THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 386 November 2009 Society 2009 ELECTIONS for the 200 elections was also in- Meetings cluded. Members are also able to TO COUNCIL AND make direct nominations; details and Events NOMINATING will be given in the April and May Newsletters next year. 2009 COMMITTEE Friday 20 November The ballot papers for the November ANNUAL GENERAL AGM, London elections to Council and Nominat- MEETING [pages , 3] ing Committee were circulated with the October Newsletter. Nominat- The Annual General Meeting of 4–6 December ing Committee has put forward the Society will be held at 3.00 Joint meeting names for each Officer post; in pm on Friday 20 November 2009 with the Belgian addition members have proposed at the Institute of Education, Mathematical Society, candidates for two posts: General London. The business shall be: Leuven Secretary and Education Secre- (i) the adoption of the Annual tary. A total of 5 candidates have Report for 2008/09 2010 been proposed (9 by Nominating (ii) the report of the Treasurer Friday 26 February Committee, 6 by members) for (iii) appointment of Auditors Mary Cartwright the 7 vacancies in Members-at- (iv) elections to Council and Lecture, Durham Large of Council. Four names have Nominating Committee been proposed (all by Nominating (v) presentation of certificates Friday 2 July Committee) for 2 vacancies in the to Prize winners Hardy Lecture membership of the Nominating I hope that as many members as London Committee. possible will be able to attend. Monday 13 September Please note that completed bal- Peter Cooper Midlands Regional lot papers must be returned by Executive Secretary Meeting, Nottingham Thursday 12 November 2009. Members should have received RESIGNATION OF the following: a pink (A4) ballot paper for the elections to Council; THE EXECUTIVE a blue (A5) ballot paper for elec- SECRETARY tions to Nominating Committee; a white (A5) booklet of biographi- Council has received with regret cal details of candidates; a white notice of the resignation of Peter return envelope. If you are missing Cooper as Executive Secretary any of these items please contact with effect from 3 December Leanne Marshall at DMH (leanne. 2009. Council has already begun [email protected]). the process that will lead to the A separate form for suggesting appointment of a new Executive names to the Nominating Com- Secretary; further details will mittee for potential candidates appear in due course. November09-NL.indd 1 22/10/2009 13:22:08 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER EDITORIAL ADVISERS’ MEETING The triennial meeting of the Editorial Advisers Advisory Board provided genuinely construc- for the LMS Bulletin, Journal and Proceed- tive criticism of the draft proposal that may ings took place at De Morgan House on lead to a simpler structure for the journals. Friday 25 September 2009. Many members There was also a presentation by the con- of the Advisory Board attended, some of sultants, Rightscom, who are advising the whom had travelled a considerable distance, Society on upgrading the paper-handling together with all the Editors of the three database, which is central to the smooth journals. operation of the journals. There followed There was lively discussion on a range of a useful discussion on the features of the topics, including communication between database that advisers felt were important. editors and advisers, policy on the rejection The helpful and constructive views from of papers, and the subject coverage of the the meeting will be of great value to the journals. The meeting discussed the report Publications Committee in planning future of the working group on the future struc- developments of the journals. ture of the journals and advisory boards. This Kenneth Falconer was a valuable part of the meeting as the Publications Secretary 2 ANNUAL DINNER The 2009 Annual Dinner will be held after the Annual General Meeting at 7.30 pm on Friday 20 November at The Park Hotel, Participants at the 2009 LMS Editorial Advisory Board Meeting London WC. The cost for members and November09-NL.indd 2 22/10/2009 13:22:10 No. 386 November 2009 EDITORIAL ADVISERS’ MEETING Advisory Board provided genuinely construc- LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY tive criticism of the draft proposal that may lead to a simpler structure for the journals. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING There was also a presentation by the con- sultants, Rightscom, who are advising the Society on upgrading the paper-handling Friday 20 November 2009 database, which is central to the smooth Jeffery Hall, Institute of Education, Bedford Way, London WC1 operation of the journals. There followed a useful discussion on the features of the database that advisers felt were important. 3.00–3.15 Annual General Meeting The helpful and constructive views from the meeting will be of great value to the 3.15–3.45 Roger Heath-Brown (Oxford) Publications Committee in planning future The most important problem in mathematics (?) developments of the journals. Kenneth Falconer 3.45–4.15 Tea Publications Secretary 4.15–4.45 Leif Abrahamsson (Uppsala) 3 Support for mathematics in developing countries 4.45–5.15 Rosemary Bailey (QMUL) Teaching mathematics: satnav or map? 5.15–5.45 Ken Brown (Glasgow) The Research Excellence Framework and issues arising from it Followed by a Reception at De Morgan House. The AGM will include the presentation of certificates to the 2009 LMS prize winners. There are funds available to contribute in part to the expenses of members of the Society or research students to attend the meeting. Requests for support, and any other queries about the AGM, should be sent to Isabelle Robinson ([email protected]). ANNUAL DINNER their guests is £43 per person. A booking The 2009 Annual Dinner will be held after form was enclosed with the October News- the Annual General Meeting at 7.30 pm letter and should be returned together on Friday 20 November at The Park Hotel, with payment to Leanne Marshall at the Participants at the 2009 LMS Editorial Advisory Board Meeting London WC. The cost for members and Society’s offices byMonday 9 November. November09-NL.indd 3 22/10/2009 13:22:10 THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY PRIZES 2010 previous winners appears in the Handbook and on the Society’s website. The full regu- In 200, Council expects to award the De not describe in detail the candidate’s work, lations for each prize can be obtained from Morgan Medal, Senior Berwick Prize, Fröhlich as detailed references for those shortlisted the Society (contact details as above). Prize, and up to four Whitehead Prizes. will be sought; what is important is that the The De Morgan Medal is the Society’s Nominations should be made by complet- ‘Case for Award’ section of the nomination premier award; the only grounds for the ing the designated form, which is available form should be completed in approximate- award of the Medal are the candidate’s to download from the Society’s website ly 500 words. Council has emphasised that contributions to mathematics. The Medal is (www.lms.ac.uk) or can be obtained by con- the scope of the Society’s Prizes includes awarded every third year (in years numbered tacting the Secretary to the Prizes Committee all aspects of mathematics, and that this by a multiple of 3), in memory of Professor (email: [email protected]). Nominations should includes applied mathematics, mathemati- A. De Morgan, the Society’s first President. be received no later than Friday 22 January cal physics and mathematical aspects of The De Morgan Medal for 200 can only be 2010. computer science. awarded to a mathematician who is normally The Prizes Committee is keen to increase Brief descriptions of the criteria for each resident in the United Kingdom of Great Britain the number of nominations it receives, and Prize are given below. Council reserves the and Northern Ireland on January 200. would like to draw attention to the dis- right not to make an award of any particular The Senior Berwick Prize, for 200, is proportionately low numbers of women Prize in the event that no candidate of suf- awarded in respect of an outstanding piece nominated for prizes each year. The prize ficient merit is recommended by the Prizes of mathematical research actually published 4 regulations refer to the concept of ‘academic Committee. Nominators should note that, in by the Society during the period January age’ – rather than date of birth – in order each case, current Members of Council or the 200 until 3 December 2009. The award to take account more fully of broken career Prizes Committee may not be considered for is named after Professor W.E.H. Berwick, a patterns. Also, in order to encourage pro- the prize, and that no one may be award- former Vice-President of the Society, and is posals for candidates, nominations need ed the same prize more than once. A list of awarded in even-numbered years. The Senior Berwick Prize for year 200 can only be awarded to a mathematician who is a mem- ber of the Society on January 200. The LMS Newsletter Senior Berwick Prize may not be awarded General Editor: Dr D.R.J. Chillingworth ([email protected]) to any person who has previously received the De Morgan Medal, Pólya Prize, Senior Reports Editor: Dr S.A. Huggett ([email protected]) Whitehead Prize or Naylor Prize. Reviews Editor: Mr A.J.S. Mann ([email protected]) The Fröhlich Prize is awarded for original Administrative Editor: Miss S.M. Oakes ([email protected]) and extremely innovative work in any branch Editorial office address: London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, 57–58 Russell Square, of mathematics.