Information for Speakers and Visitors

Thanks for agreeing to give a seminar and/or visit us.  We want to ensure that your visit is smooth and enjoyable. Below are some handy tips and information to help you make the most of your time with us.

Seminar Info:

• Our lecture theatres are on the mezzanine,  one floor down from the reception area, and accessible from either stairs or a lift. The seminar is 50 minutes long, with 10 minutes for questions at the end. We have members from different specialities who attend (maths physics, stats, probability, number theory, etc), so broadening your talk can be very helpful. You can give a board or slide talk via your laptop connections via USB-C or HDMI.
• The Random Matrix Theory seminar is usually held at 16:00 on Tuesdays during Term in L6.
• The Number Theory seminar is usually held at 16:00 on Thursdays during Term in L4

Getting Here:

•  Click here to find out how to get to our department, including the best travel options Tip: don’t drive

Reception Hours:

• The building's operational hours are 08:00 - 18:00, Monday through Friday (except on holidays), with the main doors unlocked from 08:15 to 17:30.  Reception is staffed during open/unlocked hours. Tip: If you're meeting someone, you can check in at reception, and they will call to inform the person that you've arrived. 

Office Space and Access:

• The department doesn't routinely offer offices or access cards to visitors staying for less than three days due to lack of space.
• If you are granted an access card, it is a loan. Please return it to our reception staff before the end of your visit. 

Café and Coffee

• Café π is located in the mezzanine level near the lecture theatre. At the time of writing, it's open 08:30-16:00 Monday to Friday, though please check here under Andrew Wiles cafe as this does vary.
• During term time you are very welcome to attend the Departmental Coffee at 11:00  in the Common Room

Restrooms:

• Most restrooms in the department are single-person and gender-neutral. There are wheelchair-accessible restrooms. 

Accessibility & Inclusivity:

• We want you to feel comfortable while you're here. If you have any accessibility or inclusivity needs (preferred pronouns,  difficulty with questions that aren't pre-submitted) or anything else,  reach out to Hannah (probably cc'd into some correspondence with you, also contact by clicking "Hannah Hughes" at the bottom of this webpage). We're here to support you and ensure your experience is as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
• We believe in a respectful and inclusive environment. Harassment or victimisation is not tolerated. If you experience or witness inappropriate behaviour, please report it to Hannah (or to someone else in our department with whom you feel comfortable).

Expenses:

Before you incur costs:

• Please confirm with your host what expenses they can cover. 
• The University expense policy is here (travel policy on left submenu), and the external claimant's form is here (forms on right menu). Please read them thoroughly for all stipulations, but regarding travel, note that (except for reasonable adjustments and certain exceptions):
  • Rail travel should be used for all domestic journeys under 7 hours (exceptions include flights to Northern Ireland, the Shetland Islands or the Outer Hebrides. Flights are also permitted to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man),
  • Eurostar should be used for all journeys to Paris and Brussels,
  • Only standard/economy travel is permitted,
  • Taxis are not usually permitted by our department.
• Our finance team requires that claims be submitted by email within 3 months of the transaction date. 
• Please note that your host may have further grant/funding rules or restrictions beyond University policy. 

When you are ready to claim:

To prepare and submit your claim:

1. Complete and sign the external claimant’s expenses form; this should be password-protected. Attach this to your email,
2. Attach a receipt for each agreed expense,
3. Add the signed and password-protected form and all receipts together in a single email, address it to @email,
   • Please note: if you are unable to sign your expense form with a pen, you are required to include the following statement in your email to the purchasing team: “I confirm that the attached claim is in respect of bona fide business expenses incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily on behalf of the University.”
4. Please cc your host or budget holder on this email. They will provide the finance team with the payment code,
5. You are ready to send!

If any of the above steps are not followed, your payment may be delayed.