Happy Birthday, Elmer!

Demonstrating how maths and music often go together, our musical director Huw Thomas provided the screenshot above “about Elmer Rees, a former president of the society whom many of us will remember well”.

Our list of Society Office Bearers confirms that Professor Elmer Rees was our Vice-President in 1988/89, becoming President the following season.

To quote the page that Huw found: “Born this day 1941 in Llandybie, near Ammanford, Elmer Gethin Rees, who is a mathematician and has published texts on linear algebra, algebraic geometry, differential geometry and topology. One of his best-known achievements is in establishing the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, ‘designed to bring together mathematicians and practitioners in science, industry and commerce.’”

A search on The History of Wales Facebook page shows that his birthday (21 April) has been celebrated every year since 2016! If you’re interested in Wales and Welsh people – as most of our readers will be – do take a look at that page, because it’s a constant feed of facts about most interesting folk from all walks of life.