PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Geoff Smith

Geoff Smith is a mathematician who served on the AI Mathematical Olympiad Prize advisory committee in 2024. After postdoctoral research at Oxford and Manchester, he joined the University of Bath in 1985; his degrees are an MA from Oxford, an MSc from Warwick and a PhD from Manchester. He began chairing the British Mathematical Olympiad in 2006, helped create the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, led the International Mathematical Olympiad as president from 2014 to 2022, and received an MBE for education work in 2011. In 2025, he received the University of Bath’s President’s Award for lasting contributions to the University, the city and region. As of October 2026, he is Chair of Trustees at UKMT.

Timeline

  1. 1985

    Joining the University of Bath

    He joins the University of Bath in 1985 after postdoctoral research at All Souls College, Oxford, and the University of Manchester. His degrees are an MA from Oxford, an MSc from the University of Warwick and a PhD from the University of Manchester, and his academic career begins in group theory.

  2. 1990–2011

    BMO chair and an MBE

    He becomes involved in mathematics enrichment in 1990 and mathematics competitions in 1999. From 2006, he chairs the British Mathematical Olympiad, which helps select the UK International Mathematical Olympiad team. In 2011, he receives an MBE for services to education, in recognition of his work organising Royal Institution Maths Masterclasses.

  3. 2009–2012

    Launching the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad

    In 2009, he proposes the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad to give girls an experience like the China Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad without arduous journeys. The first EGMO takes place at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge in 2012.

  4. 2014–2022

    President of the International Mathematical Olympiad

    In 2014, he is elected to lead the International Mathematical Olympiad and serves as its president through 2022. The annual contest brings together teams from more than 100 countries.

  5. 2024

    Advising the AIMO Prize

    In 2024, he joins the advisory committee for the Artificial Intelligence Mathematical Olympiad Prize. The committee advises on technical protocols and designs competitions and prizes.

  6. 2025

    A Bath President’s Award

    He receives the University of Bath’s President’s Award in 2025 for lasting contributions to the University, the City of Bath and the wider region. As Chair of Trustees at UKMT in November 2025, he describes its role in school and international maths competitions.

  7. As of October 2026

    Chair of UKMT Trustees

    He is Chair of Trustees at UKMT. In June 2026, he gives the welcome address at the Trust’s 30th anniversary event.

  1. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI from 1961 to 2025, with a year-by-year chart.
  2. The United States employs an estimated 53% of people in our data with a known employment countryOur estimates of where AI careers are concentrated now and how countries’ shares of dated positions changed over time.
  3. 46% of living people in our data with known birth and employment countries work outside their birth countryOur estimate of cross-border careers in AI, from country of birth and the country of each current organization.
  4. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionOur estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.

Sources and credits

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  1. Dr Geoff Smith awarded MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours bath.ac.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. AIMO Prize Appoints Advisory Committee Members aimoprize.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad: History egmo.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. Bath lecturer elected head of global maths organisation bath.ac.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. The President's Award recipients bath.ac.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  6. Trustee Voices: What Inspires Our Volunteers ukmt.org.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  7. UK Maths Trust Celebrates 30 Years ukmt.org.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.