Institute of Mathematics and its Applications

📣 Last chance to register

If you’re new to teaching mathematics or statistics in UK higher education, there’s still time to join the IMA Induction Course for New Lecturers in the Mathematical Sciences 2026.

Taking place on 14th–15th September in Cambridge, this two-day course is designed specifically for lecturers who are new to, or have limited experience in, higher education teaching.

From making teaching more interactive and supporting student learning to assessment, feedback, technology and linking teaching with research, the course covers the practical challenges you’re likely to encounter in your first years of teaching.

There will also be plenty of opportunities to share ideas, discuss challenges and learn from experienced teachers of the mathematical sciences.

📅 14th–15th September 2026
📍 Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge
⏰ Registration closes 7th September

Places are limited, so don’t miss your chance to get involved.

👉 Book your place: https://ima.org.uk/28710/induction-course-for-new-lecturers-in-the-mathematical-sciences-2026

Good careers aren’t built alone.

Sometimes the most useful thing you can have is someone who’s been there before. Someone to share experience, offer perspective, challenge your thinking or simply help you work out what comes next.

IMA Exponential, is the IMA’s mentoring scheme connecting members from across the profession.

Whether you’re looking for guidance as you develop your career, or you have experience you’d like to share with the next generation of mathematicians, Exponential gives IMA members the opportunity to build meaningful mentoring relationships across sectors and career stages.

And it’s not just about what the mentee gains. Mentors can develop their leadership and communication skills, support their CPD and gain fresh perspectives from the people they work with.

Open to all IMA members, regardless of experience level or job role.

Find out more about IMA Exponential and get involved: www.ima.org.uk/support/ima-exponential-mentoring-scheme

IMA President Heather Tewkesbury is taking her Presidential Address on tour!

This October, Dr Heather Tewkesbury CMath FIMA brings her 2026 Presidential Address to the IMA South West & Wales Branch at the University of Bristol.

Titled “Why Mathematics Matters: Sharing Experiences to Amplify Impact”, the address will explore how sharing our experiences and expertise can help mathematicians increase their influence and create greater impact across industry, government and the wider community.

📅 Wednesday 14th October 2026
📍 University of Bristol
🕕 6pm, with refreshments from 5:30pm

The event is free and open to everyone, whether you're an IMA member or not.

👉 Book your spot on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ima-presidential-address-tour-2026-southwest-and-wales-branch-tickets-1996365052613

On Friday 24 July, the IMA held the National Best Maths Project Competition 2026. The event was a tremendous success, with 18 universities submitting nominations. The quality of the presentations was outstanding, and our panel faced the difficult task of selecting the winners from a very strong field.


We are pleased to announce that this year's winners are:

1st Place:
Ben le Jeune (Imperial College London) - Stochastic Resetting for General Inter-Particle Structures

2nd Place:
Alice Henman (Durham University) - Life and Death in Evolution: Topics in Adaptive Dynamics

3rd Place (jointly awarded):
Owen Walters (University of Sheffield) - Uniform Rationality of Surfaces in Algebraic Geometry

Sophie Hegarty (University of the West of England) - Lagrangian Analysis of Four-Bar Cruciate Ligament Model

Please look out for a full write up of the event in the October edition of Mathematics Today

Niels Henrik Abel • Born 5th August 1802

Niels Henrik Abel laid the foundations for much of modern algebra and analysis. At just 22 years old, he proved that there is no general solution by radicals for quintic equations, bringing centuries of mathematical pursuit to a definitive close.

His pioneering work on elliptic functions continues to influence areas ranging from geometry and number theory to modern physics. Despite working with limited resources and receiving little recognition during his lifetime, Abel developed ideas that still underpin mathematics today.

Abel died at the age of just 26, only months before learning he had been appointed to a university position. His legacy now lives on through the Abel Prize, one of the highest honours in mathematics, awarded each year in recognition of outstanding mathematical achievement.

On what would have been his birthday, we celebrate a mathematician whose ideas continue to shape the world more than two centuries later.

Congratulations to Professor Paul Glaister CBE, recipient of the 2026 IMA David Youdan Medal.

The medal recognises Professor Glaister's sustained and outstanding contribution to the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications over many years. His dedication has shaped the profession through leadership in professional standards, mathematics education, accreditation and chartership, while helping to strengthen the mathematical community across the UK and beyond.

Alongside an academic career spanning more than four decades, Professor Glaister has played a pivotal role within the IMA, serving on Council, the Executive Board and numerous committees. As Honorary Secretary and Chair of the Membership Committee, he has overseen the Institute's professional registrations and chartered designations, while championing excellence in mathematics education and professional recognition.

The IMA David Youdan Medal is a fitting recognition of Professor Glaister's remarkable service and lasting impact on both the Institute and the wider mathematical sciences community.

Read more: https://ima.org.uk/29413/ima-david-youdan-medal-awarded-to-professor-paul-glaister/

Maths to Matchday: Data Analysis in Modern Football

📅 Tuesday 8th September 2026
🕠 5.30pm–6.30pm (AGM at 5.15pm)
📍 Sheffield Hallam University & online

With the World Cup still fresh in everyone’s minds, this is a timely look at how mathematics is shaping modern football - not just on the pitch, but across the full operations of a professional club.

On Tuesday 8th September, the IMA Yorkshire Branch welcomes Grace Brandon, Data Analyst at a Championship Football Club, for a talk on how models, visualisations, analytical techniques and coding skills support decision‑making across commercial activity, staffing, performance analysis and physical monitoring.

Grace will share how mathematical training and industry experience translate into actionable insights that give clubs a competitive edge on and off the pitch.

The session is open to all - in person at Sheffield Hallam University or online.
Booking is required to help the Branch track attendance and communicate any changes.

The Branch AGM takes place beforehand at 5.15pm, and all interested members of the mathematical community are welcome to attend and get involved in shaping future activity across the Yorkshire region.

Register your interest and find out more here: https://ima.org.uk/29479/maths-to-matchday-data-analysis-in-modern-football-branch-talk-and-agm/

Can mathematics reveal hidden stories from history?

Join the IMA Early Career Mathematicians Committee for the first event in the new 'Maths of' seminar series, exploring how mathematics is helping us understand the past in entirely new ways.

We'll be joined by Dr Sebastian Ahnert (University of Cambridge), whose research uses network science to analyse more than 130,000 letters from the Tudor period. By mapping the relationships between over 20,000 individuals, his work uncovers hidden networks of power and offers historians new ways to explore one of the most turbulent periods in British history.

We'll also hear from Alara Kaba (University of Bristol), who will introduce cliodynamics – an emerging field that applies mathematical modelling to the rise and fall of civilisations. Using ideas from nonlinear differential equations and fluid dynamics, her talk explores how mathematics can help explain historical change on a global scale.

Whether you're interested in mathematics, history, or the fascinating overlap between the two, this free online seminar promises fresh perspectives and plenty of opportunity for discussion.

Book your place: https://ima.org.uk/29569/the-maths-of-history/