Non-Linear Algebra at Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences

24/09/2026

Congratulations to Joris Koefler on the successful defense of his PhD on “Positive Geometries in Physics”, and on his postdoctoral position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. 🎉

In his dissertation Joris investigated geometric structures that connect algebraic geometry with theoretical particle physics. His research combines methods from real and complex algebraic geometry to study positive geometries, in particular the amplituhedron, and their associated canonical differential forms. These structures provide a geometric framework for understanding scattering amplitudes, which encode information about particle interactions.

We warmly congratulate Joris on this achievement and wish him all the best for his next chapter in Princeton! 🍀

Read more in our Institute News: 👇

Congratulations to Joris Koefler on the successful defense of his PhD on “Positive Geometries in Physics”, and on his postdoctoral position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.

17/08/2026

Our institute is playing a key role in the Dive into Research (DiR) workshop taking place from 10 August to 18 September 2026 at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, as part of the Combinatorial Synergies initiative.

A great example of collaboration between MPI-MiS and Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics! 👏

🌐 Read more in our Institute News

Our institute is playing a key role in the Dive into Research (DiR) workshop taking place from 10 August to 18 September 2026 at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, as part of the Combinatorial Synergies initiative. A great example of collaboration between MPI-MiS and MPI-CB...

12/08/2026

Math Planck People - They make Math happen! 📸

Ciao! My name is Andrea Rosana and I have been a postdoc in the Nonlinear Algebra group since October 2025. Before moving to Leipzig, I was a PhD student at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste, Italy. Originally, I am from Firenze.

My main research interest is metric algebraic geometry: I look at (real) algebraic varieties through the lenses of differential topology and geometry, trying to understand their metric properties. I like to apply these insights to all sorts of problems, from optimization questions involving distance functions in nonlinear settings to exploring the properties of random real tensors. In reality (pun not intended), I spend a lot of time doing computations on the Grassmannian. Here at MPI, I am learning new techniques coming from an algebraic perspective and building on my computational skills.

When I'm not doing maths (and also occasionally when I'm doing it), I like to be outside and stay active. I play tennis, table tennis, volleyball, ski, and am eager to talk about the latest competition at any given time. I am very easy to bribe: any kind of chocolate or pictures of red pandas will do the job!

✨ Meet our at: https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/math-planck-people

10/08/2026

Join us for a special colloquium in honor of Jürgen Jost’s 70th birthday, featuring a talk by Michael Röckner (Bielefeld University):

“Nonlinear Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equations and their probabilistic counterpart”

📅 August 27, 2026 · 3:00 pm
📍 MPI MiS - Leibniz Hall / E1

We look forward to celebrating this special occasion with you!

👉 More information:
https://www.mis.mpg.de/events/event/nonlinear-fokker-planck-kolmogorov-equations-and-their-probabilistic-counterparts

24/07/2026

Congratulations to this year's Fields Medalists and all ICM 2026 award recipients! We are proud to celebrate your remarkable achievements and the impact of your work on mathematics worldwide. 🎉

23/07/2026

ICM 2026 – MPI MiS at the World's Leading Mathematics Congress 🇺🇸✨🎬

The International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) 2026 opens today in Philadelphia – bringing together the world's leading mathematicians for one of the most prestigious events in the field. We are proud to be part of this global gathering with contributions to the scientific program, an international film premiere, and an exhibition booth.

Watch the ICM TV video about the MPI MiS:
👇 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY4yoTaXQdM

You can find all additional information about the ICM and how MPI MiS participates here:
👉 https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/icm-2026-mpi-mis-at-the-worlds-leading-mathematics-congress

Inside the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, ma...

22/07/2026

🎓 After successfully defending her doctoral thesis on “Computation and Complexity in Algebraic Geometry” Leonie Kayser will begin a new chapter this September as a postdoctoral researcher at the Universität Bern.
Congratulations Leonie! 🎉
We wish you every success and an inspiring start to your postdoctoral position in Bern.

👇Read more in our Institute News.

After successfully defending her doctoral thesis on “Computation and Complexity in Algebraic Geometry” Leonie Kayser will begin a new chapter this September as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bern. Heartfelt congratulations!

16/07/2026

🌞 Summer Time = Party Time! 🎉
This week, we celebrated summer together – and, most importantly, the amazing people who make our institute such a special place. Scientists and staff came together for a wonderful evening at the Musikpavillon Leipzig in the beautiful Clara-Zetkin-Park.

A big thank you to Ghandu Kala and his team at the Musikpavillon for the delicious food, refreshing drinks, and the fantastic atmosphere, and to Helmet Duty for providing the perfect soundtrack to the evening. 🎶

Special thanks go to our directors, Felix Otto, Bernd Sturmfels, and Jürgen Jost, for generously supporting the live band, and to Heike Rackwitz for the outstanding organization that made the event run so smoothly.

We wish everyone a wonderful summer break! 😎

10/07/2026

Math Planck People - They make Math happen! 📸

Hi! I am Angelo El Saliby, and I started my PhD at the MPI for Mathematics in the Sciences in October of 2025. My advisors are Dani Kaufman and Irem Portakal, so I am split between the Cluster Algebras and the Interdisciplinary Frontiers of Algebraic Geometry groups. I completed my Master's thesis on graph rigidity at the University of Trieste under the supervision of Matteo Gallet.

I am currently trying to understand the interplay between toric degenerations and cluster algebras, and I am more generally interested in algebraic geometry, both from a pure and applied point of view. In this regard, I think this Institute is a very fertile ground to pursue knowledge while still hoping to have a positive impact on the word and the societies around us.

When I am not working, I enjoy getting lost in the city and trying to live the cultural differences that staying in Germany brings about. I also enjoy reading and hiking, but most of the times I am looking for alternative ways of socializing that are not build around consumerism. Luckily, Leipzig offers several of these opportunities!

✨ Meet our at: https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/math-planck-people

02/07/2026

Heartfelt congratulations to our former postdoc Máté L. Telek! 💐 He will be awarded the 2026 SIAM Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Student Paper Prize for his outstanding paper „Geometry of the Signed Support of a Multivariate Polynomial and Descartes’ Rule of Signs”, published in SIAM Journal on Applied Algebra and Geometry.

👉Read more!
https://www.siam.org/publications/siam-news/articles/2026-july-prize-spotlight/