• News
• Education
• Events
• Teaching
• Contact

So... born during a blizzard on a Monday in 1982...

.....I'm Andrew Wilson ----->

[Jan 2013] Enjoying my new post of University Teacher in Mathematics at the University of Glasgow. Students of 1S Calculus can find the lecture slides here, they follow very closely the notes on moodle.

[Dec 2012] Enrolled on the Coursera Heterogeneous Parallel Programming course, looking forward to having fun learning to program GPUs over the winter hoilidays.

[Nov 2012] Discovered Project Euler and started having a crack at the problems there to hone my programming skills. There are over four-hundred problems to get your teeth into, each designed to be solved by a computer in under a minute leaving the emphasis on writing a slick algorithm.

[May 2011] Back in the UK now, searching for new projects and anticipating exciting new challenges. Those looking to get in contact can reach me at andrew{at}ajwilson{dot}co{dot}uk and find my CV here.

[Jan 2011] Currently, I am visiting the University of Sydney working on a del Pezzo package for Magma with Martin Bright, Gavin Brown and Steve Donnelly. Hopefully, this will eventually dovetail with some code of Gavin and Martin's that calculates Riemman-Roch spaces. This will allow us to calculate the 'worst' (G-invariant) divisors in the pluri-anti-canonical linear systems --- i.e. a calculator for lct_m(X,G), where G is a finite group acting bi-regularly on a (possibly du Val) del Pezzo X.

[Sep 2010] Recently, I have completed my PhD (abstract) under Dr Professor Ivan Cheltsov at the University of Edinburgh. In my thesis I calculate global log canonical thresholds on smooth del Pezzo G-surfaces (where G is a finite group acting bi-regularly the surface such that the invariant Picard rank is one), finding that lct=lct_m for m=1,2 or 4; that is, that the global log canonical threshold is realised by a G-invariant divisor in the first, second or fourth anti-canonical linear system. I use these to classify the G-surfaces into G-exceptional and G-weakly-exceptional. There are applications of these results to the existence of Kähler-Einstein metrics, convergence of the Kähler-Ricci itteration and to certain conjugacy questions in higher rank Cremona groups.

Mathematics

Below are some of my mathematical writings, with varying levels of accuracy...any mistakes / comments can be emailed to me at andrew{at}ajwilson{dot}co{dot}uk.

• [Apr 2011] Del Pezzo Surfaces and Group Actions on Algebraics Varieties in Magma, Report on my time at Magma
• [Jan 2011] Del Pezzo Surfaces with Many Symmetries, joint paper with Ivan Cheltsov, Journal of Geometric Analysis (10.1007/s12220-011-9286-9)
• [Sep 2010] Smooth Exceptional del Pezzo Surfaces, PhD thesis (abstract)
• [Dec 2006] The Lüroth Problem, First year report for PhD
• [Sep 2006] Birational maps and blowing things up, Talk for the Geometry Club, University of Edinburgh
• [Feb 2005] A Glance Through the Gate: Clifford's Geometrical Algebra, Honours Dissertation for MSci
• [Sep 2004] Creating aperiodic tilings of the plane with exotic rotational symmetry, Report for Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursary

Miscellaneous

• [Mar 2010] Finite Subgroups of Cremona Groups, Poster and mug design (with Ivan Cheltsov)
• [Apr 2010] Insights on Ethical Consumption, Knowledge Transfer Poster design (with Margarita Kominou)

• [2010 - 2011] PGCert in University Teaching (In Progress), University of Edinburgh
• [2006 - 2010] PhD supervised by Ivan Cheltsov "Smooth Exceptional del Pezzo Surfaces", University of Edinburgh
• [2002 - 2005] MSci in Mathematics, University of Glasgow (2.1 degree classification)
• [1999 - 2002] Electronic & Elec. Engineering, University of Glasgow
• [1997 - 1999] Highers: McLaren High School, Callander (ABAAA : Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Music, Physics)

Received Awards

• [2006 - 2009] EPSRC scholarship for PhD in Algebraic Geometry
• [Summer 2004] Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursary in Science (URB/01796/G) 'Creating aperiodic tilings of the plane with exotic rotational symmetry' with Prof Peter Kropholler
• [2004] Lamont prize for 'an excellent performance' in the Junior Honors seminars

Conferences / Workshops

• [10^th - 14^th June 2013] LMS Invited Lectures 2013: Fedor Bogomolov, University of Edinburgh
• [7^th - 9^th June 2013] Edge Days, University of Edinburgh
• [2 ^nd - 5^th Apr 2013] Characteristic p Methods in Algebraic Geometry, Imperial College, London, UK
• [6^th - 10^th Dec 2010] Birational Geometry (Shokurov's 60^th), ICMS, Edinburgh, Scotland
• [21^st - 22^nd Jun 2010] Quotient Singularities and Related Problems, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• [14^th - 15^th May 2010] Finite Subgroups of Cremona Groups II, University of Edinburgh
• [29^th - 30^th Mar 2010] Finite Subgroups of Cremona Groups I, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• [30^th Mar - 8^th Apr 2009] Recent advances in the higher dimensional minimal model program, POSTECH, Pohang, South Korea
• [11^th -14^th Nov 2008] Analytic and algebraic aspects of the MMP and higher dimensional classification, Institut Fourier, Grenoble
• [12^th - 18^th Oct 2008] Higher Dimensional Algebraic Geometry, Workshop organized by C. Hacon and S. Kovàcs, Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach (Photos)
• [13^th - 18^th Mar 2008] Explicit methods in three-folds, Weekend workshop, Warwick University
• [14^th - 25^th Jan 2008] del Pezzo surfaces and related problems, POSTECH, Pohang, South Korea
• [12^th - 20^th Dec 2007] Higher dimensional minimal model program, Conference, Warwick University
• [1^st - 6^th Nov 2007] Introduction to the recent breakthroughs in the higher dimensional minimal model program, Weekend workshop, Warwick University
• [18^th Jun - 6^th Jul 2007] Geometry of complex projective varieties and the minimal model program, Summer school in Mathematics, Institut Fourier, Grenoble
• [9^th - 10^th Jan 2005] Prospects in Mathematics, University of Durham

Talks

• [20^th May 2013] TBA, Geometry and Topology Seminar, University of Glasgow
• [24^th April 2013] Conjugacy in Higher Rank Cremona Groups, Algebra Seminar, University of Glasgow
• [10^th Feb 2011] Computing invariant global log canonical thresholds in Magma, Computational Algebra Seminar, University of Sydney
• [1^st Dec 2010] Computing log canonical thresholds and applications, Geometry Club, University of Edinburgh
• [21^st Jun 2010] Alpha-invariant of Tian and exceptional quotient singularities, University of Edinburgh
• [15^th Mar 2010] Alpha-invariant of Tian and subgroups of Cremona groups, University of Edinburgh
• [1^st Apr 2009] Smooth exceptional del Pezzo surfaces, POSTECH, Pohang, South Korea
• [17^th Jan 2008] Group-invariant log canonical thresholds, POSTECH, Pohang, South Korea
• [28^th Sept 2007] Log canonical thresholds, Geometry Club, University of Edinburgh
• [30^th Sept 2006] Birational maps and blowing things up, Geometry Club, University of Edinburgh
• [23^rd Nov 2006] Be Rational! - Some rationality criterion for varieties, PG Colloquium, University of Edinburgh
• [22^nd Nov 2006] Castelnuovo's Rationality Criterion, Complex algebraic surfaces guest lecture, University of Edinburgh
• [5^th Dec 2006] The Lüroth Problem, First Year PhD Talk, University of Edinburgh

Current teaching

• [Semester 2 2012/13] University Teacher in Mathematics, University of Glasgow
  • 1S - Calculus (lecture slides)

Past teaching

• [2009 - 2010] Course Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
  • [Semester 1 2010/11] Af0: Applicable Maths 0 (foundation)
  • [Semester 1 2010/11] AM/MM1: Mathematics for 1st and 2nd year music technology students
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] Af0: Applicable Maths 0 (foundation)
• [Jun - Jul 2009 & 2010] Lothians Equal Access Programme for Schools (LEAPS) Tutor, University of Edinburgh
• [2006 - 2012] Undergraduate Tutor, University of Edinburgh
  • [Semester 1 2012/13] MSE1a: Mathematics for 1st year Informatics Students
  • [Semester 1 2012/13] MSE2a: Mathematics for 2nd Year Informatics Students
  • [Semester 1 2012/13] Honours 2: Several Variable Calculus and Differential Equations
  • [Semester 1 2012/13] Honours 3: Motion and Flow
  • [Semester 2 2011/12] MSE1b: Maths for Science and Engineering
  • [Semester 2 2011/12] Honours 3: 1-to-1 tutorial for a student with special requirements
  • [Semester 2 2011/12] PPS: Proof and Problem Solving
  • [Semester 2 2011/12] AlG: Algebric Geometry
  • [Semester 2 2011/12] Mi4: Mathematics for informatics students
  • [Semester 1 2010/11] MSS: Mathematical Study Skills
  • [Semester 1 2010/11] Honours 2: Foundations of Calculus / Several Variable Calculus
  • [Semester 2 2009/10] Mathsbase: Drop-in Tutorial
  • [Semester 2 2009/10] Mi4: Mathematics for informatics students
  • [Semester 2 2009/10] Honours 1: Geometry & Convergence / Group Theory
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] AM3/MM3: Mathematics for 2nd year engineers
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] Mathsbase: Drop-in Tutorial
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] Mi1: Mathematics for informatics students
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] Mi3: Mathematics for informatics students
  • [Semester 1 2009/10] MSS: Mathematical Study Skills
  • [Semester 2 2008/09] Mathsbase (during exam time)
  • [Semester 2 2008/09] Honours 2: Geometry & Calculus of Variations / Linear Algebra
  • [Semester 2 2008/09] Mi2: Mathematics for 1st year informatics students
  • [Semester 2 2008/09] Mathematical Communication and Computation Skills - Maple tutor
  • [Semester 1 2008/09] Honours 2: Several variable calculus / Foundations of calculus
  • [Semester 1 2008/09] Mi1: Mathematics for 1st year informatics students
  • [Semester 1 2007/08] AM3 / MM3: Mathematics for 2nd year engineers
  • [Semester 1 2007/08] AM1 / MM1: Mathematics for 1st year engineers
  • [Semester 2 2006/07] AM2 / MM2: Mathematics for 1st year engineers
  • [Semester 1 2006/07] AM3 / MM3: Mathematics for 2nd year engineers
  • [Semester 1 2006/07] Mathsbase: Drop-in tutorial
  • [Semester 2 2005/06] Honours 1: Geometry & Convergence / Group Theory
  • [Semester 2 2005/06] Mathsbase: Drop-in tutorial
• [2006 - 2012] Private Tutor, Self-employed
• [10^th - 14^th Apr 2007] Demonstrator, Edinburgh Science Festival
• [Autumn 2004] Master-Class Tutor, Royal Institution of Great Britain
• [2002 - 2006] Open-Day Student Assistant, University of Glasgow

E: andrew{at}ajwilson{dot}co{dot}uk

Recent copy of my CV: andrew_wilson-cv.pdf.