Termcard for Michaelmas Term 1997

Tuesday 1^st Week
Dr David Acheson (Jesus)
“From Calculus To Chaos”
One person’s view of some of the highlights of mathematics. Dr Acheson
will describe a few of the most important – and interesting – developments
in maths, running up to the exciting recent concept of chaos.

Friday 1^st Week
Freshers’ Drinks Party
From 7 p.m. in the Maths Institute

Tuesday 2^nd Week
Dr David Deutsch (Wolfson)
“The Quantum Nature of Mathematics”
Dr Deutsch is one of the founders – with Richard Feynman – of the
revolutionary new field of quantum computation, and has recently written a
book, ‘The Fabric of Reality’, in which he argues that the way in which we
think about the world needs drastic revision in the light of modern
science and philosophy. In this talk he will discuss some of the
consequences for mathematics.

Sunday 3^rd Week
Treasure Hunt
With maths societies from Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick and UCL.
Meet outside the Maths Institute at 2 p.m.

Tuesday 3^rd Week
Prof. Wilfrid Hodges (Royal Holloway)
“Games Taken Seriously”
During the last decade or so, games have become quite a fashion in
mathematical logic and theoretical computer science. What are they good
for? At least part of the answer goes back to the formalised disputations
that used to take place in Oxford and Paris in the fourteenth century. But
the modern versions make better sense.

Tuesday 4^th Week
Dr Glenys Luke (St. Hugh’s)
“Inversions – sometimes it’s clearer upside-down”
Although geometry is the oldest branch of mathematics it can still contain
surprises. Dr Luke will discuss a strange sort of transformation which
effectively turns the world inside out.

Tuesday 5^th Week
Dr David Singmaster (South Bank University)
“Old and New in Recreational Mathematics”
Mathematics as recreation and puzzle has a long history and this talk will
start with the manuscripts of the Middle Ages. But it is still very much
alive, and Dr Singmaster has promised to include discoveries made in the
last two years. He has also promised to bring along part of his large
collection of mathematical toys, puzzles and games, and these will be
available for members to try out after the talk.

Tuesday 6^th Week
Dr Mike Richards (GCHQ)
“Mathematics in the Dark Ages”

Tuesday 7^th Week
Dr Peter Neumann (Queen’s)
“From the Real to the Rational”
Through its three-hundred-year history, calculus (and analysis in general)
has almost always used the whole of the real number line. Can we create a
worthwhile alternative if we restrict ourselves to the rational numbers?

Tuesday 8^th Week
Christmas Party
From 8.30 p.m. in the Maths Institute