Promoting Mathematics

A large part of celebrating the 150th Anniversary will be the opportunity to become even more effective advocates for our subject and to respond creatively to changes in communications technology. One of the Anniversary themes is to explore and exploit new ways of communicating mathematics. The Anniversary Launch on 16th January 2015 began a year-long events programme which aims to effectively engage and inform the general public about mathematics and will use live-streaming to reach the widest possible audiences. The LMS YouTube and Twitter accounts will also be used to good effect. You are encouraged to forward any information you might receive via these platforms to your network of contacts, to spread the word about the Anniversary and about mathematics. Examples of other planned events and activities are given below. 

 

150th Anniversary Launch

The Anniversary Launch was held on the 16 January 2015 at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, which has an appropriate historical link as it is the venue in which the Society held its Centenary Dinner in 1965. The aim of the event was to introduce the year of celebrations, to recognise and promote 150 years of the Society, and to highlight the historical and continuing value and prevalence of mathematics to society and in day-to-day life – from entertainment to everyday objects, linking this to the actual underlying mathematics. The event illustrated that mathematics is for everyone and that everybody uses it, whether consciously or not.

For more information and to view the webcast of the event click here.

 

150th Anniversary Dinner

On 18 June 2015 the Society will hold an invitation-only Anniversary Dinner at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London. We are delighted to announce that the after-dinner speaker will be Dr Jim Simons, who with his wife, Marilyn Hawrys Simons, co-founded the Simons Foundation, a charitable organisation that supports projects related to education, health, and scientific research. Dr Simons donated generously to Math for America, a foundation aimed at improving basic science and math education in cities. He also donates to research in the field of autism.

 

LMS 150th Anniversary Spring Reception

This is being held on 28 April 2015 in London and is by invitation only. The aim of the reception is to bring those of influence in Whitehall together with mathematics academicians to promote the benefits of mathematics to the UK economy and to hear about new developments in mathematics.

 

Filmed Interviews of Mathematicians

The Society will be producing a series of short filmed interviews with prominent UK-based mathematicians. These interviews will aim to showcase the extensive history and scope of mathematics in the UK, emphasising its contributions to modern culture and technology. Up to nine interviews covering a variety of disciplines will be created, each one focusing on a specific aspect of the academic’s work, looking at the historic context, underlying principles, and modern impact of their research. These films will be aimed at a wide audience ranging from those intimately familiar with the LMS and mathematics, through to members of the general public with a passing curiosity in the subject. The videos will be available online through the LMS website and YouTube Channel, with a view to promoting mathematics as widely as possible as both accessible and exciting. Former LMS General Secretary Professor Martin Hyland (Kings) is leading on this project. 

 

Queen of the Sciences

The Society held its inaugural meeting at University College London on Monday, January 16th 1865, with Augustus De Morgan as its first President giving the opening address. The Society is therefore delighted that University College London Main Library is hosting an exhibition titled Queen of the Sciences: A Celebration of Numbers and the London Mathematical Society from February to December 2015. For more information, please click here. An article on the event can be found here.

 

150th LMS Popular Lectures

As a part of the celebrations to mark the 150th Anniversary of the LMS, there will be four popular lectures held in 2015. In addition to lectures in London and Birmingham, popular lectures will also take place in Leeds and Glasgow. The 2015 LMS Popular Lectures will be given by Hannah Fry, Ben Green, Martin Hairer and Ruth King. For more information and to register please click here.

 

Mathematics Departments join the 150th Anniversary Celebrations

The Society is keen to involve as many of its members and the wider mathematics community as possible in celebrating such a momentous occasion. Through the LMS Representatives network it is asking departments throughout the UK to hold LMS 150th Anniversary receptions, either as standalone activities or as part of another event already being organised. The only conditions are that a toast is made to the continued health of the Society and mathematics and that pictures of the toasts are sent for inclusion on the website and in the Newsletter.

 

Open House in 2015

For the last three years De Morgan House has featured as part of Open House London. Over 1,500 people have visited and heard about the Society and about mathematics. On 20th September 2015 the Society will once again open its doors to the public with special displays and exhibitions celebrating the 150th Anniversary.