NSERC Reallocation Results, PIMS: A
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Vol. 6 Issue 2 Fall 2002 Chinese President Jiang Zemin Confers the (Canadian) Fields Medals in Beijing President Jiang Zemin kept his promise and his personal commitment to mathematical research by showing up at the Fields award ceremony to confer the medals to France’s Roland Lafforgue (IHES) and Russia’s Vladimir Voevodsky (IAS). The impressive ICM2002 opening ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in front of more than 6000 Chinese and foreign mathematicians. This event undoubtedly signals the beginning of the final phase in China’s steady march towards being a world’s mathematical superpower. We had unfortunately failed in our efforts to get senior Canadian offi- Fields Medal winner Vladimir Voevodsky, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, IMU chairman Jacob Palis and Fields Medal winner cials to present the Fields medals at the ICM2002 opening ceremony in Roland Lafforgue at the ceremony in Beijing. Beijing. Many thanks to the dozens of colleagues who wrote in support of this initiative. see letter to Prime Minister on page 20 NSERC Reallocation Results, PIMS: A model Inside this Issue for the research institute of the 21st century NSERC Reallocation Results 1–2 NSERC’s reallocations results are out and the international leadership shown by the Ca- Interview with Dick Peter 3 PIMS and the Canadian mathematical commu- nadian mathematical community adding: BIRS Report 4, 20 nity have every reason to be proud of the ac- “Here, PIMS seems to be in the driver’s seat BIRS 2003 Programme 4–5 complishments of the last 5 years. with incredible results for the world’s math- 2002 Thematic Programme 6–7 The site visit report had much to say about ematical community”. Another referee con- PIMS Scientific Programmes 8–12 the institute’s contributions: “PIMS activities curred: “Although [PIMS] is the youngest of New PIMS PDFs 10 have broken through discipline and geographi- the three, I believe that its reputation is rap- 2003 Thematic Programme 13 cal boundaries”. They echoed the referees idly on the rise, so I find the incremental fund- comments: “PIMS has become in a very short ing which is requested in the PIMS proposal to Collaborative Research Groups 14–15 time a model for the research institute of the be compelling. I believe that the leadership of PIMS Opportunities 16 twenty first century” and “PIMS has moved PIMS is energetic and creative, and PIMS is New Videos 17 from an “idea” to a leading international in- perhaps the most ambitious of the three Cana- Is Economic Theory True? 18–19 stitute”. One anonymous referee wrote about dian Institutes”. continued on page 2 Philippe Tondeur’s Term Ends 20 Letter to Prime Minister 20 NSERC Funding for PIMS up 60% MITACS News 21 “PIMS is emerging as the most exciting/dynamic research institute of the three math institutes in PIMS Industrial Programmes 22–26 Canada. The vision driving this institute has, in 5 years, resulted in national (MITACS) and PIMS Education Programmes 27–31 international (BIRS, Pacific Northwest Partnership, The Pacific Rim Initiative) initiatives which New Math Fair Booklet 27 have done the most to raise the profile of Canadian mathematical research nationally and inter- Women and Mathematics Winners 31 nationally. The specific proposals, individually and collectively, build upon a bold vision for the institute. The innovative programs (Math and Multimedia, summer schools in emerging areas, webcasting) and the outreach programs (BIRS, Pacific Rim, Prairie and Atlantic Canada) stand out particularly. The leveraged funding is extremely good for a mathematics institute. I whole- Is Economic Theory True? heartedly endorse the full reallocation request for this dynamic center.” Article by Ivar Ekeland on page 18 That was one of the many compelling testimonials by a number of international refer- ees. The reallocations committee awarded PIMS a 60% increase in its NSERC grant. Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ NSERC Re-allocation Results: PIMS: Un institut sans frontières disciplinaires PIMS: A model for the research institute of the 21st century ni geographiques. N. Ghoussoub continued from page 1 which noted that ªinitiatives that are built Supporting Atlantic Canada and the around a leader have been a recognized model completion of the National Network for for success in mathematics and other disci- Collaboration in the Mathematical Sciences (NNCMS) plines. The institutes are also using this model quite extensivelyº. The directors of CRM, Fields and PIMS have All are encouraged to take a look at the just finished a tour of universities in Atlantic NSERC webpage so as to be aware of the new Canada, for the purpose of trying to complete opportunities created by this result. Congratu- the National Network for Re- lations to all involved, espe- search in the Mathematical Sci- cially to Richard Kane and PIMS activities have broken ences (A first attempt at an Robert V. Moody who led through discipline and geo- NSERC’s RPP research net- this year’s exercise for math- graphical boundaries work had failed in 1997!). The Nassif Ghoussoub, PIMS Director ematics with exemplary judg- Site visit committee 3 institutes funding for AARMS ment, skill, and patience. (Atlantic Association for Re- NSERC equalizes its funding for CRM, search in the Mathematical Sciences) has been FIELDS and PIMS Referees’ unanimity on the Banff Interna- tional Research Station matched by the Memorial University of New- The site visit committee also stated that ªPIMS foundland in St. John’s, the University of Nova has been successful at multiplying the oppor- BIRS has been referred to—in almost all refer- Scotia at Dalhousie and the University of New tunities provided by NSERC funds. However, it ees’ reports—a major coup for the Canadian Brunswick at Fredericton. In addition, is also particularly underfunded compared to community. The annual budget of BIRS is about MITACS has committed substantial funds for the other two institutes.º NSERC’s realloca- $2M ($500K from each of NSF, ASRA, and seed projects subject to appropriate matching tions committee agreed by awarding PIMS a NSERC’s MFA program; $100K from from the provincial governments and local in- 60% increase in its budget. Each one of the 3 MITACS and $400K from PIMS). In addition dustries. The $600K/year package should pro- Institutes (PIMS, Fields and CRM) will re- $1.1M have finally been secured to renovate vide a great boost to Atlantic Canada research ceive a grant of approximately $1 million/year and upgrade the facilities ($300K from the in the mathematical sciences. Here Hermann for the period 2003–07. In addition, a joint pro- PIMS universities and $800K from the Alberta Brunner is to be heartily congratulated for his posal of the 3 institutes with the Statistics Grant government). We have an outstanding efforts and leadership. Selection Committee (GSC 14) for a 4-year programme scheduled for 2003 and we have a “National Programme on Complex Data Struc- call for proposals for the 2004 programme. The National Programme Committee to be restructured tures” has also been funded at the rate of $172K/ Many thanks to Robert V. Moody for the in- year. credible amount of work and energy he is in- The National Programme Committee of the 3 vesting to help set up this great continental re- institutes will be restructured soon so that it NSERC increases its funding for the Math. Grant Selection Committees source. can effectively deal with the developing pic- ture across the country. Every active Canadian The MITACS network up for renewal The synergies between the math community researcher should/will have access to the and the institutes have again played a major The MITACS Network of Centres of Excel- infrastructural resources and to the research role, even as the institutes carry on with their lence developed by the 3 institutes has been a opportunities, new and old. outreach efforts to other disciplines. Indeed, great boost to the applied and indus- Mathematics is one of only six submissions trial mathematical science community (out of 19 GSCs) that ended up with a budget in Canada. It has continued to thrive increase: A major change from the dynamic of under the capable hands and entre- the first NSERC re-allocation exercise in 1994. preneurial spirit of Arvind Gupta. The The reallocations committee first recognized $14.4M grant (given for the period the importance of increased funding to new 1999/03) is up for renewal next year. applicants by returning $805K/year to the GSC We invite the math. science research 336/337. In addition, the committee allocated community to join the institutes in $270K/year to promote structured initiatives vigourously preparing for a success- by recognized leaders. Indeed, this innovative ful renewal of MITACS. Celebrating PIMS success at NSERC's re-allocation exercise. approach was well received by the Committee 2 Vol. 6, Issue 2 Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ An interview with Dick Peter, exiting Dean of Science, UA by Heather Jenkins, PIMS Communications Officer Dr. Richard E. Peter recently finished a 10- and Nassif intrigued me. Nassif and the other Management at the Alberta Research Council year term as Dean of Science at the University mathematical scientists on the Board had little on August 1, 2002. This is an opportunity to of Alberta. He is also a distinguished Profes- to no administrative experience. I had lots of lead the development of a program and research sor in the Department of Biological Sciences. administrative experience so they thought I was team that provides government, industry and He has been a member and deputy Chair of the brilliant, which goes to show you can fool some communities practical information and advice PIMS Board of Directors since PIMS was of the people some of the time! Many of the about natural resource management, and new founded in 1996.