What is the conference about?
In this 16+ Conference, we will answer all your questions about what it’s like to study Mathematics at University. You will get a chance to hear from some current students and guest speakers on topics such as university applications, interviews, tips for entering the field of mathematics at an early career stage, and postgraduate research. Find out how mathematics is applied in the real world and computer games as well as the importance of representation and diversity within the community.
We will explore what being a student mathematician entails, the beauty of understanding that it brings, and how to take it further into a career. Bridging the gap between your current education and future opportunities, this conference aims to bring you the tools to confidently take your next step towards becoming a mathematician and beyond. You will also have the chance to ask our amazing panellists any questions you may have in our live Q&A session.
Invited Speakers
Shamia Sanjania
Currently studying in her final year for a BSc Mathematics degree at the University of Leicester, she is actively engaged in a range of student support activities from being the STEM Champion, Lead of Diversity to Lead Mentor at her University. During the pandemic, her roles inspired her to build her platform Women in Maths, where she aims to inspire and support younger women into the field of mathematics by providing resources, posting blogs and sharing opportunities for students of all ages to get involved. Shamia has been on the IMA ECM committee for the past 2 years as a Co‐Opted member. https://womeninmaths.wixsite.com/platform
Joely To
Joely is a first‐year Maths student at the University of Warwick. She is also the founder of Pioneer, a non‐profit she launched in Year 12 which has since encouraged over 2000 girls worldwide into maths and related careers. Through partnering with companies and charities, Pioneer creates articles, competitions and work experience events and has been featured in The Guardian and BBC Radio. https://joely‐to.wixsite.com/pioneer
Margaret Duff
Margaret is a 4th year PhD student at the University of Bath researching how machine learning models that generate data can be used in mathematical problems in imaging. Alongside her PhD she has organised student conferences, chairs the SIAM‐IMA Bath student chapter, has presented her research in parliament and enjoys getting involved in outreach and working with industry. Before her PhD, she did an undergraduate and masters degree in mathematics at the University of Cambridge. Outside of maths, she is a Guide and Cub Scout leader, enjoys running and swimming and took up crochet during the lockdown. https://people.bath.ac.uk/magd21/
Lance Carr
Graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a master’s degree in mathematics, Lance Carr now works for his alma mater. Resolving problems of efficiency, designing user processes, and considering sustainability as a core company principle, Lance is still actively discovering and using mathematics day to day. Passionate about all areas of problem solving, he is also heavily involved in music, languages, karate, and general computing. Developing these skills and helping others in de‐mystifying the realities of a mathematical career, Lance is proud to maintain an active IMA membership; underpinned by a thirst for knowledge and a love of diversity.
Jeremy Levesley
Jeremy Levesley is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Leicester, where he worked for 30 years, including 10 years as Head of Department. He has a keen interest in developing life skills for students, beyond the mathematics skills focussed on in degrees. During recent years he has had experience in working with companies and students to deliver projects of value to the companies. This led him to leaving the university to work in industry on data related projects. He now works for HSBC and with Redshift Associates.
Elnaz Naghibi
Elnaz Naghibi is a Teaching Fellow in Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London. Prior to joining the department in July 2019, she was a Research Associate and a Teaching Associate in Queen Mary, University of London 2014‐2019. She earned her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran, in 2017. Her research interests lie at developing analytical and semi‐analytical solutions to idealized models of engineering and natural systems. Since 2012, she has been studying interactions of ocean dynamics and the Earth’s rotation and developing reduced‐order models to investigate the sources of dynamical coupling between oceanic currents and the Earth’s polar motion. In her role as a researcher, she enjoys discovering the symmetries existing in engineering and natural systems and expressing them in terms of simplified mathematical equations. As a teacher, she is passionate about interacting with young students, helping them shape their careers in Maths and Engineering and learning from their endless enthusiasm and energy.
Christopher Tognini CMath MIMA
Chris is a Chartered Mathematician currently managing the Quality Assurance team in a tech firm in the cyber security space. After gaining an Honours degree in Mathematics from the University of Strathclyde, Chris graduated with a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. A self described generalist, Chris has seen his career span various technical roles across multiple industries: from mathematical modelling of aircraft engines to mastering techniques behind sophisticated cyber security attacks.
James Arthur
James is a Mathematical Communicator based in the South West. They can be found travelling; through the air waves via BBC Radio 5, on a train to their next talk or (on the rare occasion) studying for that next exam. They are an undergraduate at the University of Exeter, graduating this summer and will be a graduate student University of Oxford next year.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alephJamesA
Website: https://alephjamesa.co.uk
Seetha Sylvie Mathiyalagan
Sylvie is a Mathematics undergraduate at the University of Bath currently undertaking an industrial placement in tech at UBS. She was part of the Women in Maths committee last year in order to encourage more young women to join STEM industries and share their stories as maths students in higher education, and would now like to share some of my experiences applying for an industrial placement/internship.
LinkedIn @SylvieMathiyalagan
Programme
16:30 – Shamia Sanjania – Welcome from the Chair
16:35 – Christopher Tognini – What can you do with a degree in mathematics?
16:50 – Margaret Duff – Surviving, thriving (and deriving) at University!
17:05 – James Arthur – Mathematical Communication – A little appreciated application.
17:20 – Joley To – How to stand out as a Young Mathematician
17:35 – Sylvie Mathiyalagan – Experiences with an Industrial Placement and applying for Internships 17:50 – 18:00 – 10 minute BREAK
18:00 – Lance Carr – Inspected Average, informing our lives without us being aware of it
18:15 – Jeremy – Data Analysis for Computer Games
18:30 – Elnaz Naghibi – Women in Mathematics
18:45 – 19:30 – Q&A Panel Session
Joely To
Shamia Sanjania
Margaret Duff
Lance Carr
Christopher Tognini
Sylvie Mathiyalagan
Polite Notice
We value and appreciate all our speakers that have volunteered to deliver a talk to bring to life what it’s like studying mathematics at university and we will take effective measures to support any speaker who is subject to any inappropriate behaviour of written, verbal or non-verbal communication. We therefore ask that all attendees respond to this by showing polite, respectful behaviour for the duration of this conference. Thank you
Registration
If you would like to attend the conference please register your interest as follows – https://forms.gle/VVGSyjJWRhuC7HLS7. Registration Closes Monday 13th June!
If you are attending the conference please use the hashtag #IMA16+2022 and tag the IMA on socials!
Further information
For general conference queries please contact Maya Everson, Conference Officer
E-mail: conferences@ima.org.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1702 354 020
Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, Catherine Richards House, 16 Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1EF, UK.
Image credit: Antoine Dautry, Pencil on system of equations/ Unsplash
