The LMS Outreach Lecturers Scheme aims to build a community of LMS Outreach Lecturers working across all the four UK nations.
As part of the LMS Strategy for 2023–2028, the Society aims to “promote the importance of mathematics and the provision of opportunities for those who wish to study and develop a career in mathematics and its applications.” In support of this goal, the LMS Education Committee is establishing a distributed network of dedicated LMS Outreach Lecturers who will deliver high-quality mathematical outreach to learners in primary, secondary and further education settings across the UK.
Building on the success of the LMS Holgate Lectures and Workshops and the LMS Mathematics Communication and Outreach Workshops schemes, this initiative will broaden the reach and impact of LMS outreach activities. Outreach Lecturers will offer talks and workshops that enrich mathematical education both within and beyond the curriculum. A particular focus will be on reaching schools and colleges with a high proportion of learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring the programme has broad and meaningful impact.
Expressions of interest are invited for new Outreach Lecturers; see details here.
Guidance for prospective LMS Outreach Lecturers:
Eligibility and focus
- Candidates should be working in UK higher education mathematics, at postdoctoral level or beyond. PhD students are not eligible to apply.
Terms of appointment
- The duration of an LMS Outreach Lectureship will be two years, with a review after the first year. Renewal may be possible but is not guaranteed.
- LMS Outreach Lecturers should not charge a fee for giving workshops.
- LMS Outreach Lecturers will receive an honorarium of £500 per year. It is intended that this will cover any costs/expenses associated with the delivery of the session and travel.
Outreach delivery
- LMS Outreach Lecturers should offer workshops in a minimum of 4 different schools/colleges per year. Where it is possible to offer more than one session within a single visit, this is encouraged.
- At least 75% of the selected schools/colleges should be those serving a high proportion of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate at the interview stage how they will achieve this target.
- Outreach Lecturers will be responsible for arranging sessions themselves.
- Candidates may combine LMS-sponsored sessions from their own university outreach. However, there is an expectation that they will identify themselves as an LMS Outreach Lecturer. The LMS will provide branding materials which lecturers can use to indicate that they are acting as an LMS Outreach Lecturer. These should be displayed prominently at least once during the session.
Evaluation and impact
- Participating schools will be asked to complete an online survey after each workshop to provide feedback and help evaluate the scheme’s impact. LMS Outreach Lecturers will receive a link to the survey, which they should share with the schools or colleges they visit.
- LMS Outreach Lecturers should ask the lead contact at each school (or an appropriate staff member who attended the session) to complete the survey as soon as possible following the session.
- LMS Outreach Lecturers will be required to submit an annual report on workshops undertaken in the previous year, as a condition of receipt of the full honorarium.