Category Archives: Uncategorized

A month in St Andrews

Posted on 29/04/2013 by

We spent the month of April in St Andrews, not as visitors but as members of the School of Mathematics and Statistics. First impressions very positive. I was involved in a lot of the department’s activity (though obviously not teaching). … Continue reading →

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Regius chair at St Andrews

Posted on 26/04/2013 by

The University of St Andrews is advertising to fill the Regius Chair in Mathematics. As the name suggests, the appointment must technically be approved by the Crown; a rare distinction! (According to Wikipedia, there are a number of Regius chairs … Continue reading →

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Replacing me

Posted on 12/04/2013 by

In my letter to the Head of School at QMUL announcing my retirement, I expressed the hope that the School could use what it was saving on my salary to appoint two good young mathematicians. Despite that, they decided to … Continue reading →

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A pigeonhole problem

Posted on 11/04/2013 by

The simplest form of the pigeonhole principle says If n+1 letters are put into n pigeonholes, then some pigeonhole must contain more than one letter. This result can be quantified, extends naturally to Ramsey’s Theorem, and lies at the base … Continue reading →

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Green shoots

Posted on 22/03/2013 by

From an email from our new Vice-Principal for Research: The main task of the person in my post is obviously to do what they can to foster an environment where the best and most innovative research is encouraged and supported. … Continue reading →

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St Andrews

Posted on 01/03/2013 by

As from today, Rosemary and I are part-time employees of the University of St Andrews. We look forward to new challenges, building research collaborations with new colleagues, inviting our existing friends and collaborators to come and work with us there, … Continue reading →

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A non-person

Posted on 31/01/2013 by

Earlier this week I as dealing with one of the receptionists outside the Principal’s office, acquiring a copy of a recently published book by my colleague Donald Preece on the pipe organs of east London. The Vice-Principal (Science and Engineering) … Continue reading →

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Ninja knitters strike again

Posted on 28/01/2013 by

Last year we came across the work of the ninja knitters in Streatham. This weekend we saw some more of their work in Greenwich (though it seemed more like crochet to my inexpert eye). This was in a grim stretch … Continue reading →

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Why don’t mathematicians fill in surveys?

Posted on 24/01/2013 by

I just attempted to fill in an on-line survey. Question 5 was a yes/no question, to which I answered “no”. Question 6 said, “If you answered ‘yes’ to Question 5, …”, so I left it blank. My answers were rejected. … Continue reading →

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Two steps from fame

Posted on 23/01/2013 by

Earlier this month, two Big Issue sellers in Birmingham were stabbed to death in front of a crowd of passers-by. This week’s issue of the magazine is headlined “Celebrate your vendor”. [Seller? Vendor? Which is right? Does it matter?] Today … Continue reading →

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