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(above) Professor Michael Wemyss speaking during the New developments in representation theory arising from cluster algebras workshop on 24 September.
INI NEWS BULLETIN
September 2021
Dear friends, associates and supporters of INI,
Welcome to the September 2021 edition of our monthly news bulletin. We hope it finds you well, wherever you are receiving this message.
This month, we're excited to share images of a recent event celebrating the mathematical legacy of INI founding Director Sir Michael Atiyah. We also have a video interview (the first "non-virtual" example since before the pandemic) with the organisers of the ongoing "Cluster algebras and representation theory" (CAR) programme, an uplifting podcast interview on the subject of transgender identity within mathematics with Professor Bethany Marsh (Leeds), downloadable posters detailing the programmes and workshops happening in 2021 and coming in 2022, and information about the CAR programme's forthcoming Rothschild lecture from Professor Bernhard Keller (Paris).
Our "news in brief" this month is that...
- Registrations are still open for the Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference 2021 which takes place from 5-6 October. Hosted by our sister organisation ICMS INI is proud to be a part of this online event and its ongoing goal "to celebrate the inspirational contributions of black role models to the field of Mathematics and Mathematics Education".
- "Memories of Vaughan Jones", a heartfelt tribute to the mathematician who was such a major part of the 2017 "Operator algebras: subfactors and their applications" programme is now available to read via the American Mathematical Society.
- This month has seen INI host two workshops in the CAR programme and one in the MDL programme. You can find full details and recordings of many of the talks given via our Calendar of activities page.
- From 8-9 September we were delighted to host the IMA's "Induction Course for New Lecturers in the Mathematical Sciences 2021" event. Make sure to follow the IMA for details of future events in this excellent annual series.
- Our next scheduled workshops will be held in November and beyond. For full listings and application details, please visit this page.
As always, you can follow us on Twitter (as well as Instagram and Facebook) for regular updates of our activities throughout the month.
Thanks as always for your continued support.
- INI Communications team
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Contact: communications@newton.ac.uk
(above) Physical participants in the Deep learning and inverse problems workshop, currently ongoing this week from 27 September to 1 October.
Gallery: "The unity of mathematics: A conference in honour of Sir Michael Atiyah"
(above) Participants in the "Unity of mathematics" conference, photo by Christie Marr.
From 23-25 September INI hosted the event "The unity of mathematics: A conference in honour of Sir Michael Atiyah". Our warm thanks go out to everybody that was able to attend this exciting, forward-looking event at which many old connections were rekindled and new connections were forged. A comprehensive gallery of downloadable images by Cambridge-based photographer Jean-Luc Benazet is available to view via the link below.
Sir Michael Atiyah (1929-2019) was the dominant figure in UK mathematics for many decades. Amongst his many distinguished positions, he was the founding Director of the Isaac Newton Institute (1990-96). He was also President of the London Mathematical Society (1974 -76). In his Presidential Address “The Unity of Mathematics”, delivered on November 19th, 1976, he remarked: “The aspect of mathematics which fascinates me most is the rich interaction between its different branches, the unexpected links, the surprises…”. Those who knew him will know that this fascination was an ongoing theme throughout his life.
VIDEO: interview with organisers of the "Cluster algebras and representation theory" programme.
(above) Professors Karin Baur and Sibylle Schroll, co-organisers of the CAR programme.
The "Cluster algebras and representation theory" programme has been running since 6 September and continues until 17 December, with participants attending both in person at INI in Cambridge and connecting online with the workshops, seminars and discussions.
In this video interview, organisers Karin Baur, Bethany Marsh, Ralf Schiffler and Sibylle Schroll discuss its theme, challenges and potential outcomes in the months and years to come.
LIVING PROOF PODCAST: Becoming Bethany Marsh, life as a transgender Professor of Mathematics
(above) Professor Bethany Marsh.
In episode #33 of Living Proof, Dan Aspel and Christie Marr welcome Professor Bethany Marsh (Leeds), an organiser of the “Cluster algebras and representation theory” (CAR) programme. Bethany was awarded the Whitehead prize in 2009 and has dedicated her career to the study and exploration of mathematical themes. However, it has only been within the last two years that she has fulfilled a long-held desire to transition gender and to live her life as a trans woman. Bethany shares the many positives this change has brought to her life, and the reactions she has encountered from friends and colleagues along the way.
00:00 – Welcome, past interactions with INI
03:00 – Proposing the “Cluster algebras and representation theory” (CAR) programme, the journey leading to it
05:20 – A childhood love of maths and the sciences
12:25 – Transitioning gender and becoming Bethany Marsh
24:40 – Dealing with negative reactions
29:47 – Building a positive atmosphere through language
36:00 – The “trans tipping-point” in 2015
40:40 – Winning the Whitehead Prize in 2009, and living up to expectations
POSTER: programmes and workshops in 2021 and 2022
INI produces annual posters detailing our programme and workshop schedules in an easy to digest visual style. The disruption brought by the pandemic had considerable impact upon our scheduling, but corrected posters for 2020, 2021 and 2022 are now available to view and download via the link below. Please help us by distributing these widely amongst your networks.
ROTHSCHILD LECTURE: "Cluster algebras and representation theory" by Professor Bernhard Keller, 16:00-17:00, 4 October 2021.
(above) Professor Bernhard Keller (Paris).
The keynote Rothschild talk for the CAR programme takes place on 4 October at 16:00 and will be given by Professor Bernhard Keller of the University of Paris.
Those unable to attend this public lecture in person are very welcome to join us via Zoom using the details below.
Cluster algebras were invented by Fomin-Zelevinsky around the year 2000. They are certain commutative algebras endowed with a rich combinatorial structure. Fomin-Zelevinsky's motivations came from Lie theory but it soon turned out that cluster algebras are linked to an astounding variety of subjects both in mathematics and in physics. In this survey talk, we will present the definition of cluster algebras, which is completely elementary, and show how their interaction with representation theory has had a deep and fruitful impact on both subjects. We will conclude with a glimpse of some of the most exciting ongoing research in the area.
