Mathematical Institute Bulletin

All staff across the Mathematical Institute are invited to join Jim Naismith, Head of MPLS, for an overview of the Division’s financial plans at one of a series of roadshow events being hosted in individual departments in June. As the Division is heading towards surplus, MPLS is looking to agree our collective next steps towards maintaining a financially sustainable position across the division, while investing in departments.

Jim will provide a short presentation on where we are and next steps – and Jon Chapman will share some local departmental context as well. This will be followed by opportunities for questions and comments. We welcome your engagement and involvement in this division-wide exercise.

The roadshow will be held in L3  from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday 09 June. If you are planning to attend, we would be grateful if you could RSVP here

Image: James Gillray - MIDAS, Transmuting all into GOLD PAPER

The Tower of Babel (Andrew Wiles Building, Oxford Mathematics branch) is a huge edifice crossing countries and continents.

Latest football results:

Probability 1 Linear Algebra 0

Frank Noe (Freie Universität Berlin/Microsoft Research AI for Science, Berlin) - Biophysics in the age of AI

Alissa Hummer, Stanford University - Investigating the volume and diversity of data needed for generalizable antibody binding affinity prediction 

Thursday 11^th June 2026, 3.00 – 4.30 p.m., Large Lecture Theatre, Department of Statistics, 24-29 St Giles’, Oxford

A drinks reception will follow in the ground floor social area.

Please register here.

This week saw the release of the Leiden Declaration calling for action to address the challenges posed by the use of artificial intelligence within mathematics research.

The Declaration, signed by 16 international mathematicians including Ursula Martin from Oxford and endorsed by the Isaac Newton Institute, the IMU and various leading mathematicians and signed by 1500 people in total, focusses on the threats (and opportunities ) that AI presents such as:  unreliable results; copyright and attribution issues (AI using human work without citation); inequality and dependence on expensive proprietary technology; misleading hype and overestimation of AI capabilities; and loss of human autonomy over research agendas.

Read the Declaration

Image: Théodore Géricault - The Raft of the Medusa

AMP26, the Applied Mathematics Postgraduate Conference 2026, will take place this year from 30 June to 2 July at the University of Warwick. Co-organised by the Oxford and Warwick SIAM Student Chapters.

The UKRI Policy Internships Scheme 2026 provides an excellent opportunity for graduate students to gain experience working in policy environments across a wide range of partner organisations. 

Closing date: 4 p.m. on Tuesday 8 September 2026

Find out more

Great Big Green Week: join us on Friday 12 June, 12 –2 p.m. for a flavour packed, plant lunch. For one day only, we'll be replacing our meat-based hot food offer with delicious plant based dishes.

Featured specials:

• Thai Yellow Curry with Tofu & Mushrooms (ve)
• Sweet & Sour Quorn (ve)

A recording career that lasted only seven months in 1936 and 1937. Robert Johnson sings the blues.