Mathematical Institute Bulletin

Congratulations to Francis whose work is in algebraic geometry and mathematical physics. He is a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College.

Oxford Mathematics now has 33 Fellows of the Royal Society among its current and retired members: Fernando Alday, John Ball, Bryan Birch, Emmanuel Breuillard, Martin Bridson, Philip Candelas, Marcus du Sautoy, Artur Ekert, Alison Etheridge, Mike Giles, Alain Goriely, Ben Green, Roger Heath-Brown, Nigel Hitchin, Ehud Hrushovski, Dominic Joyce, Jon Keating, Frances Kirwan, Terry Lyons, Philip Maini, James Maynard, Jim Murray, John Ockendon, Roger Penrose, Jonathan Pila, Graeme Segal, Endre Süli, Martin Taylor, Ulrike Tillmann, Nick Trefethen, Andrew Wiles, Alex Wilkie, and Francis himself, of course.

Unless I have missed someone.

Massimiliano Gubinelli has been awarded the 2026 XL Medal for Mathematics by Accademia Nazionale Delle Scienze, Italy's National Academy of Science which was founded in Verona in 1782. 

Max is our Wallis Professor of Mathematics, Head of the Stochastic Analysis Group and a Fellow at St Anne's College.

Come and along and hear the future. And see if you can understand it.

Today in L1 at 4.30 p.m. (note new time)

Image: Saul Bass's poster for the 1958 Hitchcock film Vertigo

We are delighted to introduce our latest exhibition in the Andrew Wiles Building, featuring 30 mathematically-inspired paintings  by Dutch visual artist Paul Ouwerkerk.

The exhibition launch will be on Friday 5th June at 5 p.m. in the South Mezzanine and all are welcome. Please email Dyrol (@email) if you wish to attend.

The Tower of Babel story is about punishment. For its arrogant, sky-reaching tower, humanity is condemned to speak in many tongues.

For our mathematicians, the Tower of Babel is an inspiration.

Mathematics the mind reader.

How much monetary pain would you take to deny someone else monetary gain? Marcus du Sautoy issues an ultimatum.

Nominations are now open for a number of new Awards to sit alongside existing Impact, Teaching, EDI and Research Supervision Awards. These new awards recognise the contributions and commitment of MPLS staff across four key areas: Technical and Workshop Support; Estates, Facilities, and Safety Support; IT; and Professional Services Excellence.

Find out more online and submit nominations by Wednesday 17 June.

Image: Jean Marais in Jean Cocteau's Orphée (1950)

Annual Disability Lecture 2026 

Digital Accessibility at the Crossroads: Infrastructure, AI, and the Future We Build - Dr Sarah Lewthwaite (University of Southampton)

This event will be held at the Life and Mind Building on Monday 8 June from 6 - 8 p.m. (lecture and Q&A from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. followed by refreshments). It is also available online. Find out more and register

Oxford Pride Breakfast 2026

Lord Isaac, Provost of Worcester College, and Professor Tim Soutphommasane, Chief Diversity Officer, warmly invite University staff, students, friends and family members to a community celebration to mark Oxford Pride 2026. Join them on Saturday 6 June, from 8.30 - 10 a.m. for a light breakfast with senior leaders from across the collegiate University.

Following breakfast, we will make our way to Paradise Street to join the Oxford Pride Parade. 

Register here

The Oxford Guide to Careers 2026 is here to help you prepare for your next steps. This online publication from the University Careers Service brings together advice and resources for students and graduates at every stage of their career journey.

Whether you are considering summer opportunities, exploring different career paths, or preparing applications for the year ahead, you will find insights from Oxford careers advisers, alumni, and employers, alongside practical guidance on skills development, applications, sector briefings, and career decision-making.

The Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar is a large-scale public engagement event welcoming over 10,000 visitors, including families, schools, and local communities, for a day of hands-on discovery, interactive activities, workshops, and live shows. 

Taking place on Saturday 20th February 2027, we are particularly keen to strengthen the maths presence at the event, as mathematics is often underrepresented despite being such a creative and engaging subject. We would love to hear from researchers, students, and groups interested in delivering interactive maths-based exhibits or activities for children aged 5-12 and their families. Please contact: @email

Introducing our new salad box range:

• Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Tuna & Orzo Salad
• Mixed Bean Burrito Bowl (v)

Make it a deal by adding a snack and selected hot/cold, or soft drink for just £6.95. or add a drink to any lunch dish for only £1.50. And, we are also refreshing our salad bar from 1st June.

For decades, any aspiring musician has had a Velvet Underground album to hand, usually the first one with the Andy Warhol 'banana' on the cover. But other albums have gems as well. Take this Lou Reed song about an ex who married someone else.