He calls it a "crazy idea." Then again, he points out, so is the idea of inflation as a way of explaining the beginnings of our Universe.
In our Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture at the Science Museum in London, Roger Penrose revealed his latest research. In both his talk and his subsequent conversation with fellow mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, Roger speculated on a veritable chain reaction of universes, which he says has been backed by evidence of events that took place before the Big Bang. With Conformal Cyclic Cosmology he argues that, instead of a single Big Bang, the universe cycles from one aeon to the next. Each universe leaves subtle imprints on the next when it pops into being. Energy can 'burst through' from one universe to the next, at what he calls ‘Hawking points.’
In addition to his latest research Roger also reflects on his own approach to his subject ("big-headedness") and his own time at school where he was actually dropped down a maths class. So we are not alone, universally or personally speaking.
The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Nick's research spans a wide range within numerical analysis and applied mathematics, in particular the numerical solution of differential equations, fluid mechanics and numerical linear algebra. He is also the author of several very successful books which, as the Fribourg award acknowledges, have widened interest and nourished scientific discussion well beyond mathematics.
Much is written about life as an undergraduate at Oxford but what is it really like? As Oxford Mathematics's new first-year students arrive (273 of them, comprising 33 nationalities) we thought we would take the opportunity to go behind the scenes and share some of their experiences.
Our starting point is a first week lecture. In this case the second lecture from 'An Introduction to Complex Numbers' by Dr. Vicky Neale. Whether you are a past student, an aspiring student or just curious as to how teaching works, come and take a seat. We have already featured snippets from the lecture on social media where comments have ranged from a debate about whiteboards to discussions abut standards. However, there has also been appreciation of the fact that we are giving an insight in to a system that is sometimes seem as unnecessarily mysterious. In fact there is no mystery, just an opportunity to see how we present the subject and how that differs from the school experience, as much in presentation as content though of course that stiffens as the weeks go by.
According to John Eliot Gardiner in his biography of Johann Sebastian Bach, nothing in Bach's rigid Lutheran schooling explains the scientific precision of his work. However, that precision has attracted scientists and mathematicians in particular to the composer's work, not least as its search for structure and beauty seems to chime with their own approach to their subject.
In this Oxford Mathematics Public Lecture Oxford Mathematician James Sparks, himself a former organ scholar at Selwyn College Cambridge, demonstrates just how explicit Bach's mathematical framing is and City of London Sinfonia elucidate with excerpts from the Goldberg Variations. This was one of our most successful Public Lectures, an evening where the Sciences and the Humanities really were in harmony.
Please note this film does not include the full concert performance of the Goldberg Variations.
Congratulations to Oxford Mathematicians Vicky Neale and Ursula Martin who have been nominated for Suffrage Science awards. The awards celebrate women in science and encourage others to enter science and reach senior leadership roles. The 11 awardees are chosen by the previous award holders and the awards themselves are items of jewellery, inspired by the Suffrage movement, and are passed on as heirlooms from one female scientist to the next.
Ursula was nominated by Professor Dame Wendy Hall, University of Southampton and Vicky was nominated by Professor Dame Celia Hoyles, University College London.
Welcome to our new undergraduate students, young mathematicians of diverse nationalities from Afghan to Kazakh, Syrian to Pakistani, Malaysian to Greek. And 70% of UK students from state schools. Welcome to Oxford Mathematics, all of you.
And watch out for a snippet or two from their lectures next week on our Twitter and Facebook pages. We hope it will inspire those of you who hope to join them in the future.
Amid all the debate about equipping ourselves for the 'technological' world of the future, one thing is for sure: the quality of research in the Mathematical and Life Sciences (and beyond) depends on the quality of its young researchers. In that spirit we are delighted to welcome our latest cohort of DPhil (PhD) students, 43 of them, all fully funded, from across the globe. 13 from the UK, 15 from the European Union and a further 15 from India, Kenya, Norway, Australia, Mexico, USA, China, Switzerland, Argentina, Israel and South Africa.
We would also like to welcome our masters students and in particular our first cohort of Oxford Masters in Mathematical Sciences (OMMS) students, 36 in total, 26 men and 10 women from 17 different countries. This standalone course offers students the opportunity to join our current fourth year undergraduates and work with our internationally renowned faculty.
Welcome to everyone. We (and we don't just mean Oxford) need you all.
Roger Penrose's relationship with the artist M.C. Escher was not just one of mutual admiration. Roger's thinking was consistently influenced by Escher, from the famous Penrose tiling to his groundbreaking work in cosmology. The respect was mutual, as was clear when Roger dropped in to see Escher at his home...
Oxford Mathematics hosted this special event in its Public Lecture series during the conference to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the foundation of the Clay Mathematics Institute.
Helen will be the recipient of the Leah Edelstein-Keshet Prize for her work focused on the development and analysis of mathematical and computational models that describe biomedical systems, with particular application to the growth and treatment of solid tumors, wound healing and tissue engineering. This award recognizes an established scientist with a demonstrated track record of exceptional scientific contributions to mathematical biology and/or has effectively developed mathematical models impacting biology. "Dr. Byrne has made outstanding scientific achievements coupled with her record of active leadership in mentoring scientific careers." The Edelstein-Keshet Prize consists of a cash prize of $500 and a certificate given to the recipient. The winner is expected to give a talk at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Mathematical Biology in Montreal in 2019.
Francis has won the H. D. Landahl Mathematical Biophysics Award. This award recognizes the scientific contributions made by a postdoctoral fellow who is making exceptional scientific contributions to mathematical biology. The award is acknowledged with a certificate, and a cash prize of USD $500.
Oxford Mathematics and the Clay Mathematics Institute Public Lectures
Roger Penrose - Eschermatics
Roger Penrose’s work has ranged across many aspects of mathematics and its applications from his influential work on gravitational collapse to his work on quantum gravity. However, Roger has long had an interest in and influence on the visual arts and their connections to mathematics, most notably in his collaboration with Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. In this lecture he will use Escher’s work to illustrate and explain important mathematical ideas.
