We in the Department of Mathematical Sciences saw, with horror and sadness, the killing of George Floyd two weeks ago. This event, and the many that have gone before, is a painful reminder of the deep-rooted racism that still resides within our institutions and our society.

We stand alongside our black students, staff and our mathematical community in protest. Today many of our fellow mathematically-oriented academic institutions, including the AMS, MathSciNet, SIAM, and arXiv.org, have shut down in respect of the strike for black lives. The University and the Student Union have released statements which include links to find support should you need it. We particularly highlight the fact that students can request support with counsellors from specific backgrounds via Student Services.

We also recognise that we are not innocent bystanders. We need to change. We take this opportunity to reflect, to learn, and to try to be better.

Black lives matter.