The University of Aberdeen concludes its stellar line-up of lectures by leading academics with a talk tonight (Monday) on the role of mathematics in today’s world.
The event forms part of the University’s inaugural lecture series, Breaking New Ground, organised to showcase some of the world’s leading thinkers and pioneers who have been recently appointed by the Institution.
The final lecture in the season will be presented this evening (Monday, November 27) by Professor Geoffrey Robinson – an internationally renowned mathematician and award-winning scholar, who will give a personal perspective on the role of mathematics in today’s world. Professor Robinson will put forward the case that mathematics is arguably the most powerful language available to describe and understand our world.
Professor Robinson, Chair of Pure Mathematics, University of Aberdeen, has published extensive research on algebra and group representation theory. He has been awarded the prestigious Berwick Prize by the London Mathematical Society, and previously has been a faculty member in other leading US and UK mathematics departments.
The University of Aberdeen, which was ranked among the Top 200 in the world in the Times Higher Educational Supplement last month, launched a £9 million investment in intellectual capital in 2004. Its ‘Chairs for the Sixth Century’ campaign has seen the appointment of more than 50 Professors - attracting academics from across the world to Aberdeen.
The 2006 inaugural lecture season has showcased four of the new appointments covering the University’s three Colleges: Arts and Social Sciences, Medicine and Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. They include:
• Professor Celso Grebogi who illustrated how chaos theory holds the potential to revolutionise just about everything from coronary disease and ozone depletion, satellite navigation and beyond.
• Professor Rene Stet, world leading fish biologist, who examined Genetic Frontiers in the context of the fish farming industry.
• Professor Anthony Carty, world-leading specialist in British policy and international law, who discussed international law in a time of crisis.
Professor Stephen Logan, Senior Vice-Principal at the University of Aberdeen, said: “We are delighted to have produced a series of public lectures showcasing some of the ground-breaking work that is taking place at the University. The Institution seeks to position itself as one of the leading academic institutions in the world, and the 2006 Inaugural Lectures series is testament to this.”
Fiona Christie, Breaking New Ground Series Producer, said: “The Inaugural Lectures are an established way of universities welcoming and introducing new appointments. Here at the University of Aberdeen we’ve taken this fine tradition and with it created a truly fascinating season of public lectures, allowing the public a real insight into the ground-breaking work that is happening at Aberdeen.”
Professor Robinson said: “Mathematics is deeply embedded in human culture and history. It was a language used by many ancient civilisations, and of all such languages, it could be argued that Mathematics is the one whose foundations have passed unchanged to the present day.
“Mathematics surrounds us in present-day society in ways which most people are unaware. To illustate this at one level, I will discuss some of the so-called "pure" mathematics which underpins modern digital communication, touching on issues as 'how do we keep communications efficient and secure, while correcting inevitable transmission errors.’”
Tonight’s lecture takes place at King’s College Centre at the University of Aberdeen at 6.30pm.
For more information visit www.abdn.ac.uk/inaugurallectures
or telephone 01224 273874.