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FiftyYears_Mottram_s
- 1. 50 years ofthe IMA and the Department of Mathematics & Statistics Nigel Mottram Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
- 2. The IMA Origins ofthe Institute • Spring of 1959: Prof. M. J. Lighthill organised the first meeting of the British Theoretical Mechanics Colloquium at Manchester • Enthusiastic response so held annually after that • 1962: at the Colloquium in Bristol, Lighthill proposed a professional institute for applied mathematicians • 1963: Called a meeting of interested people at the Colloquium in Liverpool • 300 people attended and (almost) unanimously endorsed his views • An ad hoc committee was formed to consider the idea • Prof G. J. Kynch • Prof D. C. Pack • Prof R. S. Scorer • Prof K. Stewartson
- 3. The IMA • May1959: A committee of the Heads of departments, industry and government mathematicians met to consider a similar proposal • Chairman: Mr. A. Geary (Northampton College of Advanced Technology) • Views were sought and there were positive and negative responses. • Some worried it might be just another mathematical organisation • Some worried what the pure mathematicians would think • 1961: Geary Committee met • the London Mathematical Society (LMS), • the Mathematical Association (MA), • the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), • the British Computer Society (BCS), • the Operational Research Society (ORS) • Concluded that the aims of the proposed Institute would not lead to any rivalry with the other organisations.
- 4. The IMA • Lotsof discussion about coordination which led to the formation of the Joint Mathematical Council (JMC) • Three things now happened. • Sir William Hodge obtained £2000 a year for three years to support the formation of an Institute of Mathematics • The colloquium at Liverpool led Lighthill to take action • A meeting of the Conference of University Professors of Mathematics heard about both initiatives • On 23 May 1963 everyone met and it was confirmed the name “Institute of Mathematics and its Applications”, a joint committee was formed • Five meetings later, on 24 March 1964, a formal application was made to the Board of Trade for the registration of the Institute as a company • Certificate of registration, dated 23 April 1964, was then produced.
- 5. The Department • 1796Anderson's Institution formed • Professor of Mathematics: Robert Wallace (professor 1825-1828) • 1828 Anderson's University • 1887 Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College • 1912 Royal Technical College • Department of Mathematics was a small service department with just 6 academic staff. • Prof. Donald Pack joins in 1953 • Creates the Honours Associateship in Applied Mathematics, designed to produce graduates to work in industry • 1956 Royal College of Science and Technology • 1964 Merger with Scottish College of Commerce • 1964 University of Strathclyde formed
- 6. Prof. Donald Pack •1938 New College, Oxford with a Major Scholarship in Mathematics • Completed his degree before entering war service • short spell with the Ordnance Board in Cambridge • then Armament Research and Development Establishment at Fort Halstead • worked on problems involving armaments and explosives.
- 7. Prof. Donald Pack Sentto Germany in 1945 as an Acting Captain • Used the wind tunnels and German staff to do research • There was an interferometer but no filters (the Russians had taken them all)
- 8. Prof. Donald Pack Sentto Germany in 1945 as an Acting Captain • Used the wind tunnels and German staff to do research • There was an interferometer but no filters (the Russians had taken them all)
- 9. Prof. Donald Pack Sentto Germany in 1945 as an Acting Captain • Used the wind tunnels and German staff to do research • There was an interferometer but no filters (the Russians had taken them all) • Using normal air to see interference patterns was not easy…
- 10. Prof. Donald Pack Sentto Germany in 1945 as an Acting Captain • Used the wind tunnels and German staff to do research • There was an interferometer but no filters (the Russians had taken them all) • Using normal air to see interference patterns was not easy…
- 11. Prof. Donald Pack Sentto Germany in 1945 as an Acting Captain • Used the wind tunnels and German staff to do research • There was an interferometer but no filters (the Russians had taken them all) • Using normal air to see interference patterns was not easy…
- 12. Prof. Donald Pack •1946 Lectureship in Queen’s College, Dundee (part of University of St Andrews) • no suitable person to supervise a PhD • waited until he had enough material to submit for a DSc, which he gained in 1952. • 1952 Lectureship in the University of Manchester • Vice-Chancellor told him he was being paid too much for his age • 1953 Applied for Chair of Mathematics in the Royal Technical College
- 13. Prof. Donald Pack •1953 Chair of Mathematics in the Royal Technical College • 1954 Honours Associateship in Applied Mathematics, designed to produce graduates to work in industry • included a major project (in industry) at the end of the final year • counted as two papers in the final assessment • There were only three students in the first year - two of them married
- 14. Prof. Donald Pack •Since 1953… • Supervised numerous PhDs, over 50 papers • British Theoretical Mechanics Colloquium came to Strathclyde in 1967 • By 1968 the Royal Society had declared Strathclyde as one of the 8 major centres for fluid dynamics research in the UK • Government report into Truancy • Travelled to • Germany many times: delivering a set of 12 lectures in German • Japan to stand in for Lighthill to give the welcome address • Poland, USA, Italy… • Continued as an MOD consultant until the age of 81 • awarded a Visiting Fellowship in 1991 (possibly the only one that exists)
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- 20. The Department • 1981-2011 •more colourful • less male • less suits • less ties
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