Event - Mathematics meets art at Isaac Newton Institute

A conversation with artist Nigel Hall RA 19 July 2017

The Isaac Newton Institute is proud to offer an open invitation to an audience with artist Nigel Hall RA.

Scheduled as part of INI's 25th anniversary celebrations, the event will examine the complex and inspiring relationship between art and mathematics, told via the medium of Nigel Hall's compelling geometric artworks. Nigel, whose works are exhibited across the globe from New York's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) to the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, will be joined by Dr Dorothy Buck (Reader in Biomathematics, Imperial College London; co-organiser of INI's HTL programme) and Barry Phipps (Fellow and Curator of Works of Art, Churchill College).

A selection of maquettes, framed drawings and a major outdoor sculpture will be on display in and around INI from 20 June until 18 August, and available for guests to experience during the event. Through them, Nigel's work aims to explore: "the governing principles of how we experience the world, and how to express this in its most refined way with clarity, order and calm".

WHERE? Isaac Newton Institute, 20 Clarkson Road, CB3 0EH
WHEN? 19 July 2017 at 17:00

Light refreshments will be provided

CFP - Reading Euclid in the early modern world: research workshop

Thursday and Friday 14 and 15 December 2017, All Souls College, Oxford

Euclid's Elements of Geometry was highly visible in early modern culture: a touchstone for mathematical training as well as a spur to new mathematical research throughout the period. In this period dozens of editions of the Elements were printed, and it was certainly the most widely read mathematical book of the time. Different editors made very different choices about the content and layout of the Elements and the other works attributed to Euclid, based on different assumptions about the meaning and authenticity of the texts and their component parts. Likewise, different readers approached the text in very different ways, bringing to it very different assumptions about the use of (printed) texts, and about the kind of text the Elements was and the kind of attention it deserved: logical or philological, geometrical or practical. Many readers annotated the text, and many selected sections for copying into exercise books. During this period, standards of geometrical proof were being actively questioned by mathematicians, but geometrical methods were being deliberately brought into other fields such as medicine, physics, and philosophy.

This workshop will consider the ways early modern people engaged with Euclid's works – from schoolchildren and artisans to teachers and scholars – and attempt to understand their role in their lives and in culture. It will examine the unique cultural position Euclidean geometry occupied and how that position was shaped and maintained. Invited speakers will include Renee Raphael, Robert Goulding, Catherine Jami, Sabine Rommevaux, Sebastien Maronne, Yelda Nasifoglu and Philip Beeley.

Proposals for papers are invited on all aspects of early modern reading of and engagement with the works of Euclid. Proposals should include an abstract of no more than 250 words and a brief CV, and should be emailed to benjamin.wardhaugh@all-souls.ox.ac.uk by 1 August 2017. The conference can provide accommodation, and contribute to travel costs, for speakers.

Exhibition - 'Women of Mathematics throughout Europe'

Cambridge Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the Isaac Newton Institute and the Betty and Gordon Moore library are proud to take part in the ‘Women of Mathematics throughout Europe’ portrait exhibition.

The Women of Mathematics’ exhibition celebrates female mathematicians from institutions throughout Europe, and this special expanded exhibition is supplemented with portraits and interviews featuring local female mathematicians from Cambridge University’s Faculty of Mathematics. The portraits will be on display in the Isaac Newton Institute and in the Core of the mathematics building from Tuesday 25th April, and in the Betty and Gordon Moore Library following the exhibition. See http://womeninmath.net for more information around the exhibition.

The exhibition opens TUESDAY 25TH APRIL at 3.30PM, featuring talks by Cambridge mathematicians Professor Anne Davis, Dr Holly Krieger, and Dr Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb. Following the talks will be a panel discussion on issues affecting women in mathematics and a drinks reception, with a chance to network whilst viewing the exhibition.

Women in Mathematics at Cambridge: 25 April 2017, 3.30-7pm Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge

3.30pm Coffee & registration

4.15pm Opening of the exhibition by Heads of Department Prof Gabriel Paternain and Prof Nigel Peake

4.30pm Mathematical talks: Prof Anne Davis, Dr Holly Krieger, and Dr Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb

5.30pm Panel discussion chaired by Dr Christie Marr

6.00pm Drinks reception

The talks will be aimed at a general public audience and all are welcome. The exhibition is free and open to all; for tickets please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-of-mathematics-cambridge-exhibition-opening-tickets-32299228863

Talk - 'A Place of One's Own in Mathematics'

Building up a career in mathematics is still very tricky for women. Inspired by Virginia Woolf who claimed that having a room of one’s own is essential for women writers, we shall analyse some of the obstacles that can prevent a woman from finding a place of her own in the world of mathematics.

Sylvie Paycha (University of Potsdam)

Thursday 27 April 2017, 16:00-17:00, Center for Mathematical Sciences, MR 4.

To find out more please visit http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/71795

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Blame Not Our Author at the Corpus Playroom

The imaginative stage set, which made use of detachable shapes and their shadows.

Last week a few members of the Reading Group went to see this unusual perfomance of a long-lost geometric dramatic work. It was a fascinating evening, full of mathematical and early modern (and early modern mathematical) in-jokes: full credit to cast and crew for taking on such a challenging piece of writing!

I have scanned in the historic notes on the play which were made available to audience members, in case they are of interest to readers of this blog (hopefully they are legible):

Play - Blame Not Our Author

Corpus Playroom, 17-21 January 2017

Enter the world of a Euclidean textbook from the early 17th century, where a melancholic young square named Quadro dreams of becoming the perfect circle. Meanwhile, his dastardly friend, Rectangulus, decides to seek revenge on the entire shape-world, turning Quadro, Line and Circulus against their weary sovereign, the Compass. Geometric chaos ensues, as the characters in an overused textbook are finally given the chance to rebel against their lot in life.

Transcribed and published by the Malone Society in 1983, Blame Not Our Author has not been performed since it was penned in the Jesuit English College in Rome circa 1630. Written for students some 400 years ago, it is packed with visual gags that are farcical, witty, and still eloquent to anyone familiar with school geometry lessons. On another level, it provides a rich insight into a world where publications on practical mathematics, geometry, and technical skills were proliferating in print culture, and reflects certain historical anxieties about public use and abuse of mechanical knowledge.

Book here.

Talk - John Wallis (1616-1703), a mathematical journey through books

Pop-up talk in Cambridge University Library Rare Books Room, Thursday 25 August, 13:00-13:20

Dr Louisiane Ferlier (Digital Project Manager, The Royal Society)

Celebrating the 400th anniversary of John Wallis's birth, this talk will explore the variety of his contribution to mathematics, linguistics and philosophy by showcasing some of Wallis's books in the UL collections since the 18th century.

Rare Books Room (glassed-off area). Space limited. RSVP to Sophie Defrance (sd260@cam.ac.uk) appreciated. Library members only; to join, see www.lib.cam.ac.uk/using-library/joining-library.

Online Exhibition - Fred Hoyle

St John's College has launched an online exhibition about Fred Hoyle: Science and Literature Reading Group members might particularly be interested in the 'Hoyle the Writer' page.

Narrative & Proof

An extract from Marcus du Sautoy's recent Oxford lecture on mathematics and storytelling can be found here; the full video of the talk is available here.