This is totally unacceptable. I can hardly imagine that a phd in electronic engineering would make such a stupid proposal to cease pure math research, which will absolutely destroy the reputation of the whole university!
E
Edmund Robinson
5 years ago
I sign as an academic, Professor of Computer Science and current Chair of the Council of Professors and Heads of Computing but not on behalf of my institution. I believe strongly in Pure Mathematics, which is often not Pure at all in the sense of being inapplicable.
M
Maria Carmen Reguera
5 years ago
Pure mathematics is at the heart of applied mathematics and other applied areas. What a naive and wrong move!
M
Matt Buck
5 years ago
Pure mathematics is almost by definition not useful at the time, but from it comes many applications to applied mathematics and physics. But beyond that, the idea that you have a maths department with no pure maths is an utter joke.
D
Douglas Heggie
5 years ago
Pure mathematics is fundamental to the disciplines (IT, etc) to which the university says it is dedicated, quite apart from finance, biomathematics and much else.
R
Rachael Jane Boyd
5 years ago
Every single pure mathematician I know who has left mathematics, now works in AI and Data science. This is evidence that a degree in pure mathematics makes one very employable in this area.
P
Peter Fiebig
5 years ago
Theoretical mathematics in teaching and research is the basis of scientific progress in many areas. In addition, I don't believe that universities can compete with the tech giants like google in AI research. Policies like this might make universities redundant.
P
Peter Witbooi
5 years ago
Pure mathematics is steering wheel for Applied Math and math applications.
A
Alex Wade
5 years ago
I am the Engineering Manager for Synoptix and we are on the verge of signing a KTP with the UoL Maths Dept. This is a sizable concern that I will have to report to my MD to consider the impact of us investing in projects with this dept if the future of research is in doubt.
H
Henri Riihimäki
5 years ago
If advances in modern AI, computational modelling, digitalisation and data science are not understood to be founded on theoretical mathematics, then this seems like a total incompetence in university leadership.
T
Tobias Kuna
5 years ago
Without a good basis in pure math no degree programme in AI and data science will be able to be comprehensive and balanced.
V
Vincent Caudrelier
5 years ago
It is shocking to see that a VC can have so little understanding of how science and research in general work. Putting labels and compartmentalising certain aspects of it might be convenient in spreadsheets but that's not how ideas, progress and innovation works. At a time when Alan Turing is finally recognised for his amazing contributions, in particular in such areas as the one the VC seems to put forward, it might be useful to recall that he was a "pure" mathematician.
T
Tara Brendle
5 years ago
This move is short-sighted for several reasons, not least of which is the value of fundamental research to society, but also in consideration of the heavy recent investment by the UK government across the full spectrum of mathematical sciences.
A
Antonios Charalambopoulos
5 years ago
Pure mathematics is inherent in every branch of Applied Mathematics. Following an action of this particular kind has a negative symbolic impact and does not fit to the academic standards of high rank universities. I hope this decision is reversible.
S
Sourav
5 years ago
Dear Vice Chancellor,
How will you do AI without Maths!! Regards
R
Raymond Chan
5 years ago
This is the most obscure statement I have ever heard from a vice-chancellor. Let's be honest, you can't do research in these so-call "excellent" areas without math.
M
Monica Garcia
5 years ago
Unacceptable. Really interesting pure math is currently being developed in Leicester.
A
Athanasios Yannacopoulos
5 years ago
There is no way you can do high quality data science withour a strong mathematics curicullum. High quality data science uses pure mathematics heavily.
R
Robert Fraser
5 years ago
Eliminating pure mathematics was a bad idea for Rochester in the 1990s, and it's a bad idea for Leicester now.
C
Chaze Emmanuel
5 years ago
Forbidden to use this email address for other action please
This is totally unacceptable. I can hardly imagine that a phd in electronic engineering would make such a stupid proposal to cease pure math research, which will absolutely destroy the reputation of the whole university!
I sign as an academic, Professor of Computer Science and current Chair of the Council of Professors and Heads of Computing but not on behalf of my institution. I believe strongly in Pure Mathematics, which is often not Pure at all in the sense of being inapplicable.
Pure mathematics is at the heart of applied mathematics and other applied areas. What a naive and wrong move!
Pure mathematics is almost by definition not useful at the time, but from it comes many applications to applied mathematics and physics. But beyond that, the idea that you have a maths department with no pure maths is an utter joke.
Pure mathematics is fundamental to the disciplines (IT, etc) to which the university says it is dedicated, quite apart from finance, biomathematics and much else.
Every single pure mathematician I know who has left mathematics, now works in AI and Data science. This is evidence that a degree in pure mathematics makes one very employable in this area.
Theoretical mathematics in teaching and research is the basis of scientific progress in many areas. In addition, I don't believe that universities can compete with the tech giants like google in AI research. Policies like this might make universities redundant.
Pure mathematics is steering wheel for Applied Math and math applications.
I am the Engineering Manager for Synoptix and we are on the verge of signing a KTP with the UoL Maths Dept. This is a sizable concern that I will have to report to my MD to consider the impact of us investing in projects with this dept if the future of research is in doubt.
If advances in modern AI, computational modelling, digitalisation and data science are not understood to be founded on theoretical mathematics, then this seems like a total incompetence in university leadership.
Without a good basis in pure math no degree programme in AI and data science will be able to be comprehensive and balanced.
It is shocking to see that a VC can have so little understanding of how science and research in general work. Putting labels and compartmentalising certain aspects of it might be convenient in spreadsheets but that's not how ideas, progress and innovation works. At a time when Alan Turing is finally recognised for his amazing contributions, in particular in such areas as the one the VC seems to put forward, it might be useful to recall that he was a "pure" mathematician.
This move is short-sighted for several reasons, not least of which is the value of fundamental research to society, but also in consideration of the heavy recent investment by the UK government across the full spectrum of mathematical sciences.
Pure mathematics is inherent in every branch of Applied Mathematics. Following an action of this particular kind has a negative symbolic impact and does not fit to the academic standards of high rank universities. I hope this decision is reversible.
Dear Vice Chancellor, How will you do AI without Maths!! Regards
This is the most obscure statement I have ever heard from a vice-chancellor. Let's be honest, you can't do research in these so-call "excellent" areas without math.
Unacceptable. Really interesting pure math is currently being developed in Leicester.
There is no way you can do high quality data science withour a strong mathematics curicullum. High quality data science uses pure mathematics heavily.
Eliminating pure mathematics was a bad idea for Rochester in the 1990s, and it's a bad idea for Leicester now.
Forbidden to use this email address for other action please