Off-Campus Study & Exchanges

London is an important city of intellectual, scientific, and artistic development. In particular, London and its environs have played a significant role in the history of applied mathematics, including navigational advances like the Harrison Clock, Greenwich Mean Time, the first use of statistical modeling for improved public health by Florence Nightingale, and codes and code breaking at Bletchley Park. These mathematical stories are told through museum exhibitions, which create visually engaging narratives of mathematical innovation. London is also home to works of art and architecture that demonstrate key mathematical foundations, including the Parthenon Marbles (systems of proportion) and St. Paul’s Cathedral (complex structural engineering). Museums and cultural heritage locations play an important role in teaching students of all ages about these concepts. In Math in the Museum: On the Road in London, we build upon the content delivered in Math in the Museum (MA 116) to explore these concepts and ideas as they are manifested in museums, architecture, and sites of display in and around London. Students will visit sites such as The National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Greenwich and the Royal Observatory, Bletchley Park, and the Tate Modern and they will write about, discuss, and deliver oral presentations on specific exhibitions, artworks, and/or structures that use the mathematical concepts discussed in MA 116.