Background

The creation of an Academy for the Mathematical Sciences to facilitate links between academia, government and industry and act as the coordinating focal point for the community was a key recommendation of the 2018 Bond Review, The Era of Mathematics. The Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) welcomed the review and its recommendations.  It commissioned a working group to develop the proposals identified in the Bond Review and in December 2021 produced a Green Paper which went to the community for feedback.

The Green paper identified “core functions” of the proposed Academy including policy affairs, EDI, practitioner affairs, educational affairs and academic affairs. It outlined a proposed structure for the Academy including a Fellowship of excellence, a Council including a CEO, an external Chair, and a President selected from the Fellowship. It proposed an initial set-up phase with modest support from the Isaac Newton Institute and International Centre for the Mathematical Sciences through its “Additional Funding for Mathematical Sciences” grant.

A Next Steps paper was produced in April 2022 by a CMS appointed “Task and Finish Group” (TAFG).  As per the recommendations of TAFG, following a widely advertised recruitment, an Executive Committee and Executive Director were appointed.  They, assisted by an Advisory Board that is currently being assembled, are tasked with putting structures in place ready for a launch of the full Academy during or before the first half of 2025.

Full details of these steps towards the creation of a National Academy for the Mathematical Sciences are given here.