CUBED.002 SMSAS news in print
CUBED 002 Has Arrived! Discover the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS) through a new medium. Autumn round-up
Find out what’s been going on around the School over the last few months
Pages 2 & 3
Your Student Voice & New Student Centre
November Graduation
Discover how your student voice is helping to shape the School
See some of our photos from our annual graduation reception and congregations ceremony
Pages 4 & 5
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Cooking up a treat
Snack. Revise. Socialise.
Tease me, Tease me
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Have a go at our budget-friendly and simple recipe
Revision Breaks are back! Enjoy free snacks and meet other SMSAS students in Sibson this term
Warm up your brain with our tricky brain teasers and puzzles
Autumn round-up 2018 We’ve pulled together some of our top stories from last few months. You can stay up-to-date with all of our news on our website.
Professor Elizabeth Mansfield Appeared on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time Professor of Mathematics, Professor Elizabeth Mansfield, appeared on the popular BBC Radio 4 show, ‘In Our Time’, on Thursday 24 January, to discuss pioneering mathematician, Emmy Noether. Elizabeth commented, ‘‘Emmy Noether is a tremendous role model, not only for her mathematical genius but also for her resilience in the face of the sexism and antiSemitism she experienced throughout her career, at a level which would be unthinkable today. And we are still fighting! At SMSAS we are proud of our record of achievement for women in STEM subjects, recognised by our Athena Swan Silver award.” You can listen to the episode on the BBC Sounds App, online via the BBC iPlayer or on your podcast app.
Dr Rachel McCrea Awarded EPSRC New Investigator Grant
SMSAS Hosted 4th OPSFOTA at Kent’s Canterbury Campus
Dr Ian Wood Presented a Series of Talks in Louisiana and Texas
Senior Lecturer in Statistics, Dr Rachel McCrea, has been awarded a ‘New Investigator Grant’ from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for a project titled, ‘Modeling removal and re-introduction data for improved conservation’.
The School hosted the 4th Orthogonal Polynomials, Special Functions and Operator Theory and Applications (OPSFOTA) meeting on Wednesday 16 January. The meeting was supported by a London Mathematical Society Joint Research Groups grant.
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics, Dr Ian Wood, presented a range of talks during a three-week trip to the United States of America.
Mathematics PhD Student Named Volunteer of the Month PhD student, Floris Claassens, in his role as the Faculty of Sciences Postgraduate Research Student Representative, was recognised for his work on a Postgraduate Welfare Paper supported by Kent Union and Kent’s Graduate School. Kent Union wrote: ‘Since realising that the welfare provision that was available from his school was not shared by other schools, Floris went on a quest to speak to the member of staff responsible for postgraduate welfare in all 23 schools across both the Canterbury and Medway campuses.
He spoke to as many student reps as possible and finally independently created and distributed a survey which received 119 responses, over 10% of the PGR population. With this knowledge and consultation, Floris got a firm grasp of how the schools differ in their approach to PGR welfare. This culminated in a paper which was taken to Graduate School Board on 30/10/2018, which passed and resulted in the creation of a new sub-board which is focused exclusively on postgraduate welfare provision at the University of Kent. This is a huge achievement which has only been managed due to the dedication of one very capable Faculty Rep.’
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Dr Clelia Pech’s Successful Funding Application to Host Women in Mathematics Day at Kent Lecturer in Mathematics, Dr Clelia Pech, and colleague, Dr Sara Filippini from Imperial College London, have received funding from the Institute of Mathematics and Its Application (IMA) and the London Mathematical Society (LMS) to organise the 2019 LMS Women in Mathematics Day at the University of Kent.
School Hosted Public Lecture by President of the Royal Statistical Society In November, the School co-hosted a Public Lecture with the East Kent Royal Statistical Society Group, delivered by one of the country’s leading experts on statistics, Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter. David is the current president of the Royal Statistical Society, and Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk in the Statistical Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. He is well known to viewers of BBC Four for the documentary Tails You Win: The Science of Chance. During the well-attended lecture, David discussed how deep uncertainty about facts, numbers, or scientific hypotheses needs to be communicated without losing trust and credibility.
Dr Bas Lemmens Celebrates EPSRC Funding Award Reader in Mathematics, Dr Bas Lemmens, has been awarded funding from the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for a three-year project investigating the deep seeded interplay between geometry, order structures, and Jordan algebras. Bas is working with Professor Cho-Ho Chu at Queen Mary University London. Bas outlined the nature and scope of the project for us. ‘The notion of a Jordan algebra has a rich history in mathematics. It was originally introduced by Pascual Jordan in a quest to find alternative algebraic settings for quantum mechanics and turned out to have deep connections with diverse areas of mathematics including Lie theory, differential geometry and mathematical analysis. A beautiful connection between finite dimensional Jordan algebras and the geometry of cones was discovered by
Professor Peter Clarkson Shortlisted for National WISE Award Professor of Mathematics, Professor Peter Clarkson, was shortlisted for the 2018 WISE Man Award co-sponsored by EDF Energy and WISE.
Actuarial Science PhD Student Spoke at Finance and Insurance Conference in Greece Actuarial Science PhD student, Aniketh Pittea, spoke at the ‘Recent Developments in Dependence Modelling with Applications in Finance and Insurance – Fifth Edition’ Conference in September.
Professor Andy Hone Joins Editorial Board for Physics Journal Professor of Mathematics, Professor Andy Hone, had joined the editorial board for the ‘Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical’.
Peter was nominated by members of the UK Mathematics community, in recognition of his passionate, practical commitment to advancing gender equality in the mathematical sciences. Peter is currently Chair of the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and sits on the University’s Athena SWAN Working Group.
Dr Ana Loureiro Gave Two Plenary Talks at Workshop in Cameroon Senior Lecturer in Mathematics, Dr Ana Loureiro, delivered two plenary talks at the AIMS-Volkswagen Stifung Workshop on Introduction to Orthogonal Polynomials and Applications in Cameroon. Ana delivered the first of her plenary talks on day three of the workshop, titled ‘A collection of classical three-fold symmetric 2-orthogonal polynomials’, and the second of her plenary talks on day four of the workshop, titled, ‘Unique positive solution for alternative discrete Painleve I equation’.
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Koecher and Vinberg. Their characterisation of finite dimensional Jordan algebras provides a link with the geometry of Riemannian symmetric spaces. One of the main aims of the project is to establish similar characterisations of Jordan algebras in infinite dimensional spaces. There is some evidence that Jordan algebra structures are closely related to a certain symmetry of order structures coming from cones. Indeed, it is believed that the existence of a transformation on the cone that reverses, ie, flips, the order structure implies the existence of a Jordan algebra structure on the space. It would be really exciting to prove this striking connection. ‘There are several paths to follow and avenues to explore. As with all research, we can’t predict the outcome but it’s an exciting project, building on fundamental work of the past, such as that of Koecher and Vinberg, and the knowledge gained since, to further our understanding of this fascinating research area and hopefully discovering something that moves the field in new directions.’
School Hosted NERC Advanced Training Course The School’s Statistical Ecology Research Group hosted an Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Advanced Training Course on ‘Statistical Models for Wildlife Population Assessment and Conservation’ in January.
Dr Clare Dunning Contributed to Published Book Reader in Mathematics, Dr Clare Dunning, contributed to a book titled, ‘PT Symmetry in Quantum and Classical Physics’. The book recently published by World Scientific, was written by Carl M. Bender (Washington University, USA), with contributions from Patrick Dorey (Durham University, UK), Clare Dunning (University of Kent, UK) Andreas Fring (City University London, UK), Daniel Hook (Digital Scientific), Hugh Jones (Imperial College London, UK), Sergii Kuzel (AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland), Géza Lévai (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary), and Roberto Tateo (Universita Degli Studi Di Torino, Italy).
Your Student Voice
Last year, your Student Reps campaigned to get more lectures and events timetabled in Sibson. They organised a petition and collected hundreds of signatures from SMSAS students and staff. The petition has gone all the way to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education, Prof. April McMahon, who met with your current Student Reps last term to discuss the issue and to look at ways we can work with Timetabling to ensure more SMSAS events are timetabled in Sibson.
Your views are important in shaping the School and the Student Experience for all SMSAS Students. Your feedback influences how we deliver modules, the events and the activities we host, and the resources that are available to you. If you think something is working really well or if there’s an area that we could improve, it’s important that you let us know so that we can continue to grow and develop, ensuring that you can get the most out of your university experience. Your feedback helps to shape discussions in School Committees relating to your studies, exams, student experience, student support and equality, diversity and inclusivity. Your elected Student Reps are members of these Committees and provide us with your feedback on the matters that affect you.
Last term, Foundation Year students fed back that they would like informal support from students who have progressed from the Foundation Year. Our Student Success Project Officers have arranged for a group of Stage 1 students who have progressed from the Foundation Year to informally mentor current Foundation Year students. Our Foundation Year Mentors will be developing a new programme of support alongside our Student Success Project Officers which will benefit future Foundation Year students. These are just some of the many examples of how your Student Voice is helping to enhance the student experience in the School. If there’s something that you think is working really well, or if you have any suggestions for how we can make improvements, share your Student Voice via one of the methodson the next page.
Your Student Reps 2018-19 Abi Foundation Year Mathematics Rep
Jack Foundation Year Mathematics Rep
Georgia Foundation Year Actuarial Science Rep
Devansh Foundation Year Actuarial Science Rep
Dhilushaa Stage 1 Mathematics Programmes Rep
William Stage 1 Actuarial Science Rep
Ify Stage 2 Mathematics Programmes Rep
Refilwe Stage 2 Actuarial Science Rep
Lara Stage 3 Mathematics Programmes Rep
Leagilwe Stage 3 Actuarial Science Rep
Purva MSc Mathematics / MSc Statistics Rep
Vatsala MSc Applied Actuarial Science Rep
Elmaria MSc Applied Actuarial Science Rep
Akansha Year in Data Analytics Rep
Nina SMSAS School Rep
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Sharing Your Voice Talk to a Student Rep
Complete your Online Module Surveys
Your elected Student Reps are available to speak to throughout the year. You can talk to them about your experiences in your modules, on your course, and anything else related to your student experience in the School.
One of the easiest ways you can provide feedback on your modules is by completing your Online Module Surveys (OMS). At the end of each term, we ask you to complete the short OMS (sometimes known as Module Evaluations) on Moodle. This is your opportunity to share your views on many different aspects of your modules, and provide comments identifying areas that you think have worked well and where we can make improvements.
Your Student Reps help us to understand the areas we can improve and identify areas of best practice, helping us to enhance your student experience. Feedback that you give to your Student Reps is anonymous. When your Student Reps talk to members of staff about student views, they keep your identity secret. Contact details for your Student Reps can be on the Student Guide on Moodle.
The feedback you provide in the OMS helps to shape how we teach modules, the resources we provide, the feedback you receive on assessments, and how we can ensure that your experience on your modules is positive. All of the feedback you provide in the OMS is anonymous.
Use the Digital Rep System
Talk to a member of staff
You can share your anonymous feedback about all aspects of your student experience at Kent via Kent Union’s Digital Rep system. The simple online form, allows you to share your views on the things you think are working well, along with the areas the University can improve.
Staff are always available to talk. Whether you talk to your Academic Adviser, your favourite lecturer or a member of the Professional Services Team, the staff in the School are always ready to listen.
Your anonymous feedback about the School, your programme or modules, is seen by your Student Reps and the School. We use this feedback to continue to enhance your experience. A quick link to the Digital Rep form For more information about sharing can be found on the Student Guide on Moodle.
your Student Voice, visit the Student Guide on Moodle
SMSAS Student Centre Sibson, Room 233 | Open 8am - 8pm, Monday - Friday. Following student feedback, Kent Union has been campaigning for more student study and social spaces across the University. SMSAS is pleased to respond to this student feedback by opening a brand new SMSAS Student Centre in Sibson, offering a new space for undergraduate and postgraduate-taught students to study and socialise. The SMSAS Student Centre will help us continue to enhance our learning community, providing you with a space to meet other SMSAS students, take part in School events and activities, and study alongside students from all of our degree programmes. We will be developing the SMSAS Student Centre over the coming months and years, using your student feedback to help shape the new facility. Share your suggestions for what you’d like to see included in the SMSAS Student Centre by emailing Amy (A.Ward-638@kent.ac.uk) or by completing a suggestion slip at the SMSAS Reception.
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SMSAS November Graduation 2018 Take a look at some of the photos from our graduation ceremony and post-graduation reception and prize presentation.
View all of our graduation photos on our Facebook page:
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facebook.com/unikentsmsas
Recipe Simple box Chilli Ingredients: • 1 onion • 2 cloves of garlic (minced) • 3 peppers • 1 400g tin of kidney beans • 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes • 1 tablespoon of tomato puree • Chilli powder • Oil for the pan • Rice (if you want it) Alternatives and quick cheats Meaty
If you like your chilli meaty, swap out two of the peppers for 250g of mince meat
Quick cheat
To simplify the recipe, swap the garlic and chilli powder for a chilli con carne flavour sachet
Method:
1.
Chop up your peppers and onion (diced or chunky...however you like). Peel and mince your garlic cloves.
2.
Add some oil to a pan over a medium heat.
3.
Throw in your onion, peppers and minced garlic and simmer until the onion has turned translucent and the peppers have softened.
4.
Add the tin of tomatoes, the tin of kidney beans and a tablespoon of tomato puree. Stir it all together.
5.
Add your seasoning... add as much chilli as you like. Along with some salt, pepper and any other seasoning that you feel your chilli needs.
6.
Simmer your chilli for around 15 minutes until it has thickened. If you’re having rice with your chilli, now is good time to cook it!
7.
You’re chilli is ready!
Mix it up
Who said you have to have chilli with rice? Try layering your chilli in between sheets of pitta bread in an ovenproof dish, top with cheese and bake in the oven for 25 mins at 200 degrees (gas mark 6). Or enjoy your chilli with nachos, tacos or salad...so many possibilities!
REVISION
BREAK
FREE SNACKS
11am - 1pm
SMSAS Student Centre Sibson, Room 233
Snack. Revise. Socialise. February: Thurs 7, Tues 12, Thurs 21 and Tues 26 March: Thurs 7, Tues 12, Thurs 21 and Tues 26
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Brain teasers
You are given a polynomial P(x) of unknown degree with coefficients which are non-negative integers. You don’t know any of the coefficients, but you are allowed to evaluate the polynomial at any point you choose. What is the smallest number of evaluations you need to use, so that can find the degree and the coefficients of P(x)?
Solutions are available from the SMSAS Reception.
1 7 4
8
3 8
8
5
6
1
2
3
9
9
6
7
1
3
9
2
6
7
3
8
7
9
Replace every letter with a different digit between 0 and 9, such that you can get a correct calculation 6
4
6
SEND + MORE MONEY 3388
Riddle: I have keys without key locks. I have space without rooms. You can enter but you cannot go outside. What am I?
Use exactly two threes (3) and two eights (8) to get the number 24. You can only use multiplication, division, addition, subtraction signs and brackets.
CUBED.002 SMSAS news in print
Produced by the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science at Kent. www.kent.ac.uk/smsas To make a contribution to the paper and to find out how you can get involved, email smsasmarketing@kent.ac.uk