Are numbers essential for counting? Probably, in a world where we don’t just want to know if something is good, but exactly how good. But it wasn’t always the case.
In this clip from his Vicky Neale Public Lecture, Tim Harford demonstrates that earlier cultures used alternate ways to keep track.
The Inaugural Vicky Neale Public Lecture was given by economist and broadcaster Tim Harford in recognition of the invaluable contribution to mathematical education of the late Vicky Neale. In the lecture, Tim looks at how data built the modern world - and how we can use it to build a better one.
So what do you fancy today? Carrollian holograms? The Möbius function? Software to tackle pollution? Additive versus multiplicative structure over integers? A celebration of the many people who have used maths in their everyday lives?
We can do all that and more. We've 100s of case studies online: pure, applied and all things combined. Just click here.
Image: mathematical methods reveal complex cell patterns in high-resolution kidney data from the Topology and medicine combine to tackle kidney disease case study.
Philip Maini has been awarded the Sylvester Medal by the Royal Society for his contributions to mathematical biology, especially the interdisciplinary modelling of biomedical phenomena and systems.
Philip's research uses mathematical modelling to gain insights into biology and medicine. It focuses mainly on pattern formation in early development, cell movement in wound healing, and the dynamics of cancer growth. It consists of developing mathematical models, which range from coupled systems of partial differential equations to multi-scale hybrid agent-based models, analysing them and using their results to advance our understanding of the biomedical sciences. Philip also take great pleasure in training the next generation of researchers in this field, and over 40 of the graduate students and postdocs he has (co-)supervised now have permanent faculty positions in mathematical biology in universities worldwide.
He says of the award: "Receiving this prize is a truly humbling experience when I look at past winners. It is recognition of the important role that mathematical biology is now playing both in mathematics and in the life sciences. I would like to thank my mentor J.D. Murray for introducing me to this field and for all his help and support throughout my career. I have been very lucky to have worked with so many talented colleagues, graduate students and early career researchers."
Philip's student lectures and other films are extremely popular on YouTube and social media with over 20 million views.
The Sylvester Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics. The medal is accompanied by a gift of £2,000.
When Terry Tao speaks the mathematical world listens.
Last month Terry gave the Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture at the Science Museum, revealing his thoughts on the potential of Artificial Intelligence for science and mathematics before joining fellow mathematician Po-Shen Lo for a fireside chat.
What does he think? Well, he certainly sees a future where mathematics is embracing and benefiting from AI. It might even bring more mathematicians in to the subject, some of them not even professionals.
Find out more by watching the lecture from 5pm BST on Wednesday 7th August onwards.
Ever since we were first surrounded by the mathematically-inspired art of Conrad Shawcross in multiple locations across our building, we have wondered what we would do when they had to leave us. The works seemed not so much to blend in as to enhance the building, from the tetrahedral uncertainties of the Paradigms to the dazzling colour and light of the Beacons. Moreover, they have captured the imagination of our mathematicians. They recognise the art. They also recognise the mathematics.
So we are delighted that thanks to the generosity of exhibition supporter XTX Markets, curator Fatoş Üstek and, of course, Conrad himself, the show, featuring over 40 works, will be living with us for another year. We encourage you all to come and see it. Some of the works are in the public areas, some in the private, mingling with the mathematicians whose ideas inspired the artist. If you wish to have a full tour please e-mail @email.
Oxford Mathematician Balint Koczor is one of 68 of the most promising research leaders who will be funded £104 million to lead research into global issues and to commercialise their innovations in the UK.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s flagship Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) are designed to enable universities and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators and to attract new people to their organisations, including from overseas.
Balint Koczor is Associate Professor in Quantum Information Theory in Oxford Mathematics. His research includes quantum theory and in theory of (near-term) quantum computers, with a view to making quantum computers practical.
This includes developing new and improved ways to deal with errors (error mitigation techniques) in quantum computers . Balint's research also aims to exploit classical supercomputers to squeeze out as much performance from quantum computers as possible. He works with experimentalists and with quantum companies to develop optimised platforms to best tailor quantum applications to hardware.
UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said: ‘UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowships provide researchers and innovators with long-term support and training to develop ambitious, transformative ideas.
‘The programme supports the research and innovation leaders of the future to transcend disciplinary and sector boundaries, bridging the gap between academia and business.
Two other Oxford researchers are also recipients: Luc Rocher (Oxford Internet Institute) and Dennis Timo Egger (Department of Economics).
Our final year students have now left us, in some cases never to return to mathematics, but in others to pursue the subject as researchers, in Oxford and across the globe.
However, before they left we asked some of them them to reflect on what they'd liked and disliked about the mathematics course, which parts of mathematics had really grabbed them, and whether they had any regrets - a fun and instructive exit interview, if you like.
You can watch the full range of videos via our social media (links at the bottom of this page), but here is a taster of their thoughts. Good luck to them all.
Two Oxford Mathematicians, Andrew Wiles and Marc Lackenby, have received Basic Science and Frontiers of Science awards.
Andrew receives a Basic Science Lifetime Award both for his famous proving of Fermat's Last Theorem and its subsequent influence on the development of the field, and for the inspiration he has provided to many aspiring mathematicians.
Marc receives a Frontiers of Science award for his paper 'A polynomial upper bound on Reidemeister moves' published in the Annals of Mathematics. Marc's expertise lies in low-dimensional topology and group theory. His paper resolved a longstanding open problem in knot theory.
The awards will be presented at the 2024 International Congress of Basic Science which takes place in Beijing, China, next week.
The Vicky Neale Public Lecture recognises the invaluable contribution to mathematical education of the late Vicky Neale. In this lecture, economist and broadcaster Tim Harford looks at how data built the modern world - and how we can use it to build a better one.
Please email @email to register to attend in person.
The lecture will be broadcast on the Oxford Mathematics YouTube Channel on Wednesday 31 July at 5-6pm and any time after (no need to register for the online version).
The Vicky Neale Public Lectures are a partnership between the Clay Mathematics Institute, PROMYS and Oxford Mathematics. The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Gui-Qiang G. Chen is awarded the Pólya Prize for his deep research into nonlinear partial differential equations, and in particular his rigorous theoretical analysis of the equations of gas dynamics, especially those involving transonic flows.
Emmanuel Breuillard is awarded the Fröhlich Prize for his landmark work on groups and their actions, masterly combining in ingenious ways algebraic groups, combinatorics, number theory, Diophantine approximation, topology and C*-algebras. His work is notable for its originality, conceptual clarity, elegance and depth.
James Newton is awarded a Whitehead Prize for his groundbreaking contributions to the Langlands programme, and in particular for his spectacular joint proof with Jack Thorne of symmetric power functoriality for holomorphic modular forms.
