Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics a National Science Foundation Math Institute ANNUAL at the University of California, Los Angeles FALL 2015 RESEARCHERSNEWSLETTER ACROSS DISCIPLINES SEEK TO SOLVE FUNDAMENTAL EVOLUTIONARY QUESTIONSc In an academic world largely divided by statistics with the computer science for estimating evolutionary histories – from disciplinary boundaries, Tandy Warnow developing efficient algorithms, then take how humans and other biological species is a leader in bridging the gaps. Warnow that to the biologists as part of an iterative evolved to more complicated questions connects mathematicians, computer process of making progress on problems.” such as the evolution of gene sequences, as scientists, and biologists in an effort to well as the evolution of languages. solve complex problems in genomics – Warnow’s interest in collaborating questions as fundamental as how life on across disciplines is what drew her “Over the last several decades, the research Earth evolved, and how organisms change to IPAM. “IPAM is the most exciting community has formulated evolution as a result of their interactions with other institute for connecting applied and pure as a random process generating DNA organisms and with their environment. mathematicians with people outside of sequences, and has used properties of the mathematics,” she says. “People who are random process in an effort to determine “Genomics involves data generation and at the forefront of biology but need new the technology for doing the sequencing methods and ideas are paired with top – the analysis of which involves a lot mathematical scientists who appreciate of computer science and statistics,” the importance of interacting with other says Warnow, the Founder Professor disciplines to study the most important of Engineering in the departments of problems and move closer to solutions.” computer science and bioengineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana- Although she is housed in a computer Champaign. “But it’s what you do with the science department, Warnow’s PhD is in data that can transform the sciences. My pure mathematics from UC Berkeley, and goal is to bring together the understanding math continues to inform all of her scholarly Tandy Warnow of mathematics, probability theory, and work. Warnow’s focus is on methods for Univ. of Illinois (continued on page 3) IPAM HOSTS FIRST LATINA/OS IN MATH CONFERENCE On April 9-11, 2015, IPAM was honored fields and higher education led by Ana Mari to host the first ever Latina/os in the Cauce, Interim President of the University Mathematical Sciences Conference. The of Washington, and Cristina Villalobos, conference celebrated the contributions of Professor and Director of the Center of Latina/os to mathematics and encouraged Excellence in STEM Education, University students to pursue advanced degrees and of Texas-Pan American; a hands-on math careers in math. The event was a major activity for local high school students; and step in building a community of Latina/o a banquet with special guest Edward James mathematicians that supports and promotes Olmos, who portrayed legendary math the advancement of its members. teacher Jaime Escalante in the film Stand and Deliver. Special thanks to the organizing Over 150 students, postdocs, faculty and committee, speakers, panelists, session professionals attended the conference which chairs, and conference sponsors NSA and included research talks, panel discussions, Raytheon. To read about the conference and mentoring activities, and a celebratory Latina/os in view videos of selected research talks, go to banquet. Highlights included presentations www.ipam.ucla.edu/lat2015. n Math Conference and a discussion on Latina/os in STEM INSIDE FEATURES REGULARS OTHER Financial Mathematics 2 Director’s Note 2 Corporate Giving 5 Materials Science Open Problems 3 News and Recognition 4 Upcoming Programs 6 Culture Analytics 8 Frontiers Society 5 Call for Proposals 6 NOTE FROM DIRECTOR RUSSEL CAFLISCH It’s been a good year for IPAM! After a The year was marked by two strong long This was also a year of transition. We will successful site visit, the National Science programs. Mathematics of Turbulence miss Mike Raugh, who stepped down Foundation renewed IPAM’s funding for brought together physicists, engineers, and as director of RIPS (IPAM’s summer another five years, through 2020. In a mathematicians for a new look at an old undergraduate research program), after time of tighter federal budgets, this was a subject. The program highlighted exciting 15 years. Also Skip Garibaldi, IPAM’s nontrivial feat. Though we were pleased by progress on topics such as spontaneous Associate Director for the last two years, the outcome, our NSF funding will stay flat, stochasticity and lean models for moved to the Center for Communications at the level of the last 5 years. Consequently, turbulence. The second long program was Research West. He was replaced by Jorge external fundraising is more important New Directions in Financial Mathematics, Balbás from California State University than ever. We are grateful for recent with participants from academia, industry Northridge, who has been involved in generous contributions from IPAM Trustee and regulatory agencies. This program several IPAM programs. David Balaban and from AMD facilitated focused on data analysis and systemic risk, by IPAM Trustee Alan Lee, as well as from in response to the financial crisis of 2007-08, IPAM will be 15 years old this fall! A many other individuals and corporations. as well as recent developments in high- special event on October 6th will celebrate frequency trading and financialization of our anniversary, with presentations by commodity markets. Roja Bandari (Twitter), Maryam Fazel (University of Washington) and Ranaan The workshop topics from last year - Schul (SUNY Stony Brook), each of whom genomics, computational photography, was strongly influenced by IPAM at an early Zariski-dense subgroups, machine learning stage in their career. A 15th anniversary for materials, and quantum physics - fundraising campaign will feature an demonstrate the breadth of IPAM’s interests. opportunity to “name a seat” in our recently Our sponsorship of the Blackwell-Tapia renovated seminar room. I urge you to get Conference, the Latina/os in Mathematics involved with IPAM by attending the 15th Conference, and the Women in Financial Anniversary Event (and other programs) Russel Caflisch Mathematics workshop demonstrate our and by contributing to this campaign. n IPAM Director commitment to diversity. LONG PROGRAM EXPLORES NEW DIRECTIONS FOR FINANCIAL MATHEMATICS IN AFTERMATH OF CRISIS In the years since the financial crisis of and growth of high-frequency markets “We thought it was time to expose 2007-08, leaders in the field of financial dramatically changed the industry, entrants to the field to the new realities mathematics have been concerned that resulting in new demands that need to be of the financial industry,” says Carmona. their research has become less relevant. better reflected in academic research.” “Yes, derivative pricing is still active, Although traditional areas of focus and the credit market hasn’t completely To address these demands, Carmona such as derivative pricing, hedging, disappeared, but the challenges are now joined with George Papanicolaou and portfolio theory remain important, in large part motivated by systemic risk of Stanford University and Thaleia new issues have become more pressing. and the growing importance of high- Zariphopoulou of the University of “Directly addressing the quantitative frequency trading.” Texas at Austin in organizing Broad challenges of the industry by providing Perspectives and New Directions in practical solutions and implementations Financial Mathematics, a long program was one of the earliest successes of the held at IPAM this spring. The program, field,” explains René Carmona, the Paul which addressed the stability of the M. Wythes ’55 Professor of Engineering network of financial institutions, and Finance at Princeton University. “In the impact of high-frequency and the early development and explosion of algorithmic trading, the financialization the derivative markets, a mathematician of the commodity markets, and the huge could talk directly to a trader, understand challenges raised by the size and speed what was needed, and develop new of trade data, was distinctive for its mix mathematical tools to help address the of researchers from academia, industry, René Carmona trader’s problems. But the financial crisis and regulatory agencies. Princeton Univ. (continued on page 7) 2 • IPAM Newsletter Fall 2015 IPAM Newsletter Fall 2015 • 3 OPEN PROBLEMS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE CHALLENGE MATH PHD STUDENT UC Santa Barbara PhD student Silvia Comelli expects to receive from different disciplines often speak about the same things her degree in 2016. using different terms; to remedy this problem, IPAM constantly encouraged the speakers to make their talks accessible to people I first heard about IPAM from my PhD advisor at UCSB, Carlos of other research communities. By the end of the program, I was Garcia-Cervera, who invited me to join him at IPAM for Materials really impressed by how my ability to enter into discussions with for a Sustainable Energy Future, in the fall of 2013. people from other backgrounds had improved. The focus groups in particular helped make this possible. These small, informal groups At that point, my background was mainly in analysis, but I