IMA:Top Stories

The project "Mathematics and Industry" was initiated by the European Mathematical Society and supported by European Science Foundation through the scheme "Forward Looks".

Now the project comes to its conclusion and we draw your attention on three activities that it has originated:

1) An ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE was put on the web. More than 600 replies were received, but we wish that its results reflect even better the opinion of the mathematical community (without any distinction between "pure" and "applied"!).

2) A collection of SUCCESS STORIES of collaboration between mathematicians and companies (industry, banks, administration etc.) will be published in a booklet that will be circulated among policy makers, funding organizations etc.

3) A WHITE PAPER that will presented to the EU Commissioner for Industry during the final event of the project that will take place in Brussels next December.

In connection with these activities we ask for the collaboration of every mathematician. So, we invite you to:

1) Access the questionnaire, through the website http://esf.icm.edu.pl/?hid=71adc6c3b064161bdbfa63b3da767011 and enter

username: questionaire (WRITTEN WITH ONE N !)
password: questionaire (WRITTEN WITH ONE N !)

2) Contribute a SUCCESS STORY of cooperation (in case you had this experience) that will be incorporated in the booklet

3) To send your comments/criticism/suggestions to the Final Report, downloading it from the website http://www.ceremade.dauphine.fr/FLMI/FLMI-frames-index.html that will be presented along with the report

The Council for the Mathematical Sciences
The Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) was established in 2001 by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), the London Mathematical Society (LMS) and the Royal Statistical Society (RSS). The CMS comprises representatives and observers from the mathematical sciences community, including the Presidents and Chief Executives of these three societies.

In 2008 the Edinburgh Mathematical Society and the Operational Research Society became Members of the CMS.

Professor Frank Kelly FRS will take over from Professor Sir David Wallace CBE FRS FREng as independent chair of the Council for the Mathematical Sciences in October 2010. Professor Kelly is Professor of the Mathematics of Systems in the University of Cambridge, and Master of Christ's College. From 2003 to 2006 he served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the United Kingdom's Department for Transport. He is a trustee of the policy-research group RAND Europe and a non-executive director of Cambridge-based software company Autonomy.

2010 Election Results
Following the AGM on 23 June 2010, we are pleased to welcome and congratulate our newly elected Councillors: Professor David Broomhead; Professor Alistair Fitt; Rear Admiral Nigel Guild; Professor Celia Hoyles and Professor Chris Linton. Click here for a current list of Council members and Honorary Officers.

The IMA Lighthill-Thwaites Prize- a new Applied Mathematics prize

Every two years, the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) in cooperation with the Institute’s Journal of Applied Mathematics and the British Applied Mathematics Colloquium (BAMC) will award the IMA Lighthill-Thwaites Prize in applied mathematics. The award will be based on a submitted piece of work that describes an aspect of the candidate's original research and is suitable for presentation at the BAMC. Whether or not the work has been published, or submitted for publication, is irrelevant but no person may submit more than one paper. Finalists will be expected to submit an article for publication in the IMA Journal of Applied Mathematics, which should be related in some way to the paper submitted for the prize.

This biennial prize has been established by the IMA in recognition of the achievement of its first two Presidents - Professors Sir James Lighthill and Sir Bryan Thwaites - in laying the foundations of what has become a major scientific Institute. Born within a month of each other they were at school together and their subsequent careers were closely aligned: they started by working in the same room at the National Physical Laboratory and ended by being Heads of Colleges in London University. It was their mutual interest in the education and training of young people, as much as their involvement in applied mathematics, that has shaped the conditions of the Prize. [details]

Effective Mathematics, Effective Mathematicians
I. David Abrahams, Beyer Professor of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Manchester
(IMA President 2008-2009)

“Neglect of mathematics works injury to all knowledge, since one who is ignorant of it cannot know the other sciences of the things of this world. And what is worst, those who are thus ignorant are unable to perceive their own ignorance and so do not seek a remedy.” . . . Roger Bacon (1214– 1292). Unfortunately, the need for society (in its broadest sense) to recognize the crucial value of mathematics and its applications exists as much today as it did in the 13th century! .... ....

Click here to download the written account of the IMA Presidential Address, which was presented to Institute of Mathematics and its Applications Branches throughout the UK and Ireland.

More Maths Grads
Maths in the Movies

These films look at mathematical errors in some recently released movies - and get very upset about them. Written and presented by Matt Parker.

Maths in the Movies Part 1

Maths in the Movies Part 2

Mathematical Sciences in the National HE STEM Programme
In 2006 a group of mathematical organisations bid for and received a £3.3M grant from HEFCE to look at ways of increasing uptake to mathematical sciences in higher education (HE). The project was one of four initiated by HEFCE to increase uptake into strategically important and vulnerable subjects, the others being in physics, chemistry and engineering. The mathematical sciences project – the More Maths Grads Project (MMG) – has been working in areas of England and Wales, as well as looking at the implications for HE. Details of the Project and its outcomes are available at www.moremathsgrads.org.uk and its resources have been incorporated into www.mathscareers.org.uk.

The four projects will now be integrated into a National HE STEM Programme, a three-year initiative aiming to generate interest in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) among young people, enhance higher level skills in the workplace and increase accessibility of higher education courses in these subjects. [more]

Current information on the HE STEM Mathematics Strand.

A New Unified Mathematics Society - Discussions on collaboration between the IMA and the LMS
In June and July 2008 the Councils of the IMA and the LMS adopted a report produced by their Joint Planning Group bringing eight years of discussions about a possible merger of the two societies to a firm proposal. Both Councils commended the report to their members and in September 2008 members of both societies received the report entitled ‘Proposal for a New Unified Mathematical Society’ describing the proposed framework for the creation of the new society.

The Presidents of the IMA and LMS visited over 20 universities and branches throughout the UK during the autumn of 2008 to give members a chance to hear about and discuss the proposals. Click here to view videos produced in De Morgan House following the lines of the presentations made in the roadshows.

The IMA and LMS Councils at their November meetings agreed to invite Members to vote on the proposed formation of a New Unified Mathematical Society. The LMS undertook a Referendum of its members in March 2009.

The proposal to form a New Unified Mathematical Society was considered at General Meetings of the LMS in April and May 2009 and at an Extraordinary Meeting of the IMA in May 2009. The motion to proceed with the unification failed when it did not receive a majority of votes in support at the LMS's second Special General Meeting on 29 May 2009. Click here for the full results.

Both Societies have agreed a clear intention to continue to work together to promote mathematics at all levels.

Further information can be found below:

Message from the IMA President

Background - A brief history of the discussions between the LMS and IMA

Articles in response to the FSI consultation

FAQs

Responses to the NSI report

Mathematics Promotion Unit
The MPU provides a voice for the UK mathematics community and to make it easier for the press to write interesting - and accurate - articles about the subject.

For further information contact: Caroline Davis (Mathematics Policy & Promotion Officer) on: +44 (0)20 7927 0804 or davis@lms.ac.uk

The Maths Inside project

Results of the 2006 Membership Survey
Thank you to all the members who responded to the membership survey. Details

Report of the International Review of UK Research in Mathematics
The report of the International Review of Mathematics has been published. Click here to downloaded a copy in PDF format.

University Affiliate Membership
The IMA is working with Professor David Abrahams, Dr Mike Simon, Dr Peter Eccles and Dr Alan Jones and The University of Manchester to inform students of the benefits of association with a professional and learned society. The initiative will include the provision of careers advice, links with IMA's Lancashire and NW branch and student representation for Mathematics Today. Further details