Paul Glaister as President Designate 8 March 2024

The Mathematical Association is delighted to announce that Paul Glaister is to be its President during 2025-26, following on from Charlie Stripp.

Paul is Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Reading. He has 40 years’ teaching and leadership experience, and in reviewing degree programmes, including as external examiner Paul has 470 publications spanning research in numerical analysis, computational fluid dynamics, mathematics/science education, and teaching/learning, and has presented at 200 conferences and workshops. He is naturally proud of his 82 Mathematical Association publications, shared equally between the Mathematical Gazette and Mathematics in School.

Paul has experience of education policy and practice in the university sector, and in the pre-university sector - particularly in post-16 mathematics, including work for DfE and Ofqual as an adviser and subject expert, respectively, and for Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment in Northern Ireland, and Qualification Wales, including for A levels in Mathematics and Further Mathematics, and Core Maths, and for the Royal Society, including their Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education as Chair of the Expert Panel for A levels.

Paul’s interest in pre-18 education includes membership and chair of Strategic Boards for Maths Hubs, outreach activities, Maths4Girls Academic Steering Committee, Future Teaching Scholars, and many other committees etc.

Paul has also been heavily involved in outreach activities, which include Mathematics Masterclasses, Widening Participation Summer Schools, Enrichment Days, and has been a STEM Ambassador for many years.

Paul sits on many national bodies relating to mathematics and mathematics education, including 10 committees across the two learned societies for mathematics: the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) and the London Mathematical Society (LMS), as well as membership of the Advisory Board for the Academy of Mathematical Sciences, and of the Steering Group for Protect Pure Maths. He is the UK representative to the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI), an assessor for The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education, and is the immediate past Chair of the Joint Mathematical Council of the UK (JMC).

As honorary secretary at the IMA Paul is chair of professional and accreditation panels with responsibility for Fellowship (FIMA), Chartered Designations CMath, CSci, CMathTeach, and Advanced Data Science Professional, the latter as part of the Alliance for Data Science Professionals.

In 2021 Paul was honoured to have an article chosen as one of 'A Magnificent Twelve’ for the Anniversary Collection from across 127 years of the Mathematical Gazette (referred to as the MA’s ‘jewel in the crown’) for the MA’s 150th Anniversary Celebration.

In 2023 Paul was appointed CBE in The King’s New Year Honours List for services to Education.

On being invited to become President, Paul said: “I’m naturally delighted and feel immensely honoured and proud to have been chosen for this highly prestigious role. I very much look forward to continuing my support of mathematics, mathematics education, our communities of teachers and others who support mathematics education, through my Presidency of the Mathematical Association.”