Alan Tayler Lecture 2024

The Alan Tayler Lecture 2024, takes place on Monday 18th November at 4.30pm in the Riverside Lecture Theatre.

We are delighted to have Prof Alison Etheridge OBE FRS, Professor of Probability, University of Oxford give this years lecture.

Title: The Forwards and Backwards of Population Models

Abstract: What can we infer about the history of a population from the patterns of genetic variation that we observe today? There is a long history of mathematical modelling of the demographic dynamics of a population and their effect on the genetic relationships between individuals sampled from that population, but the assumptions imposed to ensure analytic tractability are often very strict. Here we lay out a broad class of models that might describe how spatially heterogeneous populations live, die and reproduce. This class is particularly well suited to modelling plant populations. In particular, a novelty of our approach is that we explicitly model a juvenile phase, with important implications for quantities that we might try to infer from genetic data.

Registration is open for students, alumni, and the general public.

The order of events will be as follows:

4.30-5pm: Tea & Coffee (Riverside Lecture Theatre Foyer)
5-6pm: Lecture (Riverside Lecture Theatre).
6-7pm: Drinks (Riverside Lecture Theatre Foyer)

About the lecture series

St Catherine’s College has a long tradition in applied and industrial mathematics and has hosted an annual series of lectures on Mathematics and its Applications since 1986. In 1995, the series was renamed in memory of Alan Tayler, in tribute to his efforts and achievements in this field. Alan was the first Fellow in Applied Mathematics to be appointed at St Catherine’s. His lifelong commitment was to the practical application of mathematical ideas to problems in science and industry. His vision continues to inspire many national and international collaborations on the theme of mathematics-in-industry.

Smith Institute provides system-level thinking underpinned by the mathematical sciences, combining academic excellence with business understanding. We enable companies and government to improve products, processes, services and strategy through the application of cutting-edge mathematical thinking. Alan was a founding member of the Institute’s Council in 1993. The Institute benefited greatly from his energy and vision, and we are delighted to support the annual Alan Tayler Lecture.

Please note booking is now closed.

Date

18 November, 2024

Time

4.30pm

Venue

St Catherine's College, Riverside Lecture Theatre

Price

Free