The prize is awarded by the Society for the Foundations of Computational Mathematics 'to recognise the work of young mathematicians in the areas at the heart of the society’s interests and to help to promote their integration among the leaders of the scientific community'.
Congratulations to Kaibo who will deliver a plenary lecture at the Foundations of Computational Mathematics (FoCM 2026) conference, to be held in Vienna, July 8th-18th.
You may have noticed we are running a series of short films on the maths behind popular games (card, board, digital, nothing is off limits). So we want contributors for the following games plus any ideas you have of your own.
Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, Chess, Go, Bridge, Monopoly, Tsuro, Carcasonne, Cathedral, Minecraft, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Saboteur, Projective Noughts and Crosses, Projective Set, Splendour, Minesweeper, Backgammon, etc.
You get the picture. Email @email
Image: Monopoly from 1936
Space, time and Shakespeare - Paul Glendinning
Wednesday 06 May 2026, 5.00-6.00 pm, L1
Shakespeare’s work provides a snapshot of how people made sense of the world around them: how they solved problems (how large is an opposing army?) and how they navigated a complex environment (does the sun rise in the east?).
In this talk Paul will explore how scientific and technological ideas are woven into Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets through actions, words and conversations between characters. He will mention Copernicus twice, once as an over-interpretation. His interest is in how we think within structures, not whether the structures are correct. Almanacs, mirrors and Dee’s vision of applied mathematics will be part of the story. He will also talk about nothing.
Paul Glendinning is the Beyer Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Manchester.
Please email @email to register to attend in person. The lecture will be broadcast on the Oxford Mathematics YouTube Channel on Wednesday 27 May at 5-6 pm and any time after (no need to register for the online version). The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Image backdrop taken from Digges Almanac (16th century)
What happens when a mathematician reads a novel? Marcus du Sautoy has just read 128.
Blockchain technology, asset digitisation and AI are reshaping the future of the financial landscape and challenging traditional stakeholders. The conference will provide an opportunity for industry experts and junior and senior leading academics in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, and industry to discuss the emerging challenges in this field.
25–26 June 2026 - Saïd Business School (day 1) & Oxford-Man Institute (day 2). With Drinks Reception & Dinner at Balliol College.
Register Here (Faculty & Students: £20)
Image: Giacomo Ceruti - Two Beggars
Registrations are now open for the annual MPLS Mental Health Awareness Week (11-17 May 2026) programme. This year's theme (set by the Mental Health Foundation) is ACTION, to emphasise that while awareness is vital, real change requires action too.
Explore what the programme has to offer, including talks, music, movement, nature, art and more. Activities are for anyone across the University.
Start Trinity term with a spring in your step. Staff and students are invited to join a series of biodiversity walks through University Parks and Park Farm. Learn about trees, bees, and local conservation work, while contributing to citizen science initiatives, guided by our very own specialists. Starting on 27 April.
Participation is free, but registration is essential.
Join us for a lively one-day event bringing together researchers, professional staff, community partners, and anyone interested in public and community engagement with research. The conference is open to University of Oxford members, as well as the wider public, including community organisations and colleagues from other universities.
Thursday 11 June 2026, 9 am to 6 pm, Life and Mind Building, Oxford
Dovetail Research are currently recruiting for a paid 10-week research fellowship (full-time or part-time). They have recently received funding from ARIA to carry out theoretical research in AI safety, and are seeking applicants with strong mathematical research ability, regardless of prior experience in AI safety. Further details
Image: Gustave Courbet: The Grain Sifters
In the social media caption to the Short Stories 2 film above, we joked about never playing games with mathematicians, especially Foosball, as a result of which Trinity College Cambridge Foosball Society (Instagram) have asked for a 'Varsity' game. If anyone is interested get in touch with them (and let Dyrol know). Presumably Trinity being Trinity, they are all mathematicians anyway.
Read their comments on our post here (Instagram).
Image: Foosball in Paris in 1958
A pale imitation of its former glories, MTV will no doubt claim a large chapter in music history. At its peak in the 90s and early 00s, you got the impression that writing a song was an excuse for making a video.
Some songs, such as this one, are perhaps better known for the video than the song itself. Which would be a shame as this is one of Blur's best as Graham Coxon's lyrics chart his recovery from alcoholism and how, after giving up drinking, he would relax by watching television, drinking coffee and writing songs.
Btw, it is one of those ones that gets in your head...