6. Academies and Societies
6.1 The Academy is considering, with others, how best it can work with the CMS learned societies, including the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, the Institute for Mathematics and it Applications, the London Mathematical Society, the Operational Research Society and the Royal Statistical Society, as well as other academies and Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences (HoDoMS), the representative body for Heads of Department in Mathematical Sciences in UK universities, in order to to determine how the Academy can most effectively complement and act additively with existing organisations in the landscape of UK mathematical sciences.
Goals for the Academy include:
- Fostering vibrant and dynamic engagement between mathematical scientists in academia and scientists, technologists, engineers, and policymakers in the wider community.
- Building deep support for the abstract innovation and excellence that underpins the mathematics, science, and technologies of the future.
- Creating broad awareness of the role and power of mathematical innovation in tackling new and emerging societal challenges.
- Obtaining a substantial increase in research funding for the mathematical sciences, commensurate with the great importance of our field to economic productivity and societal wellbeing in the UK.
6.2 The Academy will complement the learned societies in much the same way as the Royal Academy of Engineering complements the learned societies in Engineering. It will not compete with them, but through increased convening power and a combined voice will create much greater influence and recognition for the discipline. Through a proactive Policy Unit, and with engagement from the whole spectrum of the academic community, the Academy will be well placed to influence policy, broker engagements, and provide a single point of contact for those currently bewildered by the array of learned societies. It will concern itself with the overarching issues affecting the mathematical sciences, but certainly not presume to interfere with issues that are the sole concern of a CMS society. Assuming that resource is available, the Academy will be proactive in its horizon scanning and engagement.
6.3 As one example, building on the policy engagement experience of the CMS, the Academy has already launched a Policy Unit, to work proactively and effectively across the mathematical sciences community. This will respond rapidly to political events and trends that affect the mathematical sciences and lead discussions on broader policy topics where the mathematical sciences can bring insight.
6.4 Another example where the contribution of the Academy already adds to work by existing societies and organisations is in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). The activities of the Academy’s EDI workstream are closely coordinated with EDI activities in the learned societies. Indeed the workstream team shares substantial membership with EDI workstreams in the learned societies and with HoDoMS. The broader remit and cross-community representation of the Academy EDI workstream allows it to engage with activities that would be challenging for individual learned societies, such as benchmarking and sharing best practice across the entire mathematical sciences community.
6.5 Since flourishing learned societies and membership organisations will be essential to the success of the Academy, the Academy will not seek to become a mass membership organisation, nor will it publish mathematical or scientific journals. As an authoritative and persuasive voice for the whole of the mathematical sciences, the Academy will build on the hundreds of years of collective experience as well as the energy and vision that the founding learned societies provide. Thus, the Academy will be a valuable advocate for the whole academic community in the mathematical sciences, bringing additional benefits and impact to the existing learned societies and organisations.
Question
Q11. What areas of engagement would benefit from an Academic Affairs committee of the Academy which was able to speak for Mathematical Sciences as a whole?
Q12. How can the Academy best work with existing learned societies in the mathematical sciences?
Q13. How should the Academy foster constructive relationships with existing National Academies? This includes geographic national academies such as the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Learned Society of Wales, and discipline-specific academies such the Royal Society and the British Academy.