Standard Events

Pub Social

Join us at Whey Pat every other week and join us for our pub social. Do come along - card games are provided!

Maths Jams

Head over to the Union every other week to meet other students and to play card games and board games in a fun, casual environment.

Study Group - Game Theory

Each week we agree on a set amount of a textbook to work through and nominate someone to lead the next session. Then we meet, the leader gives a brief presentation of the past week’s content and then we discuss/work through exercises together.

This semester the subject is game theory and we’re working through “Game Theory: A Playful Introduction” by Matt DeVos and Deborah A. Kent.

To alleviate common concerns: The study group should be accessible to all year groups, the pace we work through the content isn’t too intense and you don’t need to attend all sessions.

Rewiring sessions

Rewiring sessions are designed to encourage and promote the spirit of mathematical playfulness and curiosity. We meet and attendees suggest questions or ideas to play around with. These can be anything and often take the form of investigating some previously studied area without looking at preexisting literature.

For example, in previous weeks we looked at: How might we define area and what are the consequences of the alternative definitions?; What happens if we redefine vector spaces to be over algebraic structures that aren’t fields? (for example, if we remove the requirement that every non-zero scalar has a multiplicative inverse); and how might we rigorously define infinitesimals and can we use them to develop integration and differentiation?

They’re a load of fun and you can work as independently or collaboratively as you like. We have helpers at each session who are very willing to take an interest in your ideas or whatever you’d like to look at (if you want them to).

Lunchtime Lectures

On most weeks, we invite an academic to give a talk. These can be on a range of subjects and are usually presented at a level approachable to all students.

Undergraduate talks

Like lunchtime lectures but talks are given by students, on anything they want (that is mathematical). They’re an opportunity for us to practice presenting and to share mathematics that we’re interested in.

Running/hosting competitions

There are several mathematics competitions that SUMS members are eligible to participate in. Some are organised by/with the society, for example, the St Andrews Integration Bee and SUMO (Scottish Universities Mathematics Olympiad). Look out for the signups in our weekly email!

Annual events in semester 2

Pi Ball

Pi Ball (hosted in collaboration with the School of Mathematics and Statistics) is the biggest event that we run. It consists of a fancy 3-course meal and then a big Ceilidh. This year it will be hosted at the Old Course Hotel on the 11th of March (ticket release is week 2).

SUMO (Scottish Universities Mathematics Olympiad)

SUMO is a team-based mathematics olympiad for university students. On previous years, it has been hosted and run by St Andrews but this year it’s being run in collaboration with other Scottish Universities and will be hosted by Glasgow. It should be at the end of March. Last year’s paper can be found on the SUMO website.

Student-Staff Charity Quiz

NOTE: THE DESCRIPTION DESCRIBES PREVIOUS YEARS WE MAY CHANGE THINGS THIS YEAR. We get 4 teams (Pure; Applied; Stats and Students) and they compete in a standard game show quiz. The competition will allow spectators and the different teams will attempt to raise money for charity by collecting sponsors. The date and exact details are TBD.