Maths News 2011 [F]:Maths newsletter 1 24/3/11 17:33 Page 2 Oxford Mathematical Institute Spring 2011, Number 9 Newsletter We hope that you enjoy receiving this annual Newsletter. We are interested to receive your Sam Howison comments, and also contributions for future Newsletters. A note of welcome Please write to the editor: Robin Wilson On 1 January Prof. Sam Howison, former Director of the MI Newsletter Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Institute of the Nomura Centre for Mathematical Finance, took over 24–29 St Giles Oxford OX1 3LB, the reins as Chairman of the Mathematical Institute from or send e-mails to him, c/o Prof. Nick Woodhouse. [email protected] Sam Howison writes: I took over as Chairman on opportunity and put the vision into practice in Design & production by Baseline Arts the first of January, the lowest ebb of the year the often byzantinely complex context of a but also a time of new beginnings. Walked into collegiate university. We’re now a large, science- my office on the first day; phone rang as I took style department with an annual budget greater off my coat: six burst water pipes in the Gibson than the total of EPSRC's funding for research in Building (our beach-head on the Radcliffe mathematics. We owe an enormous debt of Infirmary site). Welcome to your new job, Mr gratitude to Nick and all who sup ported him. Chairman. However, we face some serious challenges. The My main first impression is that I inherit a episode of the leaking pipes is a pointed department at the top of its game. The list of reminder of one of them: our physical honours and awards later in the Newsletter infrastructure is woefully inadequate and we shows that our academics are world-leading, and urgently need our new building . With planning they’re supported by a first-rate administrative permission secured, the detailed discussions are and support staff. According to the Research continuing, but we need to secure further Assessment Exercise of 2008, we’re the leading funding to proceed. In this Newsletter, we are research department in the UK, and have one of reaching out to all our alumni to ask you to the largest and best undergraduate intakes as support us in whatever way you can. More well. information about the building and its p rogress can be found on pages 4 and 5. These things don't just happen; they have to be planned and executed. We’ve been through a The financial situation of universities is very period of tremendous change in the last few uncertain following the Comprehensive Spending years, during which the whole structure of the Review and ahead of the increase in tuition fees. Photo by Ruth Preston by Ruth Photo department was more or less rebuilt from Moreover, we’re gearing up for the Research I am confident that scratch. When Nick Woodhouse took over in Excellence Framework, the successor to the we’ll overcome 2001, we were a small, humanities-style Research Assessment Exercise; in 2013, all department in a fairly centrally controlled research in UK mathematics departments will be these challenges university. Following the North Report, many assessed and the results will determine much of and I look forward central functions, both academic and financial, our funding until around 2020. to playing my part were devolved to newly created Divisions and their departments. At a stroke, departments had I am confident that we’ll overcome these in the years to freedom to steer their own courses. It was a challenges and I look forward to playing my part come. huge achievement on Nick's part to see the in the years to come. I OXFORD MATHEMATICAL INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER . SPRING 2011 . ISSUE 9 / 1 Maths News 2011 [F]:Maths newsletter 1 24/3/11 17:33 Page 3 Maths and Philosophy A short history of the Maths How to raise and Philosophy Degree one billion Helen Carasso, St Anne’s 1976 pounds... The Oxford degree in Mathematics and for in order to attack the problems Philosophy – originally a three-year BA which arise in present-day philosophy (Hons) degree and now also offering a of mathematics much more technical four-year route to an MMathsPhil – machinery is needed than is generally owes its origins to The Kneale Report possessed by philosophers with a of the mid-1960s that considered the purely arts background, and the establishment of Joint Schools to motivation for the mathematical include Philosophy within the university. problems arises from the investigations of the foundations of mathematics. At about the same time, a group of Oxford academics were meeting It specified that the mathematical regularly to discuss topics in elements of the course should be mathematical logic. One of them, John taught by practising mathematicians, Crossley, recalls the role that these and saw the degree as offering an all- informal meetings played in creating a round education bridging the arts and Mathematics and Philosophy degree: sciences. Michael Dummett put up the idea that, emulating a mixture of the BPhil in Pioneer students sat the first Philosophy and PPE, we should p ropose Mathematics and Philosophy a Joint Honour School in Mathematics Moderations in 1969, while others sat and Philosophy. Our colleagues were the first finals examinations in 1970, positive. Graham Higman, who perforce having switched to the newly-created had learnt logic for his group theory Joint Honours course after taking Maths word problems, supported us. Freddie Mods in 1968. Ayer supported us. There was a price – or rather no price – no new money Since then, some 600 students have was to be required. That was possible, read for the joint degree and, while the and so Mathematics and Philosophy course has always been one of the Professor Alain began. Robin Gandy was recruited and smaller ones on offer in Oxford, its Goriely, Director he cosseted, cajoled and sustained the supporters believe the effort was of OCCAM, came new degree. worthwhile, as John Crossley explains: up with this It was a struggle at times, but the idea innovative way of was, and is, a good one. The advertising Oxford combination of technical skill and deep University’s billion understanding that Mathematics and pounds fund- Philosophy represents will endure. I raising campaign. Oxford Mathematics degrees John Crossley There are now five mathematics- Mathematics: introduced in the More formally, the main paper that related degrees at Oxford. 19th century proposed the new course for approval Mathematics and Philosophy: 1968 by the appropriate University They are available as 3-year Mathematics and Computer committees argued: courses, leading to a BA degree, Science: 1985 There is a natural bridge between the and 4-year courses, leading to an Computer Science: 1994 two disciplines in the philosophy of MMath or MComp degree. Mathematics and Statistics: 2003 mathematics and mathematical logic, 2 / OXFORD MATHEMATICAL INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER . SPRING 2011 . ISSUE 9 Maths News 2011 [F]:Maths newsletter 1 24/3/11 17:33 Page 4 Applied mathematics The place to be for PDE! Emma Waters Project Manager at the Mathematical Institute OxPDE Members, January 2011 Partial differential equations (PDE) are ubiquitous in almost all applications of mathematics, where they provide a natural mathematical description of many phenomena. The behaviour of every material object, with length scales ranging from sub-atomic to astronomical and time scales ranging from picoseconds to millennia, can be modelled by PDE or by equations with similar features. With an EPSRC Science & Innovation award of £3.3 million, the Oxford Centre for Nonlinear PDE (OxPDE), launched in 2007, has focused on the fundamental marked the beginning of the fourth year contributing to national PDE events. analysis of nonlinear PDE and numerical of OxPDE. He brings to the Centre OxPDE has formed successful collaborative algorithms for their solution. More expertise in the mathematical analysis of links with other UK PDE centres based in recently, areas of interest have expanded nonlinear hyperbolic PDE, an area of Swansea, Bristol, Warwick, Bath and to include the calculus of variations, research that was not previously Cambridge, with a particularly strong nonlinear hyperbolic systems, inverse represented in the UK. cooperation with the Maxwell Institute in problems, homogenization, infinite- Edinburgh, the other Science and dimensional dynamical systems, geometric With twelve faculty members, six Innovation Centre in the UK. With firm analysis for PDE arising in solid and fluid postdoctoral researchers, and eleven foundations in the field of nonlinear PDE mechanics, materials science, liquid research students, the Centre runs a now in place in the UK, the OxPDE crystals, biology and relativity. The Centre, thriving visitor programme, an active Centre’s focus for the foreseeable future based in the Gibson Building, is a vibrant events programme, a regular Monday is to continue to create critical mass in and stimulating research environment, seminar series and a Thursday lunchtime the UK and to establish and maintain a providing leadership in the field of seminar series, a dedicated technical solid exchange programme with groups nonlinear PDE within the UK. report series, and a highly successful from across the world. undergraduate summer research project The inaugural lecture of Gui-Qiang Chen, scheme. Outreach activities include Sir John Ball, OxPDE’s Director, comments: Professor in the Analysis of Partial hosting national PDE events and visitors’ We are very lucky to have attracted to Differential Equations, held last November, calendars, in addition to supporting and Oxford outstanding researchers in PDE from different parts of the world. OxPDE is now recognized as a significant international centre, and is certainly the strongest research group in PDE that there has been in the UK in my lifetime.