Stephen Wilson
@skwilson.bsky.social
fluid mechanics, mathematical modelling, asymptotics, thin-film flow, evaporating droplets, rheology, and some orienteering
Pinned
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
This assignment goes live today, including the new clause.
(Thought: the maths-adjacent-stuff community could usefully crowdsource a list of essay topics to avoid. I'd also nominate "The history of pi" and anything involving Pythagoras.)
(Thought: the maths-adjacent-stuff community could usefully crowdsource a list of essay topics to avoid. I'd also nominate "The history of pi" and anything involving Pythagoras.)
This year I'm adding a new clause to the "mathematical connections in a work of art" assignment, to protect my students' grades and my sanity.
November 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This assignment goes live today, including the new clause.
(Thought: the maths-adjacent-stuff community could usefully crowdsource a list of essay topics to avoid. I'd also nominate "The history of pi" and anything involving Pythagoras.)
(Thought: the maths-adjacent-stuff community could usefully crowdsource a list of essay topics to avoid. I'd also nominate "The history of pi" and anything involving Pythagoras.)
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
BREAKING: Odo of Bayeux resigns after claims that tapestry was edited to make it appear that William of Normandy incited his army to invade England.
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
BREAKING: Odo of Bayeux resigns after claims that tapestry was edited to make it appear that William of Normandy incited his army to invade England.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Born #OnThisDay in 1914 was actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr. As well as acting in 30 films, during the Second World War she co-developed a frequency-hopping guidance system for American torpedoes, the principles of which are used in Bluetooth and WiFi technologies today. #WomenInSTEM
November 9, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Born #OnThisDay in 1914 was actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr. As well as acting in 30 films, during the Second World War she co-developed a frequency-hopping guidance system for American torpedoes, the principles of which are used in Bluetooth and WiFi technologies today. #WomenInSTEM
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Following up on my invited DFD talk last year, @jackwilliamb.bsky.social and I put together an overview of the "Propulsion and interaction of wave-propelled interfacial particles," now published at @prfluids.bsky.social !
doi.org/10.1103/353x...
doi.org/10.1103/353x...
October 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Following up on my invited DFD talk last year, @jackwilliamb.bsky.social and I put together an overview of the "Propulsion and interaction of wave-propelled interfacial particles," now published at @prfluids.bsky.social !
doi.org/10.1103/353x...
doi.org/10.1103/353x...
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Join the University of Bath through our Global Talent Fund! With £4.35m in funding, we’re welcoming exceptional international researchers to create world-class, impactful research.
Discover how this opportunity could elevate your career and quality of life: https://bit.ly/4qpNdHz
Discover how this opportunity could elevate your career and quality of life: https://bit.ly/4qpNdHz
October 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Join the University of Bath through our Global Talent Fund! With £4.35m in funding, we’re welcoming exceptional international researchers to create world-class, impactful research.
Discover how this opportunity could elevate your career and quality of life: https://bit.ly/4qpNdHz
Discover how this opportunity could elevate your career and quality of life: https://bit.ly/4qpNdHz
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Pockels is now recognised as one of the founders of surface science.
Here is part of her story in her own words (Kolloid-Zeitschrift, Jan 1932; link.springer.com/article/10.1...).
Remember the experimenters, and remember the translators too.
Here is part of her story in her own words (Kolloid-Zeitschrift, Jan 1932; link.springer.com/article/10.1...).
Remember the experimenters, and remember the translators too.
October 14, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Pockels is now recognised as one of the founders of surface science.
Here is part of her story in her own words (Kolloid-Zeitschrift, Jan 1932; link.springer.com/article/10.1...).
Remember the experimenters, and remember the translators too.
Here is part of her story in her own words (Kolloid-Zeitschrift, Jan 1932; link.springer.com/article/10.1...).
Remember the experimenters, and remember the translators too.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
While carrying out domestic chores, Pockels had become interested in surface tension, designed her own apparatus, and carried out a sequence of experiments.
Local scientists were uninterested; John Strutt to his credit saw the importance of the work and forwarded her translated letter to Nature.
Local scientists were uninterested; John Strutt to his credit saw the importance of the work and forwarded her translated letter to Nature.
October 14, 2025 at 11:26 AM
While carrying out domestic chores, Pockels had become interested in surface tension, designed her own apparatus, and carried out a sequence of experiments.
Local scientists were uninterested; John Strutt to his credit saw the importance of the work and forwarded her translated letter to Nature.
Local scientists were uninterested; John Strutt to his credit saw the importance of the work and forwarded her translated letter to Nature.
Also, this "Sh-Index" doesn't really work in Maths where the last author is often the LEAST important. Important last authors are more of Physics and Chemistry thing.
Google Scholar has introduced a 'Sh-index' metric that scores papers higher if you are first or last author. Apart from the fact metrics are generally bad, this one explicitly punishes PIs who often collaborate, publishing with 2 or 3 equal PIs at the end of the list.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors
Researchers welcome the initiative, but say it doesn’t go far enough to capture the nuance of researcher productivity and impact.
www.nature.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Also, this "Sh-Index" doesn't really work in Maths where the last author is often the LEAST important. Important last authors are more of Physics and Chemistry thing.
Rough underfoot conditions at Longleat for the #orienteering yesterday.
October 27, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Rough underfoot conditions at Longleat for the #orienteering yesterday.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
An image for #ALD25. This is Evelyn Strutt, Lady Rayleigh (www.npg.org.uk/collections/...).
She's not often numbered among "women in science", but she had a crucial role in the work attributed to her husband, because he didn't know German and she did.
She's not often numbered among "women in science", but she had a crucial role in the work attributed to her husband, because he didn't know German and she did.
October 14, 2025 at 11:26 AM
An image for #ALD25. This is Evelyn Strutt, Lady Rayleigh (www.npg.org.uk/collections/...).
She's not often numbered among "women in science", but she had a crucial role in the work attributed to her husband, because he didn't know German and she did.
She's not often numbered among "women in science", but she had a crucial role in the work attributed to her husband, because he didn't know German and she did.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Bit niche I think, but apparently this parking spot is reserved for female rock climbers.
October 8, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Bit niche I think, but apparently this parking spot is reserved for female rock climbers.
Historic victory for #Scotland on countback after the overall scores after two days were tied at the #Orienteering Veteran Home International held near Aberfoyle this weekend.
October 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Historic victory for #Scotland on countback after the overall scores after two days were tied at the #Orienteering Veteran Home International held near Aberfoyle this weekend.
Veteran Home International #orienteering at Loch Ard today.
October 4, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Veteran Home International #orienteering at Loch Ard today.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
This is very sad news.
We need more passionate advocates for science and our planet like Goodall.
We need more passionate advocates for science and our planet like Goodall.
Jane Goodall, chimpanzee expert and animal rights campaigner, dies age 91 - follow live
The primatologist was a "tireless advocate" for species protection, her institute says in a tribute.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 1, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This is very sad news.
We need more passionate advocates for science and our planet like Goodall.
We need more passionate advocates for science and our planet like Goodall.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
I’m sad to hear the news that the wonderful Jane Goodall is no longer in the world. Her work with chimpanzees at Gombe in Tanzania taught us to look at other apes - and ourselves - differently. I was privileged to meet her later in life and tell her what an inspiration she was to me.
October 1, 2025 at 7:10 PM
I’m sad to hear the news that the wonderful Jane Goodall is no longer in the world. Her work with chimpanzees at Gombe in Tanzania taught us to look at other apes - and ourselves - differently. I was privileged to meet her later in life and tell her what an inspiration she was to me.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
"What if tariffs, but we put them on our own exports?"
I am genuinely baffled and distressed as to why the UK government is intent on destroying UK's genuinely world-leading universities, who bring £265 billion into the economy and support more than 250,000 jobs.
This tax will kill us.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
This tax will kill us.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Student visas crackdown and new levies to cause ‘£1.8bn loss’ to UK economy
The Government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on international student tuition fees and a reduction in graduate visas
www.standard.co.uk
September 27, 2025 at 10:25 AM
"What if tariffs, but we put them on our own exports?"
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
I’ve been involved with @mathsworld.com for over a decade, since its first inception.
I’m a trustee of the charity.
So it’s incredibly exciting to see our London venue MathsWorld almost ready for action ahead of the launch next month.
Get your tickets here: https://mathsworld.com/
I’m a trustee of the charity.
So it’s incredibly exciting to see our London venue MathsWorld almost ready for action ahead of the launch next month.
Get your tickets here: https://mathsworld.com/
September 26, 2025 at 7:18 AM
I’ve been involved with @mathsworld.com for over a decade, since its first inception.
I’m a trustee of the charity.
So it’s incredibly exciting to see our London venue MathsWorld almost ready for action ahead of the launch next month.
Get your tickets here: https://mathsworld.com/
I’m a trustee of the charity.
So it’s incredibly exciting to see our London venue MathsWorld almost ready for action ahead of the launch next month.
Get your tickets here: https://mathsworld.com/
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
Things you notice while mentally reviewing old maps in the middle of the night: Moir Street, named for the notoriously verbose city councillor James Moir, sits directly opposite the ancient street called Spoutmouth.
I think I've detected a bit of sly late-Victorian shade.
I think I've detected a bit of sly late-Victorian shade.
September 24, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Things you notice while mentally reviewing old maps in the middle of the night: Moir Street, named for the notoriously verbose city councillor James Moir, sits directly opposite the ancient street called Spoutmouth.
I think I've detected a bit of sly late-Victorian shade.
I think I've detected a bit of sly late-Victorian shade.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
A hugely underreported scandal.
Those responsible still not adequately held to account.
An important, but infuriating watch.
Those responsible still not adequately held to account.
An important, but infuriating watch.
The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money review – a devastating picture of the biggest spending scandal ever
This rigorous look at the Tories’ ‘VIP lane’ for PPE suppliers during Covid raises questions about the motivations of those involved – ones that are almost too disgusting to contemplate
www.theguardian.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:51 AM
A hugely underreported scandal.
Those responsible still not adequately held to account.
An important, but infuriating watch.
Those responsible still not adequately held to account.
An important, but infuriating watch.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
We've been named Sport University of the Year in the Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide!
www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...
www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...
Bath wins Sport University of the Year 2026 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide
The University of Bath is named The Times and The Sunday Times Sport University of the Year 2026, climbing from 8th to 7th place in the academic rankings.
www.bath.ac.uk
September 19, 2025 at 8:43 AM
We've been named Sport University of the Year in the Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide!
www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...
www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
It's arrivals weekend! A big welcome to all the students arriving to Bath over the next few days.
September 19, 2025 at 9:54 AM
It's arrivals weekend! A big welcome to all the students arriving to Bath over the next few days.
Reposted by Stephen Wilson
“Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’.”
- business secretary, Peter Kyle.
What do they want knowledge for? Heaven forbid that students go to university to learn something!
- business secretary, Peter Kyle.
What do they want knowledge for? Heaven forbid that students go to university to learn something!
British students lack ‘drive’ of their American peers, says Business Secretary | LBC
The Business Secretary has defended comments he made at a meeting with investors where he said British students lack the ‘drive’ and ‘vigour’ of their American peers.
www.lbc.co.uk
September 19, 2025 at 9:54 AM
“Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’.”
- business secretary, Peter Kyle.
What do they want knowledge for? Heaven forbid that students go to university to learn something!
- business secretary, Peter Kyle.
What do they want knowledge for? Heaven forbid that students go to university to learn something!