International Review Gives Qualified Thumbs Up to U.K. Maths Research. (June 11, 2004)

    Britain's three mathematical societies and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, U.K. mathematics principal source of funding, requested an international group of thirteen, chaired by Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, director of France's Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques to assess the quality of British research in mathematics. Its report concludes that while the U.K. is a world leader in several areas, including geometry, topology, and number theory, as well as applied disciplines such as fluid mechanics Science reports the group's report finds, "lurking problems could add up to future trouble. Fewer math undergraduates, narrow Ph.D. training, dwindling funding, and poor career paths will all make it hard to recruit enough academics to maintain the U.K.'s international position."

    Panellist Margaret Wright of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University told Science, "Math is often viewed as a low-cost field -- people only need a pencil and paper. This is completely false. If not enough is put into equipment and resources, things will start to fall apart."