal Statistical 59 The full Autumn Statement 2013 is primary school onwards. 59 11 LMS Newsletter Society, Librarian and Director General, In- 60 available at http://tinyurl.com/ps6t3ru. More information is available at http:// 60 http://newsletter.lms.ac.uk 12 formation Services, House of Commons on 61 RESEARCH tinyurl.com/p8jn98o. 61 13 Editorial office: London Mathematical receiving the honour of Companion of the 62 62 Society, 14 Order of the Bath (CB) for services to Parlia- 63 Centre for Doctoral Training at UCL Institute of Physics Report: Gender imbal- 63 De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, 15 ment. 64 As reported in the last policy round up Uni- ances in terms of subject choice London WC1B 4HS (t: 020 7637 3686; f: 020 64 16 7323 3655) 65 versities and Science Minister, David Willets, Almost one half (49%) of co-ed state-fund- 65 17 Articles: send articles to newsletter@lms. MATHEMATICS 66 has announced the UK’s largest invest- ed schools across England have increas- 66 18 ac.uk POLICY ROUND-UP 67 ment in engineering and physical sciences ing gender imbalances in terms of subject 67 19 Events calendar: updates and corrections to 68 PhDs will train scientists and engineers in choice while fewer than one in five (19%) 68 20 [email protected] January 2014 69 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs). It will are countering them. 69 Advertising: for rates and guidelines see 21 70 fund over 3,500 students at over 70 new The results demonstrate that many girls 70 2 www.lms.ac.uk/newsletter/ratecard.html GOVERNMENT POLICY 3 22 General Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann 71 CDTs spread across 24 universities. One of and boys are being denied opportunities 71 23 ([email protected]) Autumn Statement 2013 72 the Centres which will be funded is EPSRC and suggest schools are paying insufficient 72 24 Reports Editor: Professor R.A. Wilson The government has announced it will 73 Centre for Doctoral Training in Geometry attention to countering gender stereo- 73 25 ([email protected]) be publishing a Science and Innovation 74 and Number Theory at the Interface types. 74 26 Reviews Editor: Professor D. Singerman Strategy for the Autumn Statement 2014. 75 (Professor Michael Singer, UCL). This was in- The report Closing Doors: Exploring 75 27 ([email protected]) This strategy will set out how the govern- 76 advertently omitted from the original list. A gender and subject choice in schools uses 76 Administrative Editor: S.M. Oakes 28 ment’s long-term commitment on science 77 revised list is available on the LMS website the National Pupil Database to track and 77 ([email protected]) 29 Typeset by the LMS at De Morgan House; capital announced at the Spending Round 78 at www.lms.ac.uk/policy/doctoral-training. analyse students’ progression to A-level 78 30 printed by Holbrooks Printers Ltd. 2013 will deliver the research and innova- 79 SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES in six subjects—physics, mathematics, 79 31 Publication dates and deadlines: published tion infrastructure needed by the UK. 80 economics, biology, English and psychology. 80 32 monthly, except August. Items 81 New maths hubs Although individual teachers are clearly 81 33 and advertisements by the first day of the Other notable announcements included: 82 Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department important, the evidence strongly suggests 82 month prior to publication, or the closest 34 83 for Eduction) Elizabeth Truss announced that it is the school culture that deter- 83 preceding working day. Notices and adver- 35 Higher Education Student Numbers 84 £11 million for new maths hubs to drive up mines whether the damaging effects of 84 tisements are not accepted for events that 36 occur in the first week of the publication • Extra funding for STEM students of £50 85 the quality of maths teachers—as interna- gender imbalances are overcome or at least 85 37 month. million per academic year from 2015–16. 86 tional test results showed England’s perfor- reduced. 86 38 News items and notices in the Newslet- • Increase the cap for HEFCE-funded insti- 87 mance had stagnated. The full report is available at www.iop. 87 39 ter may be freely used elsewhere unless tutions by 30,000 for the academic year 88 The money will allow the development org/publications/iop/2013/file_62083.pdf. 88 40 otherwise stated, although attribution is 2014–15. 89 of a national network of around 30 ‘math- 89 requested when reproducing whole articles. 41 • Remove the cap on student numbers at 90 ematics education strategic hubs’ (MESH). Elizabeth Truss at the launch of Closing 90 Contributions to the Newsletter are made 42 under a non-exclusive licence; please contact publicly-funded higher education institu- 91 Each will be led by a teaching school and Doors report 91 43 the author or photographer for the rights tions in England by 2015–16. 92 will provide support to all schools in the The Parliamentary Under-Secretary, 92 44 to reproduce. The LMS cannot accept re- 93 area, across all areas of maths education, Elizabeth Truss, MP, spoke at the launch of 93 45 sponsibility for the accuracy of information National Infrastructure Plan 2013 94 including: the Institute of Physics report.