East/West Midlands Branch

 

THE INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS

AND ITS APPLICATIONS

 

Presidential Address

 

From Curiosity to Commerce

 

Peter Grindrod

 

 

Wednesday 11 October, 2006,  starting at 7.00 pm

Ken Edwards Building, Lecture Theatre 1

Leicester University

 [Campus maps – http://www.le.ac.uk/portals/maps/mcampusaccess.html]

 

Abstract

Why study mathematics? For each of us it is a personal journey full of challenges, adventures and opportunities. Yet the benefits are both to the individuals and to the economy. There is a push and a pull. We need to balance the risks and benefits for students. We will look at examples of applicable mathematics in some diverse fields. Recently the government and has placed great stress on excellence in science and innovation as an enabler, and indeed part of the infrastructure necessary, for our economic wellbeing within the knowledge economy. Mathematics is clearly a pervasive player in this - acting directly in supporting some of the main drivers, and more generally in creating a culture of imagination and advancement. So what starts out as curiosity-driven problem solving and many inspiring intellectual challenges for individual students can be seen a mission critical for all of our futures.

 

No charge is made to attend meeting; non-IMA members are welcome

 

Peter is an internationally known mathematician working in the commercial sector managing the development and application (deployment) of mathematical methods to gain business and marketing insights from very large databases for large customer facing companies. Clients gain the value of growth and returns derived from the business insights. He is also the author of a graduate textbook on pattern formation within medical, biological and chemical systems. He was awarded a CBE for services to mathematics research and development in 2005. He is a Visiting Professor in Applied and Industrial Mathematics, at both the Universities of Bath and Oxford.

 

The event is coordinated by East Midlands Branch Secretary, Dr Stephen Hibberd, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, email: stephen.hibberd@nottingham.ac.uk.

Details of East Midlands Branch activities: http://www.ima.org.uk/EMidBranch/ima.html