Earlier this week in the House of Lords, Lord Davies of Brixton tabled an oral question directly concerning the future of mathematics in the UK: “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that the UK remains a world leader in the mathematical sciences.”

Congratulations to former LMS President Professor Sir John Ball, who has been elected as President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Sir John succeeds Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who commented:

Nominations are open for Royal Society medals and awards in 2022, including for the Sylvester Medal, which is awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics. Nominations must be made by 3pm on 25 February 2022, via the Royal Society website: https://grants.royalsociety.org.

Dr Nira Chamberlain has received an OBE in the New Years Honours List for Services to Mathematical Sciences. Dr Chamberlain, who is a member of the LMS and was President of the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications in 2020-21, was recently elected as a member of the LMS Nominating Committee. Among many other activities, Dr Chamberlain introduced and was a speaker at the inaugural LMS-IMA-BSHM Joint Meeting: Black Heroes of Mathematics in October 2020. The LMS extends its congratulations to him for this well-deserved honour.

The New Scientist recently published a response by Caroline Wallace, LMS Executive Secretary, on Michael Brooks’ article on ‘maths anxiety’ among school students. The response is below and you can read the original article here.

Maths is a marvel full of universal truths

Published 29 December 2021

From Caroline Wallace, London Mathematical Society

As part of its work to promote the benefits of mathematics and mathematical education, the London Mathematical Society (LMS) has agreed to endorse a new initiative, being proposed by the International Centre for the Mathematical Science (ICMS), to deliver online colloquia to undergraduate students with a view to strengthening the research pipeline. Other organisations including the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) and the Operational Research Society (ORS) are also being approached to support this initiative.

While the pandemic has had a profound impact on the Society over the past two years, it has also meant that the Society found new and creative ways of pursuing its charitable objectives.