Q. Which Mathematical Fellow of Caius and cricket enthusiast is said to have bowled out a star Australian batsman, and how?

To celebrate 675 years of Maths at Caius, a fantastic ‘Maths at Caius: Past, Present and Future’ event took place on Saturday 21 October. Fifty-six alumni were joined by current students at this special occasion, which started with a Maths pub quiz run by Gonville & Caius College Fellow Dr Jonathan Evans and Bye Fellow Dr Jose Siqueira at the Department of Mathematics. The quiz, which included questions on numbers and shapes plus trivia, offered a novel opportunity to connect and was enjoyed by Caian mathematicians ranging in age and mathematical experience. 

The quiz was followed by two talks by Fellows. Professor Fernando Quevedo’s talk was titled ‘String cosmology: from the beginning of the universe until today’ and Professor Ivan Smith’s was called ‘Coffee, symmetry and simplicity’, giving attendees a glimpse of their work. 

Guests were then invited to College for drinks and dinner in Hall, culminating in a speech and toast which were warmly welcomed. Dr Evans spoke about the importance of not taking what we have for granted and supporting Caius’ mathematical legacy into the future. Professor Wendelin Werner, who this year returned to Cambridge and Caius as an Honorary Fellow, gave a heartfelt toast in honour of the late Professor Jan Saxl. Glasses were raised with cheer and appreciation for what an education at Caius has brought to the lives of those outstanding mathematicians who seized the opportunity to study here. 

Hugh Cockwill (Mathematics 1976) attended the event. He says: “It was thoroughly enlightening to see the excellence of the student participants during the quiz. I would likely never have got in if I had been competing with this lot! The talks showed what fantastic brains make up the Maths fellowship, and at dinner, I was really impressed to see what a wonderful relationship the Fellows have with the students. I am delighted that we can come together and enjoy more relaxed events like this.”

The event was organised by the Development Office to raise awareness and inspire gifts in support of the Maths fellowship, in memory of Professor Jan Saxl. You can read more about Maths at Caius in the Michaelmas 2023 edition of Once a Caian…

A. You might be surprised to learn that not only was John Venn a notable mathematician he was also a creative engineer. A cricket enthusiast, he built a machine for bowling cricket balls so effective that when the Australian national cricket team visited Cambridge in 1909, Venn’s machine “clean bowled” one of its top stars, Victor Trumper, four times!