Originally launched in 2015 as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the London Mathematical Society (LMS), the Hirst Prize and Lectureship is now jointly awarded by the LMS and the British Society for the History of Mathematics (BSHM). The prize is named after Thomas Archer Hirst, who was the fifth President of the LMS (1872–1874).

The Hirst Prize and Lectureship is intended to recognise contributions to the history of mathematics. The grounds for the award are contributions to the study of the history of mathematics. The prize shall be awarded in recognition of original and innovative work in the history of mathematics, which may be in any medium.

The prize is open to any mathematician or historian of mathematics. In a given year, the members of the Hirst Prize Committee, and the members of the LMS and BSHM Councils, shall be ineligible for the award of the prize. There is no requirement for the winner to be based in the UK.

The award will be considered by the Councils of the LMS and BSHM in Spring 2023, and the winner will be announced in Summer 2023. The winner will be invited to give a lecture on the history of mathematics at a meeting of the LMS in the year following the award. 

Nominations are now invited; you can download a nomination form below. Nominations should be sent to the Chair of the Hirst Prize Committee, Professor Sarah Hart, by 31st January 2023.

Hirst Prize 2023 Nomination Form