The BSHM are delighted to announce the following winners and runners-up for our 2023-24 Undergraduate Essay Prize:

Joint First Prizes

• Andrew Halyburton, ‘The Diffusion of Hindu-Arabic Numerals Throughout Late Medieval Europe and Contemporary Religious Perspectives’, University of St Andrews.
• David Thorsteinsson, ‘Quantity, Culture, and Cognition: The Role of Agriculture in Shaping Numerical Concepts’, University of St Andrews.

Runner Up

• Carys Williams, ‘Hilbert's Paris Problems: the impact of the 100 year hiatus in the history of the 24th Problem’, University of St Andrews.

The undergraduate essay prize can be written on any aspect from the history of mathematics, in any historical or geographical region. The competition is open to undergraduate or taught masters students at any university in the UK or the Republic of Ireland. Research students are not eligible. If you have any queries about your eligibility, please contact Education Officer Ciarán Mac an Bhaird.  

The absolute maximum length for submissions is 3000 words (excluding references), and previous winners or runners up of the undergraduate prize cannot submit another entry.

The award for the best essay is £150 and the winning entry will be considered for publication in our journal, The British Journal for the History of Mathematics. There will be as many run-up prizes awarded as we find appropriate (£50 each).  

The winner and runners-up will also benefit from free BSHM subscription for a year. Please see here for a history of prize winners and their essays.

The deadline for the 2024-25 competition is expected to be in June 2025, and competition details will be announced in January 2025.