The University of Cambridge announced today the appointment of Professor John Toland as the next Director of the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences and NM Rothschild & Sons Professor of Mathematical Sciences.

 In October 2011 he will succeed Professor Sir David Wallace who has served as Director since October 2006.

Professor Toland has been Professor of Mathematics at the University of Bath since 1982 and between 2002 until 2010 he was also Scientific Director of the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS) in Edinburgh. He held an EPSRC Senior Research Fellowship from 1997-2002.

His research interests include mathematical analysis and nonlinear partial differential equations, and he has made substantial contributions to the rigorous theory of steady water waves. In 1978, he proved Stokes' conjecture on the existence of gravity waves of maximum height on deep water, a previously open problem in mathematical hydrodynamics which dated back to the 19th century.

His distinctions and awards include: London Mathematical Society's Senior Berwick Prize 2000; Honorary Fellowship of University College London 2008; Honorary DSc: Queen's University Belfast 2000, University of Edinburgh 2007, Heriot-Watt University 2007, University of Essex 2009. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1999, and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2003, and served as President of the London Mathematical Society from 2005 to 2007.

In 2010, he was appointed Chair of the Mathematical Sciences panel for the Research Excellence Framework by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), the non-governmental body for the promotion of co-operation in mathematics world wide.

"I am delighted to welcome Professor Toland as the new Director of the Isaac Newton for Mathematical Sciences,” said Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. "He brings with him a wealth of experience in mathematical sciences both through his personal research and his support for the work of others. His breadth of experience and international reputation are already widely recognised, and provide a wonderful combination for the leader of the Institute, devoted as it is to research in the Mathematical Sciences in the broadest sense.”

“The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences is one of the world’s leading research centres in its field, and I feel fortunate indeed to be joining it as Director. This is a great responsibility, especially in the changing circumstances now facing universities nationally and with increasingly severe competition from abroad. My time at the University of Bath and my eight years at ICMS have been immensely fulfilling. Moving to Cambridge now and working with excellent colleagues at the Newton Institute will present exciting challenges and new opportunities that I am looking forward to very much,” said Professor Toland.

The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences is a national and international visitor research institute. It runs research programmes on selected themes in mathematics and the mathematical sciences with applications over a wide range of science and technology. It attracts leading mathematical scientists from the UK and overseas to interact in research over an extended period.

 

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