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Jonathan Keating

Born (1963-09-20) 20 September 1963 (age 61)
Nationality British
Alma mater University of Oxford (BA)
University of Bristol (PhD)
Scientific career
Fields Random matrix theory, quantum chaos, number theory, Riemann hypothesis, quantum graphs
Institutions University of Manchester
University of Bristol
The Queen's College, Oxford
Doctoral advisor Michael Victor Berry
Doctoral students Nina Snaith

Jonathan Peter Keating (born September 20, 1963) is a British mathematician. He is a very important professor at the University of Oxford. He holds the title of Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy. Before that, he was a professor at the University of Bristol. He also led the science department there for a few years.

Jonathan Keating is known for his work in applied mathematics and mathematical physics. He studies interesting topics like quantum chaos and random matrix theory. He also works on number theory, which is about the properties of numbers.

Becoming a Mathematician

Jonathan Keating studied physics at New College, Oxford. He earned his first degree there. Later, he went to the University of Bristol for his PhD. He finished his PhD in 1989. His supervisor, who guided his research, was Michael Berry.

His Work and Discoveries

Jonathan Keating started his career teaching applied mathematics at the University of Manchester. This was from 1991 to 1995. After that, he moved to the University of Bristol. He became a professor there in 1997. He even led the Mathematics department for a few years.

His main research focuses on how quantum chaos connects with random matrix theory. He also explores how these ideas relate to number theory. He has done important work on the Riemann zeta-function. This function is very important in mathematics. He studies its "zeros," which are special points where the function equals zero.

He was also the leader of the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research until July 2020. In September 2019, he became the Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Oxford. This is a very old and respected position. In November 2019, he became the president of the London Mathematical Society. This is a big honor for a mathematician.

One of his students, Nina Snaith, also became a successful mathematician.

Awards and Special Honors

Jonathan Keating has received many awards for his important work.

  • From 2004 to 2009, he received a special research grant.
  • In 2009, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
  • In 2010, he won the Fröhlich Prize from the London Mathematical Society.
  • In 2014, he received a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. This award helps top scientists continue their research.
  • He also holds an ERC Advanced Grant, which is another important research award.
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