Mathematics and Physics Society

The Mathematical and Physical Society, now in its thirty-fourth year, is one of the oldest societies in the College and is older than many similar societies in far older universities. Except for rare occasions, the "Math and Phys" has maintained the staid demeanour of a "learned society", at times a trifle pretentiously. Society activities have taken the form of regular addresses or discussions and an occasional visit. These have always been given wide and enthusiastic support by members of the two faculties.

The purely technical aspects of mathematics would provide a wide field from which to choose subjects for meetings, but an effort is made to cater for the interest which most students have in the more philosophical problems associated with their subjects, and discussions or addresses which have laid the stress on the philosophy rather than the technology in maths and physics have been amongst the most successful of recent meetings.

One of the most notable projects of recent years was a "Symposium on Cybernetics" held in 1951. Cybernetic is the theory of control and communications of a generalized system; it is a very new branch of science but already has been applied with remarkable success to a wide variety of problems. The symposium of four papers presented at two meetings covered an introduction, the application to digital computers, the nervous system and the study of languages, and aroused wide interest throughout the College.

The outside speakers who show much willingness to address the society provide a cross-section of those branches of applied mathematics and physics receiving attention in this country. Astronomer, engineer, meteorologist, mathematician, and physicist have impressed on members the immense diversity and complexity of the uses fundamental knowledge may be put to. They have also provided an introduction to practical uses of mathematics and physics from the practitioners point of view. This is sometimes rather disillusioning.

A discussion was held last year entitled "Physics and the Third Million" . At this meeting members attempted to decide what the future of New Zealand held for the physicist. In the past this country has not used its scientific man-power effectively, but at the discussion it was agreed that in the future necessity would force more intensive scientific methods on all forms of production. Members of the staff have provided reviews of theoretical advances and each year the honours students attempt to explain the research being done in the physics laboratories.

An important feature of maths and physics meetings has always been the supper provided after the meeting by the patrons. Held in a physics lab. suppers invariably develop into enthusiastic informal discussions of the subject of the meeting or anything else which arises. Supper times are frequently more interesting and stimulating than the meetings themselves. Also, as a letter written in 1927 points out, "they provide a friendly atmosphere which is so often lacking in a society of this kind."