Maths Summit to bring political leaders together with experts from academia and industry

On 12 March 2024, the Council for Mathematical Sciences and the ‘Protect Pure Maths’ project are putting on the Maths Summit, with the support The OR Society and four other learned mathematical societies.

The intention is to bring together political leaders and experts from academia and industry to discuss how the mathematical sciences can contribute better to research, innovation and prosperity.

Its guest speakers include: the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP; President of the Royal Society, Sir Adrian Smith PRS; GCHQ Director, Anne Keast-Butler; and CEO of Capital One UK, Lucy-Marie Hagues.

Among the names of notable mathematicians in attendance is Sir Martin Taylor FRS, who conducted valuable work on algebraic number theory, most particularly proof of Fröhlich’s conjecture, which connects the symmetries of algebraic integers with a family of analytic functions known as Artin L-functions. Martin is currently Chair of the Royal Society’s Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education.

The Summit will take place at the Science Museum, London, and will be followed by a networking drinks reception in the museum’s Winton Gallery, where the mathematics exhibition examines the fundamental role mathematicians, their tools and ideas have played in building the world we live in.

Hosted by Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, the Summit will also hear from those at the cutting edge of research, as well as from those working in industry, business and politics including:

• Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Professor Charlotte Deane MBE, Executive Chair, EPSRC
• Sir Andrew Dilnot, Nuffield College, Oxford
• George Freeman MP, Former Minister for Science, Research and Innovation
• Professor Julia Gog OBE, University of Cambridge
• Professor Emily Shuckburgh OBE, Director, Cambridge Zero
• Lucy-Marie Hagues, CEO, Capital One UK
• Professor Catherine Hobbs, Chair, Heilbronn Institute
• Sir Martin Taylor FRS, Chair, Royal Society’s Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education
• Sir Adrian Smith PRS, President, Royal Society.

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