Marcus du Sautoy
Encyclopedia
Marcus Peter Francis du Sautoy OBE
(born in London
, 26 August 1965) is the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science
and a Professor of Mathematics
at the University of Oxford
. Formerly a Fellow of All Souls College
, and Wadham College
, he is now a Fellow of New College
. He is currently an EPSRC
Senior Media Fellow and was previously a Royal Society
University Research Fellow. His academic work concerns mainly group theory
and number theory
. In October 2008, he was appointed to the Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science
, succeeding the inaugural holder Richard Dawkins
. His surname is pronounced icon .
and was educated at local comprehensives Gillott's School and King James's College (VI Form, now Henley College) and Wadham College, Oxford
where he obtained first class honours in Mathematics
, and then completed his DPhil in mathematics. He currently lives in London with his wife and three children. He plays football and the trumpet.
In March 2006, his article Prime Numbers Get Hitched was published on Seed Magazine's website. In it he explained how the number 42
, mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
as the answer to everything, is related to the Riemann zeta function. He has also published an article in the scientific magazine New Scientist
.
In December 2006 du Sautoy delivered the 2006 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
under the collective title The Num8er My5teries. This was only the third time the subject of the lectures had been mathematics — on the first occasion in 1978, when the lecture was delivered by Erik Christopher Zeeman
, du Sautoy had been a schoolboy in the audience. The venue for the 2006 Christmas Lectures was the Institution of Engineering and Technology
's headquarters at Savoy Place, London
.
Du Sautoy is an atheist, but has stated that as holder of the Charles Simonyi
Chair for the Public Understanding of Science his focus is going to be "very much on the science and less on religion." He has described his own religion as being "Arsenal
- football."
Du Sautoy is a supporter of Common Hope
, an organisation that helps people in Guatemala
.
, which is awarded every two years to reward the best mathematical research by a mathematician under forty. He writes for The Times
and The Guardian
and has appeared several times on BBC Radio 4
and on television. He presented the television programme, Mind Games, on BBC Four
. He has also written numerous academic articles and books on mathematics, the most recent being The Num8er My5teries. Du Sautoy is also on the advisory board of Mangahigh.com - an online maths game website and has appeared on Channel 4 News
and on BBC Radio 4's Today programme
promoting the service.
for the publication of outstanding mathematical research. In 2009 he won the Michael Faraday Prize
from the Royal Society of London for "excellence in communicating science to UK audiences". Du Sautoy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
. It was there he met his Israeli wife Shani. They have three children, a son called Tomer and adopted twin daughters Magaly and Ina who are being raised Jewish.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 26 August 1965) is the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science
Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science
The Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science is a chair in the University of Oxford. The chair was established in 1995 for the ethologist Richard Dawkins by an endowment from Charles Simonyi....
and a Professor of Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. Formerly a Fellow of All Souls College
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, and Wadham College
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, he is now a Fellow of New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. He is currently an EPSRC
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences , mainly to universities in the United Kingdom...
Senior Media Fellow and was previously a Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
University Research Fellow. His academic work concerns mainly group theory
Group theory
In mathematics and abstract algebra, group theory studies the algebraic structures known as groups.The concept of a group is central to abstract algebra: other well-known algebraic structures, such as rings, fields, and vector spaces can all be seen as groups endowed with additional operations and...
and number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
. In October 2008, he was appointed to the Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science
Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science
The Simonyi Professorship for the Public Understanding of Science is a chair in the University of Oxford. The chair was established in 1995 for the ethologist Richard Dawkins by an endowment from Charles Simonyi....
, succeeding the inaugural holder Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
. His surname is pronounced icon .
Biography
He grew up in Henley-on-ThamesHenley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
and was educated at local comprehensives Gillott's School and King James's College (VI Form, now Henley College) and Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
where he obtained first class honours in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and then completed his DPhil in mathematics. He currently lives in London with his wife and three children. He plays football and the trumpet.
In March 2006, his article Prime Numbers Get Hitched was published on Seed Magazine's website. In it he explained how the number 42
42 (number)
42 is the natural number immediately following 41 and directly preceding 43. The number has received considerable attention in popular culture as a result of its central appearance in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and...
, mentioned in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
as the answer to everything, is related to the Riemann zeta function. He has also published an article in the scientific magazine New Scientist
New Scientist
New Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
.
In December 2006 du Sautoy delivered the 2006 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures on a single topic, which have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year since 1825. The lectures present scientific subjects to a general audience, including young people, in an informative and entertaining manner....
under the collective title The Num8er My5teries. This was only the third time the subject of the lectures had been mathematics — on the first occasion in 1978, when the lecture was delivered by Erik Christopher Zeeman
Erik Christopher Zeeman
Sir Erik Christopher Zeeman FRS , is a Japanese-born British mathematician known for his work in geometric topology and singularity theory....
, du Sautoy had been a schoolboy in the audience. The venue for the 2006 Christmas Lectures was the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
's headquarters at Savoy Place, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Du Sautoy is an atheist, but has stated that as holder of the Charles Simonyi
Charles Simonyi
Charles Simonyi is a Hungarian-American computer software executive who, as head of Microsoft's application software group, oversaw the creation of Microsoft's flagship Office suite of applications. He now heads his own company, Intentional Software, with the aim of developing and marketing his...
Chair for the Public Understanding of Science his focus is going to be "very much on the science and less on religion." He has described his own religion as being "Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
- football."
Du Sautoy is a supporter of Common Hope
Common Hope
Common Hope is a non-profit organization based out of St. Paul, Minnesota that works with people in Guatemala. Common Hope provides support for over 2,700 children to attend school each year in seventeen villages outside of Antigua and Guatemala City. Common Hope employs a comprehensive approach...
, an organisation that helps people in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
.
Popularisation of mathematics
He is known for his work popularising mathematics. He has been named by The Independent on Sunday as one of the UK's leading scientists. In 2001 he won the Berwick Prize of the London Mathematical SocietyLondon Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
, which is awarded every two years to reward the best mathematical research by a mathematician under forty. He writes for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and has appeared several times on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and on television. He presented the television programme, Mind Games, on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. He has also written numerous academic articles and books on mathematics, the most recent being The Num8er My5teries. Du Sautoy is also on the advisory board of Mangahigh.com - an online maths game website and has appeared on Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
and on BBC Radio 4's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
promoting the service.
Honours
Du Sautoy was awarded the Berwick Prize in 2001 by the London Mathematical SocietyLondon Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
for the publication of outstanding mathematical research. In 2009 he won the Michael Faraday Prize
Michael Faraday Prize
The Michael Faraday Prize is awarded by the Royal Society of London for "excellence in communicating science to UK audiences". Named after Michael Faraday, the medal itself is made of silver gilt, and is accompanied by a purse of £2500...
from the Royal Society of London for "excellence in communicating science to UK audiences". Du Sautoy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Books
- The Music of the PrimesThe Music of the PrimesThe Music of the Primes is a 2003 book by Marcus du Sautoy, a professor in mathematics at the University of Oxford, on the history of prime number theory...
(Fourth Estate 2003) - Finding Moonshine (UK title, Fourth Estate 2007)
- Symmetry: A Journey into the Patterns of Nature (US title, 2008)
- The Num8er My5teries: A Mathematical Odyssey Through Everyday Life (Fourth Estate 2010)
Television
- The Story of MathsThe Story of MathsThe Story of Maths is a British television series outlining aspects of the history of mathematics. The series was a co-production between the Open University and the BBC and aired in October 2008 on BBC Four. The material was written and presented by Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy...
(BBC Four, 2008) is a four part series first broadcast on BBC FourBBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
. In this series he discovers techniques and theories from different times and cultures.
- Horizon: Alan and Marcus Go Forth and Multiply (BBC 2, 2009). Alan DaviesAlan DaviesAlan Davies is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for starring in the TV mystery series Jonathan Creek and as the permanent panellist on the TV panel show QI.- Early life :...
embarks on a maths odyssey with the help of mathematician Marcus du Sautoy.
- Horizon: The Secret You (BBC 2, 2009). Marcus du Sautoy investigates self-awareness.
- Horizon: How Long is a Piece of String? (BBC 2, 2009). Alan Davies attempts to answer the proverbial question: how long is a piece of string? Featuring Marcus du Sautoy.
- Horizon: What Makes a Genius? (BBC 2, 2010). Marcus du Sautoy asks if geniuses' brains are fundamentally different from his.
- The Beauty of Diagrams (BBC Four, 2010). Produced by Michael Waterhouse and directed by Steven Clarke, Marcus du Sautoy discusses influential scientific diagrams, starting with Vitruvian Man, Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
's iconic anatomical drawing which follows the geometrical ideas of the Roman architect VitruviusVitruviusMarcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
.
- The CodeThe Code (UK TV series)The Code is a mathematics-based documentary for BBC Two presented by Marcus du Sautoy, beginning on 27 July 2011. Each episode covers a different branch of mathematics...
(BBC 2, 2011). A three-part documentary series. This programme began being broadcast on July 27, 2011.
- Faster Than the Speed of Light? (BBC 2, 2011). Marcus du Sautoy discusses the recent discovery in the OPERA experimentOPERA neutrino anomalyThe OPERA neutrino anomaly is the detection of apparently faster-than-light neutrinos by the OPERA experiment as publicly announced in September 2011. The detection is anomalous because speeds exceeding that of light in a vacuum are generally thought to violate special relativity, a prevailing...
that neutrinos may travel faster than light. First broadcast on October 19, 2011.
Radio
- On the relationship of music and maths Marcus du Sautoy speaks on BBC The Forum
- A Brief History of Mathematics (BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, 2010). du Sautoy presented a ten-part series profiling famous mathematicians.
Articles
- Prime Numbers Get Hitched, SeedSeed (magazine)Seed is an online science magazine published by Seed Media Group. The magazine looks at big ideas in science, important issues at the intersection of science and society, and the people driving global science culture...
, 27 March, 2006
Personal Life
Du Sautoy was a post-doc at the Hebrew UniversityHebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. It was there he met his Israeli wife Shani. They have three children, a son called Tomer and adopted twin daughters Magaly and Ina who are being raised Jewish.
External links
- University of Oxford - Dr Marcus du Sautoy
- Marcus du Sautoy's mathematical site
- The Music of the Primes website
- Music of the Primes lecture, at the Mathematical Sciences Research InstituteMathematical Sciences Research InstituteThe Mathematical Sciences Research Institute , founded in 1982, is an independent nonprofit mathematical research institution whose funding sources include the National Science Foundation, foundations, corporations, and more than 90 universities and institutions...
, April 27, 2007 - Dr Marcus Du Sautoy - Keynote Speaking
- Marcus du Sautoy's Fundraising Page
- Marcus du Sautoy: Symmetry, reality's riddle talk given at TED (conference)TED (conference)TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
(since October 29, 2009 on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
) - Finding Moonshine Pulse Project Podcast: Finding Moonshine (18 Jun 2008, Oxford)
- A Brief History of Mathematics podcast