Mathematical Institute Bulletin

Alison (second from left), Professor of Probability in Oxford and President of the recently created Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, has been recognised with a Doctor of Science (DSc) from Heriot-Watt University.

Christl Donnelly's Public Lecture from two weeks back is now available on our YouTube Channel.

Selfie, selfie, it's your call, who's the fairest of them all?

Sam Howison, obviously. Except for one thing.

What do we do when we're not doing maths?

Maths.

When you put a mic on a ruler (we couldn't find a set square) and give it to three of our Mirzakhani students...

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2026 are now open for nominations. There are loads of categories so we are all eligible. This year’s awards include a number of new and amended categories, with the ceremony to be held at the Schwarzman building (so not far to travel when you win).

More information about the awards

Image: archery tournament in Disney's Robin Hood

The café will close for the Christmas break on Tuesday, 23 December at 2:00 pm and will reopen as usual on Monday, 5 January. 

The café team would like to take this opportunity to wish all their customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

A Christmas classic...

Written for the Russian film Lieutenant Kijé in 1934, it has become synonymous with the festive season, though in fact it depicts a cart being pulled by horses in the summer. Christmas wasn't big in the Soviet Union.

You often hear it without the first, slower 30 seconds or so, but here it is in full. Well worth the wait.

A bonus track for those of you who like carols. Here is the daddy of modern carols, the great John Rutter. Music critics have said he overdoes 'tunes'. Yep, he does. Thankfully.