The ��ö����ö�� is tangible proof of a mathematical theory, developed by Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi from the Budapest University Technology and Economics, about the stability of solid objects. The ��ö����ö�� is a three-dimensional, homogenous, convex object that has exactly one stable and one unstable equilibrium, or balance point; if you put it down on a flat surface it will reorient itself until it reaches the one stable equilibrium point.

The mathematicians have chosen to gift one of the ��ö����ö�� pieces to the University with the unique serial number 1824, in honour of the University’s 200^th anniversary which is being celebrated throughout 2024. ��ö����ö�� 1824 is sponsored by Mr Ottó Albrecht, who has funded the ��ö����ö�� donation programme for many years. The piece stands at 180mm tall and is made from plexiglass. It will be exhibited in the Mathematics Department located in the Alan Turing Building.

��ö����ö�� 1824 was presented to the University at a ceremony on 10 October, by H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, and was accepted by , Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and , Head of the Department of Mathematics. The ambassador also had the chance to have lunch with Hungarian staff and students at the University and took a tour of the robotics lab.

Since its discovery in 2007, many ��ö����ö�� pieces have been donated to renowned institutions worldwide, including Harvard University, the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the Pompidou Centre and The University of Tokyo.

There are few ��ö����ö�� pieces in the UK; The University of Oxford, The University of Cambridge, Windsor Castle, The Crown Estate, University College London and Academia Europaea are the only institutions which currently have a ��ö����ö�� on display. Swagֱ��’s ��ö����ö�� 1824 is the first ��ö����ö�� to be gifted to an institution in the North of England.

Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of the Department of Mathematics, said: “It is somewhat unusual to have a mathematical object whose proof of existence can be realised in such a tangible way. The ��ö����ö�� is visually interesting and stimulates discussion between staff, students and visitors.”

Although discovered in Hungary, the ��ö����ö�� has connections to Swagֱ��. Some of the early research on the statics of solid bodies was pioneered by Sir Horace Lamb, who studied Mathematics at Owens College and was a Professor of Physics at the University between 1885 and 1920. Lamb wrote the influential textbook Statics, Including Hydrostatics and the Elements of the Theory of Elasticity, which describes methods that can be adapted to analyse the stability of the ��ö����ö��.

The ��ö����ö�� is also relevant for current research being undertaken at the University. Researchers working on granular flows and particle dynamics used the ��ö����ö�� as a test shape for computer codes, to verify the stability calculations used to analyse piles of grains.

H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, said: “It is with great pride that we present the G1824, a remarkable embodiment of Hungarian ingenuity and problem-solving, in honour of Swagֱ��'s foundation. More than a scientific marvel, for us, Professor Domokos' ��ö����ö�� represents Hungarian thinking and creative problem solving.”

History of the ��ö����ö��

In geometry, a body with a single stable resting position is called monostatic; the term mono-monostatic has been coined to describe a body which additionally has only one unstable point of balance.

The weight of the ��ö����ö�� is distributed evenly; and no simpler homogeneous shape exists with these properties. In fact, it is not possible for a convex, homogenous, solid three-dimensional object to have fewer than two equilibria.

The question of whether it is possible to construct a three-dimensional body which is mono-monostatic, homogenous and convex, was posed by Russian mathematician Vladimir Igorevich Arnold at a conference in 1995, in Hamburg.

In 2007, Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi proved Arnold’s conjecture correct and created the first physical example, which became known as the ��ö����ö��. The discovered mono-monostatic shape is the most sphere-like shape, apart from the sphere itself; its name is a diminutive form of ��ö����, meaning ‘sphere’ in Hungarian.

��ö����ö��-like shapes can be seen in nature. Biological evolution developed a similar shape in the form of the shell of the , which self-rights when turned upside down. Domokos and Várkonyi spent time studying tortoises in Hungary, attempting to explain the shape and function of their shells.

After its creation in 2007, a series of individual ��ö����ö�� models were launched. Each individual ��ö����ö�� carries its own unique serial number, between 1 and the current year, and has only been produced once.

The first individually numbered ��ö����ö�� model (��ö����ö�� 001) was presented by Domokos and Várkonyi as a gift to Vladimir Igorevich Arnold on his 70^th birthday in 2007; Professor Arnold later donated ��ö����ö�� 001 to the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, where it is currently on exhibit.

has been awarded an OBE for his services to public health, to epidemiology and to adult social care, particularly during Covid-19, has been awarded an OBE for his for services to the advancement of the science of radiation protection, Professor Paul Klapper has been awarded an OBE for services to viral diagnostic testing, and Professor Paul Howarth has been awarded a CBE for his significant contribution and service to the nuclear industry and to UK research and development (R&D).

The list celebrates individuals who have had an immeasurable impact on the lives of people across the country - such as by creating innovative solutions or driving real change in public life.

Ian Hall is a Professor of Mathematical Epidemiology and Statistics at Swagֱ��. He is a long-standing member of SPI-M (the pandemic disease modelling advisory group) and played a critical role in the operations of this group during the swine flu and Covid-19 pandemics.

During the Covid-19 pandemic he was academic chair of the SAGE working group of Social Care and participated in the SAGE Environmental Modelling Group as well as attending SAGE itself. He was also involved in a number of research projects, including the national core study on transmission () and Project TRACK to understand and control the risks on public transport. He also helped analyse data from a new heat map, providing a national picture of the spread over time.

Since the pandemic, Professor Hall has continued working with UKHSA through an honorary contract, notably with Health Equity Division on vaccination strategies in prison and homeless settings.

His other research interests include the impact of diseases on vulnerable populations and the study of vector-borne infectious diseases and environmental infections, such as Legionnaires Disease.

Richard Wakeford is an Honorary Professor in Epidemiology in the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), having been Professor in Epidemiology at the Centre before retiring at the end of 2019. He specialises in the epidemiology of exposure to ionising radiation, particularly as related to radiological protection.

Professor Wakeford is a member of various committees, including the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and the International Commission on Radiological Protection. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) following the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, and for 25 years was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Radiological Protection.

Richard completed his PhD in high energy physics at the University of Liverpool in 1978 and worked for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) for nearly 30 years. It was the many challenges faced at BNFL where he developed his skills in radiation epidemiology and radiological protection. He was privileged to work with Sir Richard Doll during this time. After taking early retirement from BNFL, Richard joined the University, initially through an association with Dalton Nuclear Institute and then joining COEH.

Paul Klapper is Professor of Clinical Virology at Swagֱ��. He began his career in virology in 1976 working as a laboratory technician at Booth Hall Children’s Hospital. He completed his PhD while working at Swagֱ�� Royal Infirmary on the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis - a topic he continued to work on for over 20 years and led to the development of a reliable molecular diagnostic test for the condition. He also helped establish independent quality assurance testing in the infancy of viral molecular diagnostic testing. 

Throughout his career, Professor Klapper has been at the forefront of several key developments of viral diagnostic testing. Notably, he worked with the Greater Swagֱ�� Hepatitis C testing strategy, developing community-based testing methods to aid control of the HCV pandemic. In 1981, he became an NHS Clinical Scientist, working in both Swagֱ�� and Leeds as a Consultant Clinical Scientist. Ten years later, in 1991 became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathology. 

On retiring from the NHS in 2012, Professor Klapper joined Swagֱ�� as a Professor of Clinical Virology.  Early in 2020, he volunteered to help with establishment of large scale Covid-19 testing and became the clinical lead for the Alderley Park testing facility. He also served as a Clinical Advisor for testing with the Department of Health.

 Professor Klapper continues to conduct vital research in blood-borne virus infection and in congenital human cytomegalovirus infection.

Paul Howarth is Professor of Nuclear Technology at Swagֱ�� and Chief Executive of National Nuclear Laboratory. 

Professor Howarth has had a distinguished career working in and for the nuclear sector, building a reputation as one of the leading figures in the UK nuclear sector and around the global industry. After completing his degree in Physics and Astrophysics and PhD in Nuclear Physics, he started his career working on the European Fusion Programme. Early in his career he was awarded a prestigious Royal Society Fellowship to work in Japan on their nuclear programme. On returning to the UK he continued to work on nuclear fission leading the UK’s advanced reactor programme while working at British Nuclear Fuels, co-founding the at the University  and working closely with UK Government on building the case for new nuclear build.

Professor Howarth was appointed CEO for the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) in 2011 following its creation as a public corporation, having been instrumental in its establishment from British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL). During his tenure as CEO, NNL has been transformed into a successful business and a true national laboratory, delivering profits to reinvest into nuclear science and technology and critical support to nuclear organisations in the public and private sectors. 

The birthday honours are awarded by the King following recommendations by the prime minister, senior government ministers, or members of the public.

The awards recognise active community champions, innovative social entrepreneurs, pioneering scientists, passionate health workers and dedicated volunteers who have made significant achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.

To see the full Birthday Honours List 2024, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-kings-birthday-honours-list-2024  

In an event at the Pankhurst Building, academics representing all faculties and the University’s Industry partners attended to learn about the establishment of these two leading Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning research Centres and hear more about the vision for continued growth. 

The Centres aim to solve real-world challenges through collaborative work utilising AI with other disciplines. Central to this is a focus on the fundamental methods being used to power the AI solutions. Advantages will come from leading-edge research breakthroughs in new methodologies for machine learning, with huge potential for cross-disciplinary benefits. 

The event provided an opportunity to recognise the early success of the Centre in successfully securing funding in three UKRI calls:

• Turing AI World-Leading Researcher Fellowship 
• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Decision Making for Complex Systems 
• AI Hub in Generative Models

This research income is fuelling lots of research at the Centre with AI-focussed work underway that bridges into other fields including robotics, healthcare and sustainability. 

Across AI Fundamentals and the ELLIS unit, currently over 25 PhD studentships are underway. It is anticipated that over 30 PhD students will join in the coming years with diverse and interesting opportunities soon to be advertised across the Centre websites and wider University channels.

The Centre for AI Fundamentals is eager to work collaboratively on high-impact problems we can better solve together. Anyone wanting to become involved with the Centre is welcome to engage with us directly or to learn more.

About the Centre for AI Fundamentals (AI-FUN)
The Centre brings together leading AI expertise in collaboration with experts in a range of fields. Led by Professor Samuel Kaski, the goal is to create and develop cutting-edge machine learning techniques to help solve real-world problems. .

About the ELLIS Unit Swagֱ��
ELLIS - the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems - is a pan-European AI network of excellence which focuses on fundamental science, technical innovation and societal impact. Led by Professor Magnus Rattray, the Swagֱ�� unit is one of 41 across Europe.  

The driving force behind the podcast, named Big Sisters in STEM, is a recognition of the need for a supportive and inclusive environment where women and non-binary individuals in STEM feel seen and heard.

It explores the challenges, triumphs and experiences of women and non-binary individuals navigating through a traditionally male-dominated field and delves into the complex realities behind living in a society where just being present in the room is often hailed as a milestone achievement.

From grappling with imposter syndrome to the societal pressure to overburden ourselves, the challenges of being the only woman in the classroom and navigating a career while balancing family responsibilities, the podcast unpacks the multifaceted issues that hinder the full participation of underrepresented groups in STEM.

Host and producer Jasmine Luby Barrow (she/her), a Marketing and Recruitment Co-ordinator at Swagֱ��, said: “The idea behind Big Sisters in STEM was really about creating a safe space for women and people who know what it feels like to be othered.

“The prospective and current students I talk to are so often surprised to hear that successful career people or award-winning researchers still struggle with relatable things like self-confidence or learning how to say ‘no’. While it might be scary to hear that things like imposter syndrome linger on longer than we’d like, I hope it’s also heartening for people to know they are not alone, and that together we might be able to better support each other.

“It’s somewhere to come together and share experiences and guidance in an open and genuine way – like sitting down for a ‘cuppa with your big sister.

“As in all areas of education and industry, it’s so important that STEM becomes more intersectional – and we talk about that a lot on the podcast. The more perspectives which inform a situation the more well-rounded our solutions will be – be that in climate change, use of new technology, or medical equality.”

Each episode of the podcast hears from a combination of inspirational academics, industry professionals and students.

Episode one, which will air on Wednesday, 27 March 2024, features (she/her), a Lecturer in Aerospace Systems at the University, who specialises in Astrodynamics and Space Mission Design and in 2021 won the Institute of Engineering and Technology Woman of the Year award.During the episode Ciara shares her own personal experiences, talking about the turning point in her career when someone told her, her work on space was “frivolous”. She gives her take on the topic, space as a that can help “change the world” and shares fascinating insight into how satellite technology has a tangible impact on everyday lives on earth.

She said: “People think that space is so far away, but it’s not. Most of the satellites that we have in space are actually closer to us here in Swagֱ�� than we are away from Paris.”

Ciara goes on to talk about the lack of understanding around the breadth of engineering and frustration of losing potentially great people from the field through lack of understanding.

She added: “There are so many skills that are equally as important in engineering, and we probably lose those along the way… One of the things I talk about with industry partners we work with is how important human factors are. You can engineer the perfect aircraft or spacecraft but accounting for how people are going to behave is really hard – that’s where accidents happen, and mistakes are made. We need good communicators, and psychologists, and I worry that we’re losing those people along the way because people don’t feel like those are the skills we need in engineering.”

Ciara is joined by Earth and Environmental Sciences student Vannessa Thai (they/them), a first-year Earth and Environmental Sciences Student with a sought-after scholarship at the University.

They said: “It’s a lot of challenge to go through and fight for what you believe in and be heard, especially in spaces where people don’t look like you or from your background, especially climate engineering where it can feel like an exclusive space.

Other guests throughout the six-week series include Dr Zahra Montazeri (she/her) a Computer Science Lecturer, who is a Computer Graphics specialist and has previously worked with Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks - on everything from Star Wars to Frozen.

The season also brings conversations with Dr Charlene Gallery (she/her), who talks about her work in the fashion industry, working with new technologies to pioneer more sustainable practices,(she/her), a Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy at Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Ella Podmore MBE (she/her) IET Woman of the Year 2020 and Senior Materials Engineer, and (she/her) an inspiring Clinical Academic who focuses on the screening, prevention and early diagnosis of gynaecological cancers.

They are joined with students from a broad range of STEM areas, including civil engineering, computer science, materials science, chemical engineering, biotechnology and medicine.

The first episode of Big Sisters in STEM will launch on Wednesday, 27 March 2024 and will be available on all podcast platforms.

For more information and regular updates, follow the Instagram, or visit the website:

The framework combines dimension reduction techniques and a new explainable clustering algorithm called CLASSIX, developed by mathematicians at Swagֱ��. This enables the quick identification of groups of viral genomes that might present a risk in the future from huge volumes of data.

, presented this week in the journal PNAS, could support traditional methods of tracking viral evolution, such as phylogenetic analysis, which currently require extensive manual curation.

Like many other RNA viruses, COVID-19 has a high mutation rate and short time between generations meaning it evolves extremely rapidly. This means identifying new strains that are likely to be problematic in the future requires considerable effort.

Currently, there are almost 16 million sequences available on the GISAID database (the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data), which provides access to genomic data of influenza viruses.

Mapping the evolution and history of all COVID-19 genomes from this data is currently done using extremely large amounts of computer and human time.

The described method allows automation of such tasks. The researchers processed 5.7 million high-coverage sequences in only one to two days on a standard modern laptop; this would not be possible for existing methods, putting identification of concerning pathogen strains in the hands of more researchers due to reduced resource needs.

, Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Swagֱ��, said: “The unprecedented amount of genetic data generated during the pandemic demands improvements to our methods to analyse it thoroughly. The data is continuing to grow rapidly but without showing a benefit to curating this data, there is a risk that it will be removed or deleted.

“We know that human expert time is limited, so our approach should not replace the work of humans all together but work alongside them to enable the job to be done much quicker and free our experts for other vital developments.”

The proposed method works by breaking down genetic sequences of the COVID-19 virus into smaller “words” (called 3-mers) represented as numbers by counting them. Then, it groups similar sequences together based on their word patterns using machine learning techniques.

, Professor of Applied Mathematics at Swagֱ��, said: “The clustering algorithm CLASSIX we developed is much less computationally demanding than traditional methods and is fully explainable, meaning that it provides textual and visual explanations of the computed clusters.”

Roberto Cahuantzi added: “Our analysis serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating the potential use of machine learning methods as an alert tool for the early discovery of emerging major variants without relying on the need to generate phylogenies.

“Whilst phylogenetics remains the ‘gold standard’ for understanding the viral ancestry, these machine learning methods can accommodate several orders of magnitude more sequences than the current phylogenetic methods and at a low computational cost.”

The University is one of three new universities chosen to partner with the Martingale Postgraduate Foundation to support passionate and talented students facing financial barriers to pursue postgraduate degrees at leading research institutions in the UK.

A Martingale Scholar will receive a fully funded scholarship to pursue a master's degree in Mathematics at one of the partner universities along with tailored support to apply for a Martingale PhD scholarship. The funding includes all tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend for living costs.

Swagֱ�� has been at the forefront of mathematics for more than a century and the University has been home to some of the biggest names in the subject during this time, including Alan Turing, Max Newman, Louis Mordell, Violet Cane, and Hanna Neumann.

Martingale Scholarships will enable students from low-income backgrounds to pursue and excel in a master’s and PhD at the leading School of Mathematics.  

Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of Department, Department of Mathematics, said: “The Department of Mathematics at Swagֱ�� is delighted to be partnering with the Martingale Foundation to offer scholarships allowing talented students facing financial barriers to pursue higher degrees in mathematics. The Scholarships complement the Department's existing initiatives to provide access to mathematics education for all students, irrespective of their background, and support the University's commitment to Social Responsibility, one of its three core goals. We are looking forward to welcoming the Martingale Scholars to our Department in 2024.”

Incoming Martingale Scholars will have the opportunity to apply for a number of MSc courses offered by Swagֱ��. These are MSc Pure Mathematics, MSc Applied Mathematics, MSc Statistics and MSc Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic. Students can experience a sense community in the purpose-built Alan Turing building and develop excellent networks through annual maths-specific careers fairs and employer interview programmes.

Martingale Scholars also join a prestigious development programme that provides training and experiences beyond their university offer to build a pioneering community of STEM leaders.

Swagֱ�� joins The University of Bristol and The University of Edinburgh as new Martingale Foundation partners this year. In 2022 Martingale was launched with the founding cohort of five universities: University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, Kings College London, University of Oxford, and University College London, with the inaugural cohort of scholars taking up their place this autumn, leading a new generation of STEM postgraduates.

Applications for the 2024 Martingale Scholarships are open until the 25th of October 2023. Incoming Martingale Scholars now have the opportunity to pursue postgraduate degrees in maths at the University of Swagֱ��.

For more information on how to apply, application guidance and deadlines, please visit www.martingale.foundation.

Focusing on the National Lottery’s flagship game ‘Lotto’, which draws six random numbers from 1 to 59, and found that 27 is the lowest possible number of tickets needed to guarantee a win – although, importantly, with no guarantee of a profit.  

They describe the solution using a mathematical system called finite geometry, which centres around a triangle-like structure called a Fano plane. Each point of the structure is plotted with pairs of numbers and connected with lines – each line generates a set of six numbers, which equates to one ticket. 

It takes three Fano planes and two triangles to cover all 59 numbers and generate 27 sets of tickets. 

Choosing tickets in this way guarantees that no matter which of the 45,057,474 possible draws occurs, at least one of the tickets will have at least two numbers in common. From any draw of six, two numbers must appear on one of the five geometric structures, which ensures they appear on at least one ticket.  

But Dr Stewart and Dr Cushing say that the hard work is actually showing that achieving the same outcome with 26 tickets is not possible. 

Dr David Stewart, a Reader in Pure Mathematics at Swagֱ��, said: “Fundamentally there is a tension which comes from the fact that there are only 156 entries on 26 tickets. This means a lot of numbers can’t appear a lot of times. Eventually you see that you’ll be able to find six numbers that don’t appear on any ticket together. In graph theory terms, we end up proving the existence of an independent set of size six.” 

Although guaranteed a win, the researchers say that the chances of making a profit are very unlikely and shouldn’t be used as a reason to gamble.  

The 27 lottery tickets would set you back £54. And Peter Rowlett, a mathematician from The Aperiodical website, has shown that in almost 99% of cases, you wouldn’t make that money back.  

When putting the theory to the test in the lottery draw on 1 July 2023; the researchers matched just two balls on three of the tickets, the reward being three lucky dip tries on a subsequent lottery, each of which came to nothing. 

The researchers say that the finding is interesting from a computational point of view. They use a fifty-year-old programming language called Prolog, which they say makes it one of the oldest examples of real artificial intelligence.

The 27 sets of lottery ticket numbers

of Swagֱ��’s has been . 

He is one of 120 new members and 23 international members recognised for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. 

The NAS is a private, non-profit institution in the US, established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. 

It recognises achievement in science by election to membership. Along with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, it provides science, engineering and health policy advice to the US federal government and other organisations. 

Last year, Professor Dongarra received the ACM Turing Award – often referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize of Computer Science’ – for ‘pioneering contributions to numerical algorithms and libraries that enabled high performance computational software to keep pace with exponential hardware improvements for over four decades’. 

A Turing Fellow at Swagֱ��, he is also a Distinguished Research Staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and University Distinguished Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

of Swagֱ��’s has been . 

A Professor of Applied Mathematics, he has been recognised for contributions to finite elements and computational fluid dynamics. 

SIAM is an international community of over 14,000 individual members. It was incorporated in 1952 as a non-profit organisation to convey useful mathematical knowledge to other professionals who might implement mathematical theory for practical, industrial or scientific use. 

Its mission – through publications, research and community – is to build cooperation between mathematics and the worlds of science and technology. 

The goals of its Fellows Program are to honour SIAM members recognised by their peers as distinguished for their contributions to the discipline; to help make outstanding SIAM members more competitive for awards and honours; and to support the advancement of SIAM members to leadership positions in their own institutions and broader society.

Professor Nick Higham of Swagֱ��’s has been . 

A Royal Society Research Professor and Richardson Professor of Applied Mathematics, he is recognised for the design and analysis of matrix algorithms widely used in diverse engineering applications. 

Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Professor Higham is one of 18 new international members, joining 106 new US members – bringing the total number of international members to 319, and US members to 2,420. 

Membership honours those who have made outstanding contributions to ‘engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature’, and to ‘the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education’. 

New members are elected at the end of a year-long process, with the ballot set in December and final vote held in January. 

Professor Higham and the rest of the newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE’s annual meeting on 1 October 2023.

Swagֱ�� is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Malwina Luczak to a chair in the in the . 

Professor Luczak is one of three winners of the – highly competitive grants awarded by the Leverhulme Trust that allow UK universities to attract world-leading researchers from other countries. 

She is a world expert in probability theory, with particular expertise in large random systems and their behaviour as the size of the system increases. 

Professor Luczak has developed new mathematical techniques to analyse such systems, allowing her to investigate how changes in governing parameters modify the rate at which an equilibrium distribution is approached. In certain cases, small changes in the parameter can have a dramatic effect on this rate, with important real-world consequences for epidemic modelling and communication networks. 

She will join Swagֱ�� from the University of Melbourne in May 2023. We look forward to the exciting new advances in probability and statistics research and the wider scientific collaborations that will develop within the University and the UK after her arrival.

of the at Swagֱ�� has been named winner of the prestigious ILAS Taussky–Todd Prize. 

This prize is awarded approximately every three years by the International Linear Algebra Society (ILAS). It is given to an outstanding mid-career researcher in the field of linear algebra, for distinguished contributions to the field within about 15 years of receiving a PhD or equivalent degree. 

The 2023 ILAS Taussky–Todd Prize honours Professor Güttel's "deep and impactful work on rational Krylov methods for nonlinear eigenvalue problems and matrix functions, in all aspects: analysis, software development, and applications". 

It is named after Olga Taussky and John Todd, who had a decisive impact on the development of theoretical and numerical linear algebra for over half a century. 

Professor Güttel will deliver a prize lecture at the 25th ILAS Conference in Madrid, 12 to 16 June 2023. 

More details about the prize can be found on the .

Jesy is studying with financial mathematics in Swagֱ�� and was recognised with this award win due to a raft of high-profile activities undertaken whilst studying.

Each year, the Student Social Mobility Awards are organised by the social mobility charity to showcase the incredible achievements of undergraduate students alongside the contributions of organisations and individuals striving to improve social mobility across the UK.

This year’s awards were announced during a prestigious ceremony at the House of Lords, which was hosted by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, the winners were celebrated for their grit, resilience and determination to succeed.

Speaking on his award success, Jesy said: “In terms of how I feel, I feel proud and overjoyed. I am grateful for the recognition of my work and blessed to have the opportunity to attend the House of Lords and connect with fellow change-makers within the social mobility scene.

“What comes is next to take the opportunities that follow with an open mind and see what comes out of them. I will see where I can help support people that look like me and come from similar backgrounds to myself. I am involved in several projects this coming academic year and I am excited to see how they unfold.”

As well as his studies Jesy has acted as the National Finance Director of The 93% Foundation, the largest state-educated social mobility network. Jesy also the participated in the pilot for Swagֱ��'s 'Swagֱ�� 10/10' programme where we look to narrow the attainment gap at the university between Black students and their peers.

Jesy was also awarded the prestigious Stephen Lawrence Scholarship by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer law firm, which is designed to address the disproportionate under-representation in large commercial law firms and other City institutions of black men from less socially mobile backgrounds.

All student winners and nominees have managed to find success despite facing socio-economic challenges, such as limited professional networks, juggling multiple responsibilities alongside studying, reduced access to careers support and living in areas with low job prospects. 67% of nominees were the first in their family to attend university, 21% had caring responsibilities and more than half were eligible for free school meals.

Stephanie Lieber, Acting CEO at upReach said: “upReach is proud to have hosted the fourth annual Student Social Mobility Awards and shone a spotlight on both students who have excelled, and the organisations that have paved the way for them to do so. Having overcome significant socioeconomic barriers and mitigating circumstances, these winners and nominees serve as inspiring role models for those from similar backgrounds, encouraging them to set their ambitions high and realise their full potential.”

Three students from Swagֱ��'s have been named among the finalists of the . 

To be held on Friday, 29 April at a prestigious awards ceremony in London, the event – now in its 13th year – brings together prominent employers and talented undergraduates for 12 diverse awards. 

A total of 120 student finalists have been selected from almost 4,000 applicants, with all entrants required to complete an application, an online assessment with situational, numerical and inductive reasoning tests, and a range of interview stages. 

From Swagֱ��, Jacques Burgess (aerospace engineering) has been shortlisted for the Excellence through Adversity Undergraduate of the Year 2022; Jesy Luyengi (mathematics and related) is a finalist for the Black Heritage Undergraduate of the Year 2022; and Aneesa Riaz (electrical engineering) is up for the Undergraduate of the Year Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent 2022. 

Each of the 12 awards are partnered by a prominent graduate recruiter, which provides prizes for the winner – including a paid internship, trips abroad, and other exclusive opportunities. 

Among the partners are employers and professional bodies including the likes of AECOM, CIMA, Clifford Chance, Clyde and Co, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HSBC, Rolls-Royce, Sky and Skyscanner. 

Professor Dongarra is currently a Turing Fellow at Swagֱ�� and collaborations with Swagֱ�� colleagues include work on batched computations, mixed precision arithmetic algorithms, and the PLASMA software.

As a leading ambassador of high-performance computing, Dongarra led the field in persuading hardware vendors to optimize these methods, and software developers to target his open-source libraries in their work. Ultimately, these efforts resulted in linear algebra-based software libraries achieving nearly universal adoption for high performance scientific and engineering computation on machines ranging from laptops to the world’s fastest supercomputers. These libraries were essential in the growth of the field—allowing progressively more powerful computers to solve computationally challenging problems.

“Today’s fastest supercomputers draw headlines in the media and excite public interest by performing mind-boggling feats of a quadrillion calculations in a second,” explains President Gabriele Kotsis. “But beyond the understandable interest in new records being broken, high performance computing has been a major instrument of scientific discovery. HPC innovations have also spilled over into many different areas of computing and moved our entire field forward.

“Jack Dongarra played a central part in directing the successful trajectory of this field. His trailblazing work stretches back to 1979, and he remains one of the foremost and actively engaged leaders in the HPC community. His career certainly exemplifies the Turing Award’s recognition of ‘major contributions of lasting importance.’”

Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of Department, said: "Jack Dongarra's pioneering work has made it possible for researchers around the world to access high-performance computing. The Department of Mathematics is delighted that his fundamental contributions have been recognised by the ACM Turing Award."

“Jack Dongarra's work has fundamentally changed and advanced scientific computing,” said Jeff Dean, Google Senior Fellow and SVP of Google Research and Google Health. “His deep and important work at the core of the world's most heavily used numerical libraries underlie every area of scientific computing, helping advance everything from drug discovery to weather forecasting, aerospace engineering and dozens more fields, and his deep focus on characterizing the performance of a wide range of computers has led to major advances in computer architectures that are well suited for numeric computations.”

Dongarra will be formally presented with the ACM A.M. Turing Award at the annual ACM Awards Banquet, which will be held this year on Saturday, June 11 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

Dongarra has a 25% FTE appointment in the Department of Mathematics as Turing Fellow. He is a member of the Numerical Linear Algebra group and his work in Swagֱ�� has been funded by EPSRC and EU Horizon 2020 grants. He has also held Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with NAG Ltd., funded by Innovate UK.

of the will give a plenary lecture at the , to be held 11 to 13 April this year. 

His will be one of five plenary lectures at the event staged at Loughborough University, and is entitled 'The Mathematics of Waves and Materials'. 

The BAMC has been running for 64 years, having been first held (as the British Theoretical Mechanics Colloquium) in Swagֱ�� in 1959. It is an opportunity for the broad community of applied mathematics to come together and discuss the latest advances in the area, and a chance for researchers to speak of the benefit of their work. 

Typically, more than 400 people attend the event – the largest applied mathematics conference in the UK. 

The in Linear Algebra is awarded every three years by ILAS for research, contributions and achievements at the highest level of linear algebra.

Professor Higham is cited for his fundamental contributions in the analysis of a wide range of numerical linear algebra problems and matrix functions. He will present his lecture at the 25th ILAS Conference in Madrid, Spain, 5 to 9 June 2023.

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE will present the 2021 Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Public Lecture on Tuesday, 9 November.

The Ollerenshaw Lecture is a prestigious annual lecture in the Department of Mathematics at Swagֱ��, named in honour and recognition of Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw.

David will offer some personal insights into the challenges of trying to bring illumination to the statistics about the pandemic, illustrated with examples of things have gone fairly well, as well as communication disasters. In particular, he will focus on the challenges of combatting the constant pressure to speculate, blame, recommend policies, and go outside one’s area of expertise, and the overwhelming importance of trustworthy communication.

Professor Spiegelhalter is Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge, which aims to improve the way that statistical evidence is used by health professionals, patients, lawyers and judges, media and policy-makers. He has been very busy over the COVID crisis: he presented the BBC4 documentaries “Tails you Win: the Science of Chance”, the award-winning “Climate Change by Numbers”, and in 2011 came 7th in an episode of BBC1’s Winter Wipeout. His bestselling book, The Art of Statistics, was published in March 2019, and Covid by Numbers came out in September 2021.

Attendance for this event is free of charge and all are welcome; however, spaces are limited and registration is required. Please register your place at the lecture on Eventbrite:

, chaired by world-leading immunologist, presenter and writer Professor Luke O'Neill FRS, along with representatives from across the worlds of science and culture. They are television presenter Ortis Deley; author and creative writing lecturer Christy Lefteri; and journalist, writer and filmmaker Clive Myrie.

The prize celebrates the best popular science writing from around the world. A shortlist of six titles, published between 1 July 2020 and 30 September 2021, will be announced in September, with the winner - who will receive a £25,000 prize - revealed in November.

Chair of the judges Professor O'Neill said: "Science communication has always been very important, to entertain, inform and inspire. This has never been more relevant than this year, with scientists engaging with the public across all media on a daily basis because of COVID-19.

"A tremendously interesting number of books have been nominated this year, across a huge range of topics, making our job very enjoyable but also challenging. Science communication is clearly in very good hands."

- whose notable previous winners include Bill Bryson and Stephen Hawking.

The virtual ceremony took place on 14 June 2021, and Dr Nadarajah was both victorious and shortlisted across a number of categories.

He picked up the award for exceptional feedback (one across the University), the award for outstanding postgraduate research supervision (one across the University), and the award for above and beyond (one across the University).

Of the award for exceptional feedback, it was said: "The winner received a phenomenal number of nominations for this award - and that demonstrates students' gratitude for the prompt and constructive feedback that he gives to every single individual."

For the award for outstanding postgraduate research supervision: "He is readily available and a responsive supervisor who inspires his postgraduate students to produce original research and push through any challenges they may face."

And of the award for above and beyond: "The winner epitomises the above and beyond, making himself readily available to his students and being very responsive to questions about academic or wellbeing matters."

Dr Nadarajah was also shortlisted for the award for inclusive teaching practice (one of three across the University), and the award for commitment to student partnership (one of three across the University).

In addition, Dr Simon Cotter and Dr Neil Morrison - also of the Department of Mathematics - were shortlisted for the awards for innovative teaching practice and excellent support staff respectively.

Congratulations to Drs Nadarajah, Cotter and Morrison!

of the has been elected a Fellow of the , Scotland's national academy.

He is one of 87 Fellows newly selected for 2021 from across sciences, arts, education, business and public life. The cohort joins the RSE's current roll of around 1,600 leading thinkers and practitioners from Scotland and beyond.

Professor Glendinning's election recognises his leadership in research and the success of the , Edinburgh, where he has been Scientific Director for the past five years.

This year's cohort includes many new Fellows who have made a positive impact during the global COVID-19 pandemic: either as a result of their academic research or through their contribution to arts or for the role they have played in communicating complex information with the public.

Professor Dame Anne Glover, President of the RSE, said: "Through uniting these great minds from different walks of life, we can discover creative solutions to some of the most complex issues that Scotland faces. A warm welcome is extended to all of our new Fellows."

, and .

The prize, which is awarded for expository work that communicates mathematics effectively, is named after George Pólya, the Hungarian mathematician who wrote the million-selling book How to Solve It, first published in 1945.

"Pólya was a brilliant researcher, teacher, and expositor of mathematics," said Professor Higham. "It is an honor to receive this SIAM prize named after him, especially as most of my research and expository writing has been published with SIAM."

Professor Higham was cited for the "crisp clarity, elegance and accessibility of his mathematical and popular exposition on a broad range of topics in applied mathematics".

The award ceremony will be held at the 2021 SIAM Annual Meeting, scheduled to be held in a virtual format during July 19-23 2021.

of the has been named among the , who are recognised for work underpinning contemporary computing.

The accomplishments of the 2020 ACM Fellows have driven innovations that have ushered in significant improvements across many areas of technology, industry, and personal life.

Professor Higham, who was also recently awarded the IMA Gold Medal 2020 by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, has been recognised for his contributions to numerical linear algebra, numerical stability analysis, and communication of mathematics.

He is among 95 ACM Fellows, representing universities, corporations and research centres around the world, who are celebrated for their wide-ranging and fundamental contributions in areas including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, computer graphics, virtual reality, and more.

The ACM Fellows programme recognises the top 1% of ACM members for their outstanding accomplishments in computing and information technology and/or outstanding service to ACM and the larger computing community. Fellows are nominated by their peers, with nominations reviewed by a distinguished selection committee.

ACM President Gabriele Kotsis said: "The 2020 ACM Fellows have demonstrated excellence across many disciplines of computing. These men and women have made pivotal contributions to technologies that are transforming whole industries, as well as our personal lives. We fully expect that these new ACM Fellows will continue in the vanguard in their respective fields."

The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) Gold Medals are awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to mathematics and its applications over a period of years, with nominations being considered every two years.

Contributions that can be considered vary greatly and might take the form of the building up of a research group of exceptional merit; notable contributions to the application of mathematical techniques; or outstanding contributions to the improvement of the teaching of mathematics.

Nick joins a distinguished list of 23 previous recipients, and is the second winner from the Department of Mathematics: Professor Fritz Ursell was awarded the Gold Medal in 1994.

You can read the full prize citation for Professor Higham, and more information about the award .

The online events will take place throughout the week commencing Monday, 14 December as part of wider celebrations across Swagֱ��. They will provide an opportunity for both staff and students to mark winter graduation after physical ceremonies were postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

FSE graduation celebrations will be spread over the week, with events held for mathematics; mechanical, aerospace and civil engineering (MACE) - technical; MACE - management of projects; physics and astronomy; electrical and electronic engineering; international fashion retailing; materials science and engineering; chemical engineering and analytical science; earth and environmental sciences; computer science; and chemistry.

The move online means students will be able to celebrate regardless of where they are currently situated. It shows that while they may not be in the city at the moment, Swagֱ�� is behind its graduates as they take their next steps out into the world.

Each subject area will celebrate in its own unique way - either via YouTube or Zoom. Dates and times - and links to those on YouTube - are provided below:

School of Engineering

• - Wednesday, 16 December, 11.30am
• - Wednesday, 16 December, 9am
• - Thursday, 17 December, 11.30am
• - Friday, 18 December, 12pm
• - Friday, 18 December, 10am

School of Natural Sciences

• Chemistry - Thursday, 17 December, 11am (link available soon)
• Earth and environmental sciences - Monday, 14 December, 10am (link available soon)
• Materials: International fashion retailing - Wednesday, 16 December, 2pm (link available soon)
• Materials science and engineering - Tuesday, 15 December, 2pm (link available soon)
• Mathematics - Wednesday, 16 December, 10am (link available after the event) 
• Physics and astronomy - Tuesday, 15 December, 11am (link available after the event)

A huge congratulations to all of our FSE graduates, and the best of luck for the future!

of the is to receive the prestigious .

This prize, established in 1979, is awarded every four years by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). SIAM is the world's largest professional association devoted to applied mathematics with over 14,000 individual members. Dr Güttel's research is in computational mathematics and, in particular, efficient numerical algorithms for high-dimensional problems.

The prize recognises his contributions to the analysis, implementation and application of rational and block Krylov methods. These methods have recently become very popular for the efficient solution of large eigenvalue problems, matrix equations, and in model order reduction. 

His work is applicable to a wide range of problems in science and engineering, and he maintains active collaborations with other departments and companies such as Arup, Autotrader, AspenTech, N Brown Group, and Schlumberger-Doll Research. He also holds a fellowship with the Alan Turing Institute, the UK's national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. 

Dr Güttel will deliver a prize lecture at the 2021 SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE21), to be held on a virtual platform in March 2021.

A major scientific study has been launched to understand the risks of COVID-19 transmission on public transport such as buses and trains and to identify the best measures to control it.

The investigation run by collaborative UK universities, with support from the and several transport organisations, will involve taking air and surface samples on parts of the transport network to measure background levels of the coronavirus.

Led by , researchers from several institutions including Swagֱ�� will develop detailed simulations of the way the virus could potentially spread through airflow, from touching contaminated surfaces and from being close to someone infected with the virus.

The study will create models that will quantify the level of risk faced by passengers and transport staff – and that will help Government and transport operators decide if additional mitigation measures are needed, particularly when passenger numbers begin to return to the levels seen prior to the pandemic.

Known as Project TRACK (Transport Risk Assessment for Covid Knowledge), the study will conduct fieldwork on buses and trains in London, Leeds and Newcastle, including the light-rail system in Tyne and Wear. 

TRACK co-investigator Dr Ian Hall, from the at Swagֱ�� and a participant of SAGE, the Government’s scientific advisory group for emergencies, believes this is a critical gap in the knowledge base on disease transmission.

He said: “Disease transmission models rely on basis of social contact network and we have an understanding of mixing at home and work but social mixing and strength of contact in other settings are less well understood.”

Professor Phil Blythe, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Transport, said: “The transport industry has been doing a brilliant job keeping public transport COVID-secure for its workers and passengers throughout the pandemic.  

“We need to deepen our understanding of COVID transmission in public transport and keep applying the latest science to our work across the network to reduce transmission – studies like this one will help do just that.

"Evidence gained from TRACK will help inform policy decisions and the development of effective and well-informed control strategies. This scientific study, involving some of the country's leading experts, will be useful not just for transport, but also to other sectors in the fight against COVID-19.”

The research is funded by a £1.6 million grant from UK Research and Innovation.

Project TRACK

The scientist leading the study is Professor Cath Noakes, an expert in the transmission of pathogens inside buildings, based in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds.

Professor Noakes said: “Scientists are unclear how much the virus spreads in the enclosed space of a train or bus, and whether it is from particles in the air or from touching contaminated surfaces or by being near an infected person.  

“This research will plug a knowledge gap. It will allow transport operators to identify the most important risks and devise ways they can further reduce the risks of passengers getting COVID-19.” 

TRACK will analyse the movement and behaviour of people as they pass through transport systems: where they sit or stand, what surfaces they touch, and how close they may be to other travellers and for how long.

The researchers hope to measure the effectiveness of new interventions such as anti-viral coatings on high-touch surfaces, ultraviolet air-disinfection units on buses and trains, and cleaning compounds. 

Under existing legislation, people using public transport are required to wear a face covering, unless exempt. In addition, they are encouraged to keep a social distance of at least one metre and to wash their hands after travelling.

The modelling and data analysis will involve experts from the universities of Leeds, Newcastle and Swagֱ��, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.  

Environmental sampling of the virus will be undertaken by Public Health England. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London will investigate the analysis of airflows inside carriages.

Registration for the EPSRC-funded workshop on , to take place at Jesus College Cambridge across 20-22 April next year, is now open - and Swagֱ�� academics and are helping to organise the event.

Cleaning and decontamination problems are ubiquitous in all human activities: from household cleaning to maintaining hygiene standards in the food and pharmaceutical industry, and safe removal of toxic materials. It is a universal topic of national and international importance, and there is also an increasing need to rationalise scientifically the underlying physical, chemical and biological processes involved in cleaning and decontamination.

The workshop will bring together a cross-disciplinary panel of experts and key stakeholders in related fields, with existing knowledge of quantitative methods and approaches to be reviewed. Future needs and opportunities will also be identified and discussed. 

Early Career Researchers - who may also apply for a limited number of bursaries - are particularly encouraged to register. Please note that physical space is limited, so people are reminded to submit an abstract if they wish to increase their chances of participating in person. Otherwise, participation online is unlimited.

Other organisers of the event include representatives of the University of Cambridge, the University of Birmingham, and Swagֱ�� Metropolitan University.

The Ollerenshaw Lecture is a prestigious annual lecture in the Department of Mathematics at Swagֱ��, named in honour and recognition of Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw.

This year’s lecture will be presented by Katie Steckles. Katie is a mathematician based in Swagֱ��, who gives talks and workshops and writes about mathematics. She finished her PhD in 2011, and since then has talked about maths in schools, at science festivals, on BBC radio and TV, at music festivals and as part of theatre shows.

Unlike previous years, the lecture this year will be held online due to COVID-19. The lecture will begin at 6pm.

Attendance for this event is free of charge and all are welcome, however, spaces are limited and registration is required. We will be sending all registered guests a link and password to the Zoom lecture a few days prior.

Please register your place at the lecture on Eventbrite:

If you would like any further information, please contact the Department through lauren.teasdale@manchester.ac.uk.

The online events took place throughout the week commencing Monday, 27 July as part of wider celebrations across Swagֱ��. They provided an opportunity for both staff and students to mark summer graduation after physical ceremonies were postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 12 FSE graduations were spread over the week, with events held for mathematics; mechanical, aerospace and civil engineering; physics and astronomy; electrical and electronic engineering; fashion business and technology; materials science and engineering; chemical engineering and analytical science; earth and environmental sciences; computer science; and chemistry.

The move online meant students were able to celebrate despite being situated all across the globe. It showed that while they may not be in the city at the moment, Swagֱ�� is behind its graduates as they take their next steps out into the world.

Each subject area celebrated in its own unique way - as shown in the recorded videos below:

School of Engineering

School of Natural Sciences

A huge congratulations to all of our FSE graduates, and the best of luck for the future!

Elliot McKernon, who recently submitted his PhD in Pure Mathematics, managed to create and launch the app while also completing his studies. The app is a single point of contact for mental health, designed for people who might never have registered with a GP before. 

It features a practical, step-by-step guide for people to understand their mental health and to get the help they need. There are explanations of common mental illnesses, as well as information on what users can expect from their doctor, what treatments are available, and guides on the simple life improvements people can make themselves.

Elliot explains that he came up with the idea for the app while helping a friend: "She was a student, and hadn't registered with a new GP, but was plagued by anxiety and depression. She wanted to get treatment, but she felt overwhelmed by the process and couldn't face figuring it all out, so we came up with a plan together - I would give her one task to do each day, so that it wasn't overwhelming.

"This started with finding a nearby GP one day, getting the registration form the next day, and so on. She said it was really effective, and I realised that my role in the process could be completely automated, and that's what Wellspring is designed to do."

The app gives people simple tasks to make progress, and concise information to understand their symptoms and how to help themselves.

More information about the app, which recently earned Elliot a Making a Difference Award for his 'outstanding contribution to social innovation', can be found on its .

The Department of Mathematics would like to congratulate Elliot on the launch, and wishes him the highest success in the future!

This is why we're doing our very best to keep you updated in the lead-up to the new academic year. As such, we'll be answering your questions in a series of video updates.

In this first video, Education Officer in the Students' Union Chloe Salin speaks to the Heads of Education for our Faculty's two Schools – Professor Peter Green in the School of Engineering and Professor Andrew Horn in the School of Natural Sciences – about their plans for a new-look teaching and learning experience.

You'll hear all about the benefits of blended learning; safety on campus; being part of the Swagֱ�� community (and student societies); lab, field and group work; exams and assessment; accessing software; and remote learning.

It's a lot to cover, but we hope the video will help to reassure you that this year's university experience will be what you expect from a university ranked 27^th in the world for two years running.

Please bear in mind that this is what we know right now. We'll provide more information, as and when we have it, in the videos to come.

If you have any questions you would like to ask, please send them through to your Department Admissions or Student Experience Team. They will then be either answered directly, or in one of the upcoming videos.

Swagֱ�� is the most targeted university for graduate employers, and last week's announcement of new post-study work visas will be welcomed by many international students hoping to further their studies at the University.

It was confirmed that post-work study visas will be extended for up to three years post-graduation for international PhD graduates, and that international undergraduate and postgraduate-taught students will be able to live and work in the UK for up to two years post-graduation.

The new Graduate Route is to launch in the summer of 2021, meaning any eligible student who graduates next summer or after will be able to apply, including students who have already started their courses.

As well as being the most targeted university for graduate employers, Swagֱ�� has a team specifically dedicated to helping postgraduate students further their careers.

Find out more about the new Graduate Route and post-study work visa extensions on the .

The prize is awarded every two years in memory of Albrecht Fröhlich, a German-born British mathematician and creator of Galois module structure, now an important branch of algebraic number theory. Winners of the prize are selected for their original and innovative work.

Professor Tisseur has been recognised for her important and highly innovative contributions to the analysis, perturbation theory and numerical solution of nonlinear eigenvalue problems.

Her achievements include presenting, for the first time, an analysis that allows comparison of the conditioning of the original eigenvalue problem and the first order formulation; her work on matrix polynomials; major contributions to the challenging problem of derivation of numerical algorithms that work directly on the nonlinear problem; and new developments in the use of graph theoretic, algebraic and combinatorial methods.

Further details are available in the , and the full list of LMS Prize winners 2020 is available on the .

Congratulations Professor Tisseur!

As a postgraduate (research) offer-holder, you may have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your transition to begin your postgraduate research at the University. In the video, Sarah provides some guidance during this time of uncertainty:

It will still be feasible for most offer-holders to start their PhD in September, but if it makes sense to delay by a month or two, or even until next January, we will be flexible in accommodating your needs and the particular circumstances of your research project. As soon as possible now we would like you to get in touch with your supervisor to consult about your start date.

Please be reassured that whenever you decide to commence your research, we will be as flexible as we possibly can where applicants aren't able to meet the conditions of their offers in the way that they expected, or at the time that they expected, due to the major challenges outside of their control.

Further information for applicants and offer-holders

Full transcript:

Hi, my name is Sarah Heath, I'm Associate Dean for Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Development in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swagֱ��. I wanted to send a message to you as offer-holders in this time of uncertainty.

I want to start by saying how delighted I am that you have chosen Swagֱ�� as the institution where you will undertake your PhD research. In the past three months our staff, students and alumni have done some amazing work to support the global fight against COVID-19 and I am immensely proud to say I work here.

We understand that you will have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will affect you and your transition to begin your postgraduate research at the University. Obviously, this is not just an issue that affects The University of Swagֱ��, it is affecting Universities all around the world. We want to reassure you that we are monitoring the situation very closely and have significant contingency planning underway, and most importantly, that your health and your safety remains front and centre in our thinking at all times.

Given the considerable disruption to our research projects and laboratories we're reviewing a range of options and thinking creatively, with the goal of giving you the best possible start to your research career in the current circumstances. We believe that most of our postgraduate researchers will be able to commence their research programme with us in the autumn. This is likely to mean that you will begin your research programme remotely, as the restrictions imposed by social distancing measures may make unrestricted access to campus for all difficult for some time to come.

A remote start to your PhD is not a less productive one, it is actually very similar to how most PhDs start in research-intensive universities like ours; in collaboration with your supervisor you will spend the time carefully framing your PhD, formulating your short, medium and long-term aims, and doing much of the preliminary background work which will lead to a productive time once you are back on campus. You will also of course be able to fully participate in other activity, such as research group meetings just as if you were on campus.

As soon as possible we would like you and your supervisor to consult about your start date, to determine if a start this autumn is feasible for the particular circumstances of your research project. Please be reassured that if after consultation you decide that delaying the start to your research until January 2021 would be beneficial, you will be able to do so.

Whenever you decide to commence your research, rest assured that we will be as flexible as we possibly can where applicants aren't able to meet the conditions of their offers in the way that they expected, or at the time that they expected, due to the major challenges outside of their control.

We will of course continue to be guided by government and scientific advice and evidence as the country begins to ease the lockdown, and as in due course we further solidify our plans you'll be notified as soon as possible, and the information will be made available on the University website.

In the meantime, please take the opportunity to visit the applicant and offer-holder information on the University website. Please do keep in regular contact with your supervisor and your departmental support team with any questions or concerns you may have. And above all, please stay safe and look after yourselves and your loved ones.

PhD student Elliot was selected for the prize after conceiving and developing , an app that allows users to bridge the gap between those with mental illness and treatment by providing clearly written information about symptoms, self help and treatment.

The awards aim to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Swagֱ��'s staff, students, alumni and external partners who 'make a difference' through their work. Elliot has drawn from his own experiences with students hoping to find GP surgeries when coming to a new city.

"I realised that my role in the process could be completely automated, and that's what Wellspring is designed to do", he explains. "To give people simple tasks to make progress, and concise information to understand their symptoms and how to help themselves.

"It seemed like a big gap in the 'market', as there are hundreds of apps that offer alternatives or supplements to NHS treatment, but none that actually help you get the treatment that is most effective."

The wellspring app will be available to all in the coming weeks. Congratulations to Elliot on this fantastic achievement! 

Swagֱ��'s annual Volunteer of the Year Awards recognise the amazing work of volunteers throughout the University, highlighting local, national and international projects and the impact they have.

Wide-ranging projects relate to health, children and vulnerable adults, community cohesion, and more.

Moved online this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the awards were hosted for the first time on the . A record number of nominations were received - and many FSE entrants were selected for special recognition.

They included:

Alumni Volunteer of the Year

• Highly commended: Alexandra Bushel (Department of Chemistry) for her ongoing work with Girlguiding UK - as a guide leader, training other guide learners and volunteering in Nepal.

Student Group Volunteer of the Year

• Highly commended: The Closet, a pop-up charity shop led by Rose de Saint Michel to promote sustainability in the fashion industry, selling vintage, second-hand and sample clothing. 

Student Volunteer of the Year

• Highly commended: Mathieu Augustin (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering) for his volunteering work to reduce food waste with the food-sharing app OLIO.

• Commended: Isaac Campbell (Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science) for his volunteering as an IT teacher for disadvantaged children in a deprived area of Salford.

• Third place: Thomas Lewis (Department of Mathematics) for his role as President of Run Wild Swagֱ��, a free student running society that raises money for homelessness and awareness of issues such as mental health.

Social Justice Photography Competition

The results of the University's were also announced as part of the ceremony - and FSE was again well represented. 

Those who placed highly from the Faculty included:

Runner up: Zakwan Bin Haji Mohtadza (School of Engineering) for 'Coronaracism' (image cropped for article)

Second place: Adil Ahmed (School of Natural Sciences) for 'A Plastic Refuge' (image cropped for article)

Third place: Kashif Sohail (School of Engineering) for 'Splendour at a Cost' (image cropped for article)

A huge congratulations to everyone across the Faculty for their efforts!

Celebrating the outstanding achievements of staff, students, alumni and external partners, the awards highlight the various ways people throughout the University are 'making a difference'.

They recognise the impact made on the social wellbeing of the University's communities and wider society, provide an opportunity to share best practice around social responsibility initiatives, and encourage others to get involved.

This year's awards - the sixth held - took place on the evening of Thursday, 7 May. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony could not be held at the University's Whitworth Hall and was instead moved online. The University's Director of Social Responsibility Dr Julian Skyrme and Chancellor Lemn Sissay co-hosted the livestream.

FSE fared particularly well, with various individuals and teams either winning or being highly commended in their chosen category. They included:

Winners

• Outstanding benefit to society through research: emerging impact

: Angela Mae Minas and Sarah Mander (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering)

• Outstanding contribution to social innovation

: Elliot McKernon (Department of Mathematics)

• Outstanding national/international engagement

: Tarisiro Fundira and Nyasha Goredema (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering)

• Outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability: established project

: Teresa Anderson and Tim O'Brien (Jodrell Bank and Department of Physics and Astronomy)

• Outstanding contribution to widening participation: exceptional contribution

Julia Riley (Jodrell Bank)

• Outstanding contribution to widening participation

: Amy McDowell, Louise Bousfield and Lynne Bianchi (School of Engineering)

Highly commended

• Outstanding public and community engagement initiative (local)

MIB programme of public engagement with research and researchers: Nicholas Weise (Swagֱ�� Institute of Biotechnology)

• Outstanding professional services for social responsibility

Greater Swagֱ�� Engineering Challenge: Lynne Bianchi (School of Engineering)

• Outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability

Food Waste: Matheiu Augustin (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering)

• Outstanding contribution to widening participation

Tactile Collider: Robert Appleby and team (Department of Physics and Astronomy)

Organised by the UK Fluids Network Special Interest Group on the , led by of the , the series will run every Friday at 11.30am, starting 24 April 2020.

The sessions will feature talks by a broad range of academic experts and cleaning practitioners to understand issues related to the spread of COVID-19. The main topics of the webinar series include:

• understanding of the virus transmission via aerosols or other airborne mechanisms from infected people and spread of the virus;

• coronavirus interaction and adhesion on hard surfaces (metal, glass, plastic etc) and soft surfaces (skin);

• practical challenges associated with clean-up and decontamination of coronavirus infected environments, such as ambulances, hospitals, operation theatres or public spaces;

• pandemic modelling to understand the scale of the coronavirus impact and the related clean-up effort in the UK and worldwide.

As a postgraduate (taught) offer-holder, you may have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your transition to beginning your masters-level study at the University. In the video, Danielle provides some guidance during this time of uncertainty:

We recognise the disruption across universities in the UK and around the world, and we are monitoring the situation closely. We will be as flexible as we can where applicants are not able to meet the conditions of their offers in the way they expected, or at the time they expected, due to major challenges outside of their control.

Further information for applicants and offer-holders

Full transcript:

Hello, my name is Professor Danielle George, I'm the Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Student Experience for the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swagֱ��. I wanted to take the time to record a personal message for you in this time of uncertainty.

We understand that as offer-holders you have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your transition to begin your masters-level study at the University. We recognise the disruption across universities in the UK and around the world and we are monitoring the situation closely.

We will be as flexible as we can where applicants aren't able to meet the conditions of their offers in the way they expected, or at the time they expected, due to major challenges outside of their control.

Given the significant disruption to academic systems, we're reviewing a number of options, including moving provision online for the start of term, as well as delaying the start of term to later in the year. If we do anticipate the need to make changes of a significant nature, you'll be notified as soon as possible and information will be made available on the University website.

We'll also be telling you more about how our staff, students and alumni are supporting the global fight against the coronavirus. I'm sure many of you will have heard about hospitals being built in record time to take care of those needing intensive treatment, or the production of ventilators by companies more used to making vacuum cleaners, car parts or electronics. Our statisticians – including a team from Swagֱ�� – are using their modelling expertise to advise the government on how to best protect the UK population and make decisions based on facts and evidence.

I am incredibly proud of all the engineers and scientists working around the clock to support the incredible front-line medical staff to deliver healthcare for the most seriously ill across the world. 

In the meantime, please take the opportunity to visit the applicant and offer holder information from the main University webpage manchester.ac.uk. Please contact our admissions teams with any questions or concerns you may have about your application. Above all, please stay safe and look after yourselves and your loved ones.

As an undergraduate offer-holder, you may have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your transition to university. In this video, Danielle provides some guidance for you, your parents and caregivers:

We understand this is a very unsettling time for you and your family, but please be assured that we will do everything we can to ensure these changes won't affect your opportunity to attend our University in the coming academic year.

Further information for applicants and offer-holders

Full transcript:

Hello, my name is Professor Danielle George, I'm the Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Student Experience for the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swagֱ��. I wanted to take the time to record a personal message for you, your parents and caregivers in this time of uncertainty. 

We understand that as offer-holders you have concerns about how the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your transition to university. Some of our UK applicants may have already received notifications about cancelled interviews or offer-holder visit days. Where possible, these will be replaced by webinars and virtual activity with the opportunity for you to ask questions of our admissions teams and some of our current students.

For undergraduate students, following announcements by the UK Department for Education regarding A-levels and the International Baccalaureate, the admissions timetable will run similarly to previous years, and all students will be awarded a grade for any exam they were entered for. We will, of course, consider your needs when addressing any issues with your application and be as flexible as we can. 

Please be assured that we will do everything we can to ensure these changes won't affect your opportunity to attend our University in the coming academic year.

Over the next few months, we'll be increasing the communications we send to you. We'll also be telling you more about how our staff, students and alumni are supporting the global fight against the coronavirus. I'm sure many of you will have heard about hospitals being built in record time to take care of those needing intensive treatment, or the production of ventilators by companies more used to making vacuum cleaners, car parts or electronics. Our statisticians – including a team from Swagֱ�� – are using their modelling expertise to advise the government on how to best protect the UK population and make decisions based on facts and evidence.

I am incredibly proud of all the engineers and scientists working around the clock to support the incredible front-line medical staff to deliver healthcare for the most seriously ill across the world. 

In the meantime, please take the opportunity to visit the applicant and offer holder information from the main University webpage manchester.ac.uk. Please contact our admissions teams with any questions or concerns you may have about your application. Above all, please stay safe and look after yourselves and your loved ones.

It was an occasion for anyone who is particularly interested in, or simply considering, a career in statistics or data science.

Organisations including the Royal Statistical Society/YSS, the University Careers Service, AlphaPlus, AutoTrader, BBC, Co-op, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Government Operational Research Service, HMRC, MediaCom and the Smith Institute all attended the fair, speaking to students about the various career paths they can take with their degree.

All organisations had a stand, and there were a series of talks given by academics and representatives.

The would like to thank all the organisations and students who attended the fair!

This is a cross-curricular STEM competition that challenges pupils to combine design, science, mathematics and music to create original acoustic musical instruments from repurposed materials. The instruments must be acoustic, made from repurposed or recycled materials, and able to produce one octave. 

Students in years 7-11 may enter in teams of up to four, and teams will be entered by their teacher or STEM club leader.

More details about the competition's rules and the prizes on offer can be found on the .

Can't wait until next term? We've uploaded that can be run in class or STEM club in advance of the competition.

You can follow the Mathematics of Waves and Materials group on .

Run by the , MathsBombe is an online competition in which a new mathematical puzzle set is released every fortnight. It is aimed at students up to Year 13 (England and Scotland), S6 (Scotland), and Year 14 (Northern Ireland).

The puzzles are fun and quirky, and cover the full spectrum of mathematics. They will not, however, be directly related to the A-level syllabus, and unlike with problems in the UKMT, for example, students will be required to use their problem-solving skills and encouraged to 'think outside the box'. 

There are prizes for the first team to submit the correct answer for each puzzle, while three teams drawn randomly from all the correct solutions will receive 'spot-prizes' every fortnight.

MathsBombe is supported by the Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Trust.

More details, including how to register, can be found on the .

If you have any queries, please contact mathsbombe@manchester.ac.uk.