Introduction
Mathematics in Cambridge has a rich and varied past, a vibrant present, and looks forward to leading ever more diverse and pioneering work in the future.
The Past
A short history of Mathematics in Cambridge is available for those seeking context, as is a whistlestop tour of some of the pioneering mathematicians from Cambridge who have produced work that continues to influence mathematical research and other areas of human endeavour.
The Present
Our current mathematical community thrives in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the building that houses the Faculty of Mathematics and, most importantly, our students and staff, including Caucher Birkar, Sir Tim Gowers and Sir David Spiegelhalter.
The Faculty co-ordinates teaching, including the Mathematical Tripos. As with other undergraduate courses in Cambridge, lectures and examinations are the responsilbity of the Faculty, while the 31 individual Colleges of the University organise small group teaching through supervisions. The Colleges also handle undergraduate admissions.
Postgraduate study in mathematics includes the Master of Mathematics/Master of Advanced Study, which is our renowned one-year taught course that, for historical reasons, is also known as 'Part III of the Mathematical Tripos'. In addition, the Faculty also offers several one-year MPhil courses, and a PhD research programme that includes the Cambridge Centre for Analysis, an EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Mathematical Analysis.
For research and administrative purposes the Faculty is split into two departments:
- the Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics (DAMTP);
- the Department of Pure Mathematics & Mathematical Statistics (DPMMS), which has the Statistical Laboratory as a sub-department.
Located on the same site as the Faculty is the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences; a centre that attracts outstanding international researchers as visitors.
The Future
Our aims include:
- advancing mathematical knowledge by novel and insightful research that is world-leading and has international impact;
- training the next cohort of mathematicians for academia, education, science, industry, business and society.
In addition to tried and tested methods of teaching and research, we aim to do this
- by collaboration with industry and business;
- by initiatives such as the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication and the Cantab Capital Institute for the Mathematics of Information;
- by interaction with alumnae and alumni;
- with the next generation in mind, by contributing to development and support of pre-University mathematics, e.g through NRICH, Underground Mathematics, and Cambridge Mathematics (a collaboration between Cambridge Assessment, Cambridge University Press, the Faculty of Education and ourselves, the Faculty of Mathematics).
