Originally launched in 2015 as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the London Mathematical Society (LMS), the Hirst Prize and Lectureship is now jointly awarded by the LMS and the British Society for the History of Mathematics (BSHM). The prize is named after Thomas Archer Hirst, who was the fifth President of the LMS (1872–1874).
The Hirst Prize and Lectureship is intended to recognise contributions to the study of the history of mathematics. The prize shall be awarded in recognition of original and innovative work in the history of mathematics, which may be in any medium.
Prize regulations
Download the full prize regulations here.
Nominating a Candidate for the Hirst Prize and Lectureship
Nominations are open for the Hirst Prize and Lectureship in 2025. Download a nomination form here.
The completed form should be sent to the Secretary of the Hirst Prize panel, Katherine Wright, by 31 January 2025 (11:59pm): prizes@lms.ac.uk.
Eligibility
The prize is open to any mathematician or historian of mathematics. In a given year, the members of the Hirst Prize Committee, and the members of the LMS and BSHM Councils, shall be ineligible for the award of the prize. There is no requirement for the winner to be based in the UK.
Previous winners
2023: E. Scholz
2021: K. Chemla
2018: J. Gray
2015: E. F. Robertson and J. J. O'Connor (joint)
Hirst Lecture
The Hirst Lecture is held in the year after the award, usually in spring. Download guidelines to the Hirst Lecture here.