Updated 10/29/08: Oxford announced yesterday the appointment of Professor Marcus du Sautoy to the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science. Du Sautoy is a mathematician and a dedicated popularizer of math and science. To get to know him, you might start with today’s installment of his London Times column “Sexy Maths.”

From 02/20/08: Richard Dawkins‘ website points us to a most interesting career opportunity: the Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford. Dawkins, who has held the Chair since 1995, will be retiring in September of 2008. (He has reached the Chair’s mandatory retirement age.)

Lest his fans worry — or his detractors celebrate — Dawkins has assured his devoted forum community at RichardDawkins.net that he’ll continue to speak out for the humanist cause. TED wishes Dr. Dawkins and his successor well.— Matthew Trost