Institute for Computational & Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM)

In Philadelphia in July, Brown University mathematicians Georgios Daskalopoulos and Benoît Pausader presented at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), an honor of the highest order.

“As for ICM, I’d say that it is a very humbling experience for me to be able to participate,” said Pausader, Brown's math chair.

Since 2020, Pausader has been co-Principal Investigator of ICERM’s core National Science Foundation award. He also organized the fall 2021 ICERM program at which Yu Deng, a 2026 Fields Medalist, participated.

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Two renowned faculty members speak at International Congress of Mathematicians Brown University mathematicians Georgios Daskalopoulos and Benoît Pausader spoke at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians, an honor akin to a hall of fame induction.

Congratulations to Yu Deng (University of Chicago), who was awarded one of four 2026 Fields Medals at the opening ceremony at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Philadelphia on July 23.

In fall 2021, Deng participated in a semester-long session at ICERM, "Hamiltonian Methods in Dispersive and Wave Evolution Equations.” He co-wrote four papers stemming from the research conducted there.

Gigliola Staffilani (MIT), an organizer of the fall 2021 ICERM program, gave the Laudatio for Deng, mentioning his work with
Zaher Hani (University of Michigan), who also participated in the program

Congratulations to ICERM Leadership Team member Javier Gómez Serrano!

Professor Gómez Serrano was named one of Brown University’s 2026 Research Achievement Award winners in recognition of his outstanding contributions to mathematics. We are proud to have him on our team!

Read more here: https://today.brown.edu/announcements/212227

Congratulations to ICERM’s Kavita Ramaman, who today has been elected as a member of the new Executive Committee who will lead the International Mathematical Union. During the 20th IMU General Assembly in New York on July 22, the Member Countries elected the Executive Committee that will serve the International Mathematical Union for the next four-year term (2027-2030).

"Kavita has contributed a lot to ICERM's success, by recruiting exciting programs in probability and related areas and by helping us navigate the changing landscape of external funding,” said ICERM Director Brendan Hassett.

Ramanan has served as ICERM’s co-PI from 2020 until August 2026. She served as ICERM’s deputy director for a semester in 2020 and on ICERM's Scientific Advisory Board. She is president of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and she joined Brown University as a Professor of Applied Mathematics in 2010.

The newly elected Executive Committee are as follows: President: Ulrike Tillmann; Secretary General: Christoph Sorger; Vice Presidents: Xuhua He, Gigliola Staffilani; Members: Jong Hae Keum, Mahan Mj, Kavita Ramanan, Tatiana Toro, Josephine Wairimu, Tamar Ziegler.

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ICERM Director Brendan Hassett (Brown University) was the moderator of the Resources Landscape panel at today's National Academies workshop Organizing Mathematical Knowledge in the Age of AI and Formalization. Panelists at the Washington, DC, workshop were Ralph Abboud (Renaissance Philanthropy), Carina Hong (Axiom Math), David Spergel (Simons Foundation), and Shida Wang (XTX Markets).

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Heading to the SACNAS Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA, this fall? Don’t miss the 2026 Modern Math Workshop (MMW) on Thursday, October 29, hosted by SLMath!

Designed for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent PhDs, the program features an NSF scientist networking lunch, dedicated research sessions for graduate students and recent PhDs, and specialized mini-courses in Lean and Machine Learning designed specifically for undergraduates.

Apply by July 3 to request up to four nights of lodging (double-occupancy), SACNAS registration fee reimbursement, and potential travel funds.

Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath) Independent non-profit mathematical sciences research institute founded in 1982 in Berkeley, CA, home of collaborative research programs and public outreach.

We honor the memory of Dr. Richard Tapia, a pioneering computational mathematician, National Medal of Science recipient, and a lifelong advocate for education and student mentorship.

A longtime professor at Rice University, Dr. Tapia spent over five decades advancing the field of optimization theory while working tirelessly to broaden access to science and mathematics for all. His legacy will undoubtedly live on through the thousands of lives and careers he transformed. Our thoughts are with his family, colleagues, and loved ones.

https://news.rice.edu/news/2026/richard-tapia-pioneering-mathematician-and-advocate-diversity-passes-away-88

Richard Tapia, pioneering mathematician and advocate for diversity, passes away at 88 Richard A. Tapia, a distinguished professor at Rice and a trailblazing mathematician renowned for his dedication to increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in science and engineering, has passed away at age 88.

OpenAI recently announced a breakthrough on one of the most famous outstanding problems in discrete geometry, disproving a long-standing conjecture related to the Erdos distance problem.

What makes this milestone even more exciting for ICERM is the community effort behind it, including contributions from Jordan Ellenberg and a Collaborate@ICERM team consisting of Farshid Hajir, Christian Maire, and Ravi Ramakrishna!

While the specific mathematical papers built upon by this model weren't directly supported by our institute, this achievement illustrates the deep impact of fundamental research. Rigorous mathematical results combined with cutting-edge computation can revolutionize our understanding of geometry!

Read OpenAI's full announcement: https://openai.com/index/model-disproves-discrete-geometry-conjecture/

Dive into the mathematical background:https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/74c24085-19b0-4534-9c90-465b8e29ad73/unit-distance-remarks.pdf

cdn.openai.com

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is hosting a webinar series on International Practices in K-12 Mathematics Education, focusing on the growing roles of computational thinking, data science, and AI.

As we work to broaden the relationship between mathematics and computation here at ICERM, it’s exciting to see this conversation on modernizing curricula. The series features experts from around the world.

Register and learn more here: https://www.nationalacademies.org/projects/PGA-NETWORKS-25-02

A Workshop and Webinar Series on International Practices in K-12 Mathematics Education: The Role of Computational Thinking, Data Science, and AI An international workshop and webinar series on how leading countries are modernizing secondary math curricula. Experts will share best practices for curriculum revision, essential competencies for global competitiveness, and alignment with classroom technology, materials, and teaching methods. A br...

Beginning today, May 11, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will release vacancy announcements for positions at the intersection of program management, data analysis, and community outreach. These roles are designed to help plan program portfolios, identify emerging research areas, and analyze the impact of current NSF investments. Engaging with the PI community and managing the merit review process is vital to the entire mathematical and scientific landscape. We encourage you to take a look!

These positions are open for a limited time via USAJobs.

https://www.nsf.gov/careers/openings?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

www.nsf.gov