London Institute for Mathematical Sciences facts for kids
| Motto | Truth, Beauty |
|---|---|
| Type | Independent research institute |
| Established | 2011 |
| Location |
The Royal Institution, London, UK
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The London Institute (officially called the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences) is a special place in Britain. It's the only independent research center for theoretical physics and mathematics. Think of it as a science club for super smart people! Unlike universities, where scientists often teach classes or do office work, the Institute lets its researchers focus only on discovering new things. This means they have lots of freedom and support to spend all their time on exciting research.
History
The idea for the London Institute started in 2008. A physicist named Thomas Fink from Texas wanted to create a new kind of science center in Britain. At first, some people weren't sure it would work. For example, Peter Littlewood from Cambridge University thought it couldn't survive just on grants.
But Tom Tombrello from Caltech, who had taught Fink, encouraged him. So, the Institute was officially started in 2011. The next year, it received its first grant from DARPA, a US government agency that funds important research.
In 2015, the Institute became able to get money from the EU's science agency. Then, in 2019, it gained a special status from UKRI. This meant it could compete with big universities for research funding from the UK government. It was the first independent science center in physics to do this!
In 2021, the Institute's researchers moved into the historic Royal Institution. They now work in rooms where famous scientists like Sir Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday, and John Tyndall once lived.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Institute started a special program. They created the Arnold and Landau Fellowships. These are named after a Ukrainian mathematician, Vladimir Arnold, and a Russian physicist, Lev Landau. This program offers ten full-time positions for three years. It's the biggest program of its kind in the world, helping scientists affected by the conflict.
What They Research
The London Institute focuses on theoretical physics and mathematics. This means they use their brains and computers to figure things out. They don't have labs or do experiments. The Institute believes in "curiosity-driven" research. This is when scientists explore ideas just because they are curious. Historically, this kind of research has led to huge discoveries. Think about how we learned about gravity or electromagnetism!
The Institute describes its work as "spotting the patterns within patterns." This helps them connect ideas that seem very different. It can open up completely new ways of thinking and new areas of study.
Research at the London Institute covers four main areas:
- Mathematics that unifies: Finding ways to connect different math ideas.
- The elegant universe: Exploring the beauty and order in how the universe works.
- Life, learning and emergence: Understanding how complex things, like life and learning, come from simpler parts.
- The Theory of human enterprise: Studying how people and groups work together.
Their researchers have published papers in top science journals. These include articles on how statistics apply to physics, how shapes relate to energy, how networks connect, and how different parts of math fit together.
In 2021, the UK government announced a new science agency called ARIA. It's designed to support projects that could completely change science. As a guide for this new agency, the London Institute made a list of "23 Mathematical Challenges of our time." This list was inspired by David Hilbert's famous list of 23 challenges from a long time ago. The Institute's list reminds everyone to aim high in their research. It was published in The Times newspaper.
How They Work
The London Institute gives its researchers a lot of support. They want their scientists to be as well-supported as professional athletes. Besides not having to teach, the Institute hires other experts. These include computer programmers, writers, data analysts, and designers. They also have experts in telling stories about science and building partnerships. They even work with coaches to help their researchers stay mentally sharp and well.
Scientists at the London Institute do not work from home. The Director, Thomas Fink, explained why. He said that being in the same place helps people work together better. It helps them find the best balance between working alone and sharing ideas with others.
The London Institute believes that sharing discoveries is just as important as making them. They are very proud of their website, lims.ac.uk. They make sure it is clear and interesting to read and look at. In 2022, their website was named one of the five best science websites in the world by the Webby Awards. It was listed alongside famous sites like Science magazine and NASA Solar System Exploration.
Writers at the Institute also publish articles in newspapers and magazines. These include Nature, The Times, and The Guardian. They share their research and ideas, and they join in discussions about how to fund and do science.
Another way they share discoveries is by holding events at the Royal Institution. In 2021, two of the Institute's Fellows, Thomas Fink and Yang-Hui He, interviewed Nobel Physics winner Roger Penrose. In 2022, the Institute held a two-day meeting about the math of cell coding. In 2023, Professor He gave a talk about how non-Euclidean geometry led to modern physics.
Organisation
The Director of the London Institute is the physicist Thomas Fink. The Institute also has a Board of Trustees. This board includes important people like Sir Roy Anderson, who used to be the chief scientist at the Ministry of Defence. It also includes Sir John Beddington, who was the UK government's chief scientific adviser. Martin Reeves, a global director at Boston Consulting Group, is also on the board.
At the Institute, scientists and non-scientists work closely together. Everyone is involved in finding funding, doing research, and sharing discoveries.
Funding
The London Institute gets its money from various research grants. These include grants from the EU's Horizon 2020 and the European Innovation Council. They also receive funds from DARPA and the US Department of Defense. In the UK, they get money from the Ministry of Defence, the Medical Research Council, and Cancer Research UK.
They also work with companies in areas like strategy, biotech, and artificial intelligence (AI). The London Institute has partnered with over 50 research organisations from all over the world.
In 2021, the Institute started getting money from donations, too. In 2022, donors helped launch the Arnold and Landau Fellowships. These fellowships help scientists from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus who have been affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
