Donaldson and Taubes Receive 2009 Shaw Prize
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A MATHEMATICIAN's SURVIVAL GUIDE 1. an Algebra Teacher I
A MATHEMATICIAN’S SURVIVAL GUIDE PETER G. CASAZZA 1. An Algebra Teacher I could Understand Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author Cokie Roberts once said: As long as algebra is taught in school, there will be prayer in school. 1.1. An Object of Pride. Mathematician’s relationship with the general public most closely resembles “bipolar” disorder - at the same time they admire us and hate us. Almost everyone has had at least one bad experience with mathematics during some part of their education. Get into any taxi and tell the driver you are a mathematician and the response is predictable. First, there is silence while the driver relives his greatest nightmare - taking algebra. Next, you will hear the immortal words: “I was never any good at mathematics.” My response is: “I was never any good at being a taxi driver so I went into mathematics.” You can learn a lot from taxi drivers if you just don’t tell them you are a mathematician. Why get started on the wrong foot? The mathematician David Mumford put it: “I am accustomed, as a professional mathematician, to living in a sort of vacuum, surrounded by people who declare with an odd sort of pride that they are mathematically illiterate.” 1.2. A Balancing Act. The other most common response we get from the public is: “I can’t even balance my checkbook.” This reflects the fact that the public thinks that mathematics is basically just adding numbers. They have no idea what we really do. Because of the textbooks they studied, they think that all needed mathematics has already been discovered. -
MY UNFORGETTABLE EARLY YEARS at the INSTITUTE Enstitüde Unutulmaz Erken Yıllarım
MY UNFORGETTABLE EARLY YEARS AT THE INSTITUTE Enstitüde Unutulmaz Erken Yıllarım Dinakar Ramakrishnan `And what was it like,’ I asked him, `meeting Eliot?’ `When he looked at you,’ he said, `it was like standing on a quay, watching the prow of the Queen Mary come towards you, very slowly.’ – from `Stern’ by Seamus Heaney in memory of Ted Hughes, about the time he met T.S.Eliot It was a fortunate stroke of serendipity for me to have been at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, twice during the nineteen eighties, first as a Post-doctoral member in 1982-83, and later as a Sloan Fellow in the Fall of 1986. I had the privilege of getting to know Robert Langlands at that time, and, needless to say, he has had a larger than life influence on me. It wasn’t like two ships passing in the night, but more like a rowboat feeling the waves of an oncoming ship. Langlands and I did not have many conversations, but each time we did, he would make a Zen like remark which took me a long time, at times months (or even years), to comprehend. Once or twice it even looked like he was commenting not on the question I posed, but on a tangential one; however, after much reflection, it became apparent that what he had said had an interesting bearing on what I had been wondering about, and it always provided a new take, at least to me, on the matter. Most importantly, to a beginner in the field like I was then, he was generous to a fault, always willing, whenever asked, to explain the subtle aspects of his own work. -
Symmetric Products of Surfaces; a Unifying Theme for Topology
Symmetric products of surfaces; a unifying theme for topology and physics Pavle Blagojevi´c Mathematics Institute SANU, Belgrade Vladimir Gruji´c Faculty of Mathematics, Belgrade Rade Zivaljevi´cˇ Mathematics Institute SANU, Belgrade Abstract This is a review paper about symmetric products of spaces SP n(X) := n X /Sn. We focus our attention on the case of 2-manifolds X and make a journey through selected topics of algebraic topology, algebraic geometry, mathematical physics, theoretical mechanics etc. where these objects play an important role, demonstrating along the way the fundamental unity of diverse fields of physics and mathematics. 1 Introduction In recent years we have all witnessed a remarkable and extremely stimulating exchange of deep and sophisticated ideas between Geometry and Physics and in particular between quantum physics and topology. The student or a young scientist in one of these fields is often urged to master elements of the other field as quickly as possible, and to develop basic skills and intuition necessary for understanding the contemporary research in both disciplines. The topology and geometry of manifolds plays a central role in mathematics and likewise in physics. The understanding of duality phenomena for manifolds, mastering the calculus of characteristic classes, as well as understanding the role of fundamental invariants like the signature or Euler characteristic are just examples of what is on the beginning of the growing list of prerequisites for a student in these areas. arXiv:math/0408417v1 [math.AT] 30 Aug 2004 A graduate student of mathematics alone is often in position to take many spe- cialized courses covering different aspects of manifold theory and related areas before an unified picture emerges and she or he reaches the necessary level of maturity. -
2012-13 Annual Report of Private Giving
MAKING THE EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE 2012–13 ANNUAL REPORT OF PRIVATE GIVING 2 0 1 2–13 ANNUAL REPORT OF PRIVATE GIVING “Whether you’ve been a donor to UMaine for years or CONTENTS have just made your first gift, I thank you for your Letter from President Paul Ferguson 2 Fundraising Partners 4 thoughtfulness and invite you to join us in a journey Letter from Jeffery Mills and Eric Rolfson 4 that promises ‘Blue Skies ahead.’ ” President Paul W. Ferguson M A K I N G T H E Campaign Maine at a Glance 6 EXTRAORDINARY 2013 Endowments/Holdings 8 Ways of Giving 38 POSSIBLE Giving Societies 40 2013 Donors 42 BLUE SKIES AHEAD SINCE GRACE, JENNY AND I a common theme: making life better student access, it is donors like you arrived at UMaine just over two years for others — specifically for our who hold the real keys to the ago, we have truly enjoyed our students and the state we serve. While University of Maine’s future level interactions with many alumni and I’ve enjoyed many high points in my of excellence. friends who genuinely care about this personal and professional life, nothing remarkable university. Events like the surpasses the sense of reward and Unrestricted gifts that provide us the Stillwater Society dinner and the accomplishment that accompanies maximum flexibility to move forward Charles F. Allen Legacy Society assisting others to fulfill their are one of these keys. We also are luncheon have allowed us to meet and potential. counting on benefactors to champion thank hundreds of donors. -
Sir Andrew J. Wiles
ISSN 0002-9920 (print) ISSN 1088-9477 (online) of the American Mathematical Society March 2017 Volume 64, Number 3 Women's History Month Ad Honorem Sir Andrew J. Wiles page 197 2018 Leroy P. Steele Prize: Call for Nominations page 195 Interview with New AMS President Kenneth A. Ribet page 229 New York Meeting page 291 Sir Andrew J. Wiles, 2016 Abel Laureate. “The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather Notices than the problem itself.” of the American Mathematical Society March 2017 FEATURES 197 239229 26239 Ad Honorem Sir Andrew J. Interview with New The Graduate Student Wiles AMS President Kenneth Section Interview with Abel Laureate Sir A. Ribet Interview with Ryan Haskett Andrew J. Wiles by Martin Raussen and by Alexander Diaz-Lopez Allyn Jackson Christian Skau WHAT IS...an Elliptic Curve? Andrew Wiles's Marvelous Proof by by Harris B. Daniels and Álvaro Henri Darmon Lozano-Robledo The Mathematical Works of Andrew Wiles by Christopher Skinner In this issue we honor Sir Andrew J. Wiles, prover of Fermat's Last Theorem, recipient of the 2016 Abel Prize, and star of the NOVA video The Proof. We've got the official interview, reprinted from the newsletter of our friends in the European Mathematical Society; "Andrew Wiles's Marvelous Proof" by Henri Darmon; and a collection of articles on "The Mathematical Works of Andrew Wiles" assembled by guest editor Christopher Skinner. We welcome the new AMS president, Ken Ribet (another star of The Proof). Marcelo Viana, Director of IMPA in Rio, describes "Math in Brazil" on the eve of the upcoming IMO and ICM. -
PRESENTAZIONE E LAUDATIO DI DAVID MUMFOD by ALBERTO
PRESENTAZIONE E LAUDATIO DI DAVID MUMFOD by ALBERTO CONTE David Mumford was born in 1937 in Worth (West Sussex, UK) in an old English farm house. His father, William Mumford, was British, ... a visionary with an international perspective, who started an experimental school in Tanzania based on the idea of appropriate technology... Mumford's father worked for the United Nations from its foundations in 1945 and this was his job while Mumford was growing up. Mumford's mother was American and the family lived on Long Island Sound in the United States, a semi-enclosed arm of the North Atlantic Ocean with the New York- Connecticut shore on the north and Long Island to the south. After attending Exeter School, Mumford entered Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard, Mumford was appointed to the staff there. He was appointed professor of mathematics in 1967 and, ten years later, he became Higgins Professor. He was chairman of the Mathematics Department at Harvard from 1981 to 1984 and MacArthur Fellow from 1987 to 1992. In 1996 Mumford moved to the Division of Applied Mathematics of Brown University where he is now Professor Emeritus. Mumford has received many honours for his scientific work. First of all, the Fields Medal (1974), the highest distinction for a mathematician. He was awarded the Shaw Prize in 2006, the Steele Prize for Mathematical Exposition by the American Mathematical Society in 2007, and the Wolf Prize in 2008. Upon receiving this award from the hands of Israeli President Shimon Peres he announced that he will donate the money to Bir Zeit University, near Ramallah, and to Gisha, an Israeli organization that advocates for Palestinian freedom of movement, by saying: I decided to donate my share of the Wolf Prize to enable the academic community in occupied Palestine to survive and thrive. -
Discurso De Investidura Como Doctor “Honoris Causa” Del Excmo. Sr
Discurso de investidura como Doctor “Honoris Causa” del Excmo. Sr. Simon Kirwan Donaldson 20 de enero de 2017 Your Excellency Rector Andradas, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is great honour for me to receive the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from Complutense University and I thank the University most sincerely for this and for the splendid ceremony that we are enjoying today. This University is an ancient institution and it is wonderful privilege to feel linked, through this honorary degree, to a long line of scholars reaching back seven and a half centuries. I would like to mention four names, all from comparatively recent times. First, Eduardo Caballe, a mathematician born in 1847 who was awarded a doctorate of Science by Complutense in 1873. Later, he was a professor in the University and, through his work and his students, had a profound influence in the development of mathematics in Spain, and worldwide. Second, a name that is familiar to all of us: Albert Einstein, who was awarded a doctorate Honoris Causa in 1923. Last, two great mathematicians from our era: Vladimir Arnold (Doctor Honoris Causa 1994) and Jean- Pierre Serre (2006). These are giants of the generation before my own from whom, at whose feet---metaphorically—I have learnt. Besides the huge honour of joining such a group, it is interesting to trace one grand theme running the work of all these four people named. The theme I have in mind is the interplay between notions of Geometry, Algebra and Space. Of course Geometry begins with the exploration of the space we live in—the space of everyday experience. -
Memories of Vladimir Arnold Boris Khesin and Serge Tabachnikov, Coordinating Editors
Memories of Vladimir Arnold Boris Khesin and Serge Tabachnikov, Coordinating Editors Vladimir Arnold, an eminent mathematician of functions of two variables. Dima presented a two- our time, passed away on June 3, 2010, nine days hour talk at a weekly meeting of the Moscow before his seventy-third birthday. This article, Mathematical Society; it was very uncommon along with one in the previous issue of the Notices, for the society to have such a young speaker. touches on his outstanding personality and his Everybody ad- great contribution to mathematics. mired him, and he certainly de- Dmitry Fuchs served that. Still there was some- thing that kept Dima Arnold in My Life me at a distance Unfortunately, I have never been Arnold’s student, from him. although as a mathematician, I owe him a lot. He I belonged to was just two years older than I, and according to a tiny group of the University records, the time distance between students, led by us was still less: when I was admitted to the Sergei Novikov, Moscow State university as a freshman, he was a which studied al- sophomore. We knew each other but did not com- gebraic topology. municate much. Once, I invited him to participate Just a decade in a ski hiking trip (we used to travel during the before, Pontrya- winter breaks in the almost unpopulated northern gin’s seminar in Russia), but he said that Kolmogorov wanted him Moscow was a to stay in Moscow during the break: they were true center of the going to work together. -
Density of Algebraic Points on Noetherian Varieties 3
DENSITY OF ALGEBRAIC POINTS ON NOETHERIAN VARIETIES GAL BINYAMINI Abstract. Let Ω ⊂ Rn be a relatively compact domain. A finite collection of real-valued functions on Ω is called a Noetherian chain if the partial derivatives of each function are expressible as polynomials in the functions. A Noether- ian function is a polynomial combination of elements of a Noetherian chain. We introduce Noetherian parameters (degrees, size of the coefficients) which measure the complexity of a Noetherian chain. Our main result is an explicit form of the Pila-Wilkie theorem for sets defined using Noetherian equalities and inequalities: for any ε> 0, the number of points of height H in the tran- scendental part of the set is at most C ·Hε where C can be explicitly estimated from the Noetherian parameters and ε. We show that many functions of interest in arithmetic geometry fall within the Noetherian class, including elliptic and abelian functions, modular func- tions and universal covers of compact Riemann surfaces, Jacobi theta func- tions, periods of algebraic integrals, and the uniformizing map of the Siegel modular variety Ag . We thus effectivize the (geometric side of) Pila-Zannier strategy for unlikely intersections in those instances that involve only compact domains. 1. Introduction 1.1. The (real) Noetherian class. Let ΩR ⊂ Rn be a bounded domain, and n denote by x := (x1,...,xn) a system of coordinates on R . A collection of analytic ℓ functions φ := (φ1,...,φℓ): Ω¯ R → R is called a (complex) real Noetherian chain if it satisfies an overdetermined system of algebraic partial differential equations, i =1,...,ℓ ∂φi = Pi,j (x, φ), (1) ∂xj j =1,...,n where P are polynomials. -
1914 Martin Gardner
ΠME Journal, Vol. 13, No. 10, pp 577–609, 2014. 577 THE PI MU EPSILON 100TH ANNIVERSARY PROBLEMS: PART II STEVEN J. MILLER∗, JAMES M. ANDREWS†, AND AVERY T. CARR‡ As 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of Pi Mu Epsilon, we thought it would be fun to celebrate with 100 problems related to important mathematics milestones of the past century. The problems and notes below are meant to provide a brief tour through some of the most exciting and influential moments in recent mathematics. No list can be complete, and of course there are far too many items to celebrate. This list must painfully miss many people’s favorites. As the goal is to introduce students to some of the history of mathematics, ac- cessibility counted far more than importance in breaking ties, and thus the list below is populated with many problems that are more recreational. Many others are well known and extensively studied in the literature; however, as our goal is to introduce people to what can be done in and with mathematics, we’ve decided to include many of these as exercises since attacking them is a great way to learn. We have tried to include some background text before each problem framing it, and references for further reading. This has led to a very long document, so for space issues we split it into four parts (based on the congruence of the year modulo 4). That said: Enjoy! 1914 Martin Gardner Few twentieth-century mathematical authors have written on such diverse sub- jects as Martin Gardner (1914–2010), whose books, numbering over seventy, cover not only numerous fields of mathematics but also literature, philosophy, pseudoscience, religion, and magic. -
Download PDF of Summer 2016 Colloquy
Nonprofit Organization summer 2016 US Postage HONORING EXCELLENCE p.20 ONE DAY IN MAY p.24 PAID North Reading, MA Permit No.8 What’s the BUZZ? Bees, behavior & pollination p.12 What’s the Buzz? 12 Bees, Behavior, and Pollination ONE GRADUATE STUDENT’S INVESTIGATION INTO BUMBLEBEE BEHAVIOR The 2016 Centennial Medalists 20 HONORING FRANCIS FUKUYAMA, DAVID MUMFORD, JOHN O’MALLEY, AND CECILIA ROUSE Intellectual Assembly 22 ALUMNI DAY 2016 One Day in May 24 COMMENCEMENT 2016 summer/16 An alumni publication of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences 3 FROM UNIVERSITY HALL 4 NEWS & NOTES Harvard Horizons, Health Policy turns 25, new Alumni Council leadership. 8 Q&A WITH COLLEEN CAVANAUGH A path-breaking biologist provides new evolutionary insights. 10 SHELF LIFE Elephants, Manchuria, the Uyghur nation and more. 26 NOTED News from our alumni. 28 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS Dudley 25th, Life Lab launches, and recent graduates gathering. summer Cover Image: Patrick Hruby Facing Image: Commencement Begins /16 Photograph by Tony Rinaldo CONTRIBUTORS Xiao-Li Meng dean, PhD ’90 Jon Petitt director of alumni relations and publications Patrick Hruby is a Los Angeles–based Ann Hall editor freelance illustrator and designer with Visual Dialogue design an insatiable appetite for color. His work Colloquy is published three times a year by the Graduate School Alumni has appeared in The New York Times, Association (GSAA). Governed by its Alumni Council, the GSAA represents Fortune Magazine, and WIRED, among and advances the interests of alumni of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences through alumni events and publications. others. -
November 2014
LONDONLONDON MATHEMATICALMATHEMATICAL SOCIETYSOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 441 November 2014 Society Meetings ELECTIONS TO COUNCIL AND and Events NOMINATING COMMITTEE 2014 Members should now have for the election can be found on 2014 received a communication from the LMS website at www.lms. Friday the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) ac.uk/about/council/lms-elections. 14 November for both e-voting and paper ballot. For both electronic and postal LMS AGM For online voting, members may voting the deadline for receipt Naylor Lecture cast a vote by going to www. of votes is Thursday 6 November. London votebyinternet.com/LMS2014 and Members may still cast a vote in page 7 using the two part security code person at the AGM, although an Wednesday on the email sent by the ERS and in-person vote must be cast via a 17 December also on their ballot paper. paper ballot. 1 SW & South Wales All members are asked to look Members may like to note that Regional Meeting out for communication from an LMS Election blog, moderated Plymouth page 27 the ERS. We hope that as many by the Scrutineers, can be members as possible will cast their found at http://discussions.lms. 2015 vote. If you have not received ac.uk/elections2014. ballot material, please contact Friday 16 January [email protected], con- Future Elections 150th Anniversary firming the address (post or email) Members are invited to make sug- Launch, London page 9 to which you would like material gestions for nominees for future sent. election to Council. These should Friday 27 February With respect to the election itself, be addressed to the Nominat- Mary Cartwright there are ten candidates proposed ing Committee (nominations@ Lecture, London for six vacancies for Member-at- lms.ac.uk).