LMS/IMA Joint Meeting 2026
The London Mathematical Society and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications are delighted to announce the 2026 LMS/IMA Joint Meeting marking 200 years of the birth of Bernhard Riemann.
Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866), a student of Gauss and Weber, made far-reaching contributions to mathematics, revolutionising the study of complex function theory (Riemann surfaces, Riemann mapping theorem) and geometry (the subject now known as Riemannian geometry). The aim of this joint LMS/IMA meeting is to bring together researchers from across the mathematical sciences to celebrate Riemann’s bicentenary and to explore the continuing impact of his ideas on modern mathematics, including developments in geometry, analysis, topology, number theory, and theoretical physics.
We welcome all who are interested to attend this event, with registration open both to LMS/IMA Members and to non-members.
Programme (all timings in BST)
| 10:30 |
Registration and refreshments |
| 11:00 |
Welcome from LMS and IMA Presidents |
| 11:20 |
Welcome from the organising committee |
| 11:30 |
Rossana Tazzioli (Lille) Riemann’s Unified Vision: Geometry, Physics, and Natural Philosophy Abstract: Riemann made fundamental contributions to mathematics, ranging from number theory and differential geometry to real and complex analysis, Abelian functions, differential equations, and topology. He also conducted research in physics and natural philosophy. This talk focuses on his work in differential geometry and selected aspects of complex analysis, emphasizing their close connections with physics and natural philosophy as part of a broader and unified research programme. It will also examine Riemann’s legacy in later mathematics, with particular attention to his influence on the Italian mathematical tradition. |
| 12:20 |
Changeover |
| 12.30 |
Adam Harper (Warwick) The zeta function, after Riemann Abstract: Riemann wrote only one short paper on number theory. This paper, together with earlier work of Dirichlet, essentially created the subject of analytic number theory, and in particular moved the zeta function to the central mathematical place that it still occupies. I will try to gently explain what the Riemann zeta function is; why it is so interesting; and a little of what we do (and do not) know about it, after Riemann's work and also now, nearly 170 years later. |
| 13:20 |
LUNCH |
| 14:30 |
Darren Crowdy (Imperial College) Riemann and geometric function theory: an applied mathematician's view Abstract: The speaker will share some personal reflections on how Riemann's ideas have shaped his research and teaching philosophy. |
| 15:20 |
Changeover |
| 15:30 |
Laura Monk (Bristol) An exploration of moduli spaces of compact Riemann surfaces Abstract: The "space of compact Riemann surfaces of genus g", or moduli space, was first introduced by Riemann in his celebrated 1857 article "Theorie der Abel'schen Functionen". After a gentle introduction to Riemann surfaces, I will try and provide a description of the moduli space, from Riemann's insightful description as a space of complex dimension 3g-3 to recent developments due to Mirzakhani allowing to study it as a probability space. |
| 16:20 |
BREAK |
| 16:45 |
José Figueroa-O’Farrill (Edinburgh) Riemann’s legacy in mathematical physics Even though in his relatively short life, Riemann wrote some papers in electrodynamics, his greatest legacy in mathematical physics is certainly what is now known as riemannian geometry; although in more speculative areas of mathematical physics (e.g., string theory) also Riemann surfaces and even the Riemann zeta function play fundamental rôles. The talk will explore some of Riemann’s legacy and perhaps speculate about Riemann might have been able to contribute to mathematical physics had he lived longer. |
| 17:35 |
Thanks and close of meeting |
| 17:45 |
RECEPTION |
| 18:45 |
Reception ends, move to dinner venue |
| 19:00 |
SOCIETY DINNER - Antalya Restaurant Registration open soon |
Please note that speakers, timings and talks may be subject to change.
Organising Committee; James Maynard (Oxford), Michael Singer (UCL), Zoe Wyatt (Cambridge).
Accessibility
The building has step-free access from street level to the lower ground floor conference rooms via an external platform lift.
The Hardy Room, where the meeting is taking place, is located on a raised area within the lower ground floor, is also accessible via a lift.
A Hearing Loop is fitted in the Hardy Room.
An accessible toilet is located at lower ground floor level.
Please see the LMS website for further details on accessibility
Registration
- Click here for in-person registration.
- Click here for online registration. You will receive the link to the meeting upon registration, as well as an automated reminder email sent closer to the time.
- Registration for the Society Dinner will open soon.
- Grants of up to £200 are available to parents and carers who wish to attend this event and require help towards caring costs. Please see the Caring Supplementary Grants page on the LMS website. Please submit your application no later than 15:00 on Monday 14 September 2026. For any questions on Caring Grants, please contact caringgrants@lms.ac.uk.
- If you have any queries on any of the above, please contact lmsmeetings@lms.ac.uk