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Abbreviation | The Invariants |
---|---|
Type | Student organisation |
Purpose | Education |
Headquarters | Mathematical Institute, Oxford |
Location |
|
Official language | English |
Website |
www |
The Oxford University Invariant Society, or 'The Invariants', is a university society open to members of the University of Oxford, dedicated to promotion of interest in mathematics. [1] The society regularly hosts talks from professional mathematicians on topics both technical and more popular, from the mathematics of juggling to the history of mathematics. [2] Many prominent British mathematicians were members of the society during their time at Oxford. [3]
The Society was founded in 1936 by J. H. C. Whitehead together with two of his students at Balliol College, Graham Higman [4] and Jack de Wet. [5] The name of the society was chosen at random by Higman from the titles of the books on Whitehead's shelf; [6] in this case, Oswald Veblen's Invariants of Quadratic Differential Forms. The opening lecture was given by G. H. Hardy in Hilary Term 1936, with the title 'Round Numbers'. [7] [8]
Though many members joined the armed forces during the war, meetings continued, including lectures by Douglas Hartree and Max Newman, as well as debates - 'Is Mathematics an end in itself?' - and mathematical films. [9]
The society has hosted hundreds of prominent mathematicians, [10] including lectures by Benoit Mandelbrot, [11] Sir Roger Penrose, [12] and Simon Singh. [13]
Since 1961, the Society has published a magazine entitled The Invariant. [14]
![]() | |
Abbreviation | The Invariants |
---|---|
Type | Student organisation |
Purpose | Education |
Headquarters | Mathematical Institute, Oxford |
Location |
|
Official language | English |
Website |
www |
The Oxford University Invariant Society, or 'The Invariants', is a university society open to members of the University of Oxford, dedicated to promotion of interest in mathematics. [1] The society regularly hosts talks from professional mathematicians on topics both technical and more popular, from the mathematics of juggling to the history of mathematics. [2] Many prominent British mathematicians were members of the society during their time at Oxford. [3]
The Society was founded in 1936 by J. H. C. Whitehead together with two of his students at Balliol College, Graham Higman [4] and Jack de Wet. [5] The name of the society was chosen at random by Higman from the titles of the books on Whitehead's shelf; [6] in this case, Oswald Veblen's Invariants of Quadratic Differential Forms. The opening lecture was given by G. H. Hardy in Hilary Term 1936, with the title 'Round Numbers'. [7] [8]
Though many members joined the armed forces during the war, meetings continued, including lectures by Douglas Hartree and Max Newman, as well as debates - 'Is Mathematics an end in itself?' - and mathematical films. [9]
The society has hosted hundreds of prominent mathematicians, [10] including lectures by Benoit Mandelbrot, [11] Sir Roger Penrose, [12] and Simon Singh. [13]
Since 1961, the Society has published a magazine entitled The Invariant. [14]