The LMS Hardy Lecture 2025

Queer theory challenges essentialist or normative conceptions of identity, often using personal stories to show the limits of conventional categories. In this talk, Riehl shares her journey as a queer mathematician, tracing the formation of a pair of identities that were more often developed in parallel rather than fully integrated. In addtion she will explore the recent "queering" of the concept of "identity" in mathematics, which enables a more expansive notion of mathematical equality than appears in traditional mathematical foundations.

About the speaker: Emily Riehl has established herself as a leading expert in higher category theory and has also developed an interest in connections with computer science such as homotopy type theory. She is an accomplished and enthusiastic expositor of mathematics at a variety of levels aimed at mathematicians as well as popular writing with articles in Scientific American and New Scientist. She also plays a leading role in broader engagement of mathematicians and other scientists from marginalized and discriminated against groups. Emily played Australian Rules football for the US national team and is an accomplished musician.

About the lectureship: The LMS Hardy Lectureship is named after G.H. Hardy, former President of the Society and De Morgan Medallist. Originally awarded to a distinguished overseas mathematician in odd-numbered years.

The LMS Hardy Lecturer visits the UK for a period of about two weeks, and gives the Hardy Lecture at a Society meeting, normally held in London in July. The LMS Hardy Lecturer also gives at least six other lectures, on different topics, at other venues in the UK; the schedule is decided by the LMS Society, Lectures and Meetings Committee in consultation with the LMS Hardy Lecturer, and is designed to allow as many UK mathematicians as possible to benefit from the LMS Hardy Lecturer's presence in the UK.