June 12, 2013 - Institute Director Jill Pipher has announced the appointment of three new directors:
Sergei Tabachnikov, a Professor of Mathematics at Pennsylvania State University, will be joining ICERM as a Deputy Director effective July 1, 2013. Sergei will succeed Jeff Brock, who is now Chair of Brown University's Department of Mathematics.
Homer Walker, a Professor of Mathematics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, will be joining ICERM as a Deputy Director effective July 1, 2013. He will succeed Jan Hesthaven, who has accepted a position at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Ulrica Wilson, an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Morehouse College will be joining ICERM as its first Associate Director of Diversity and Outreach, beginning July 1, 2013.
As Deputy Directors, both Sergei and Homer will be vital members of the institute's management team. Each will be responsible for overseeing one of the two annual semester programs at ICERM, including the development and coordination of program proposals, and working with organizers during the program. Both will help administer additional institute activities such as topical workshops, summer undergraduate and early career research programs, as well as special events. In addition, they will assist in the solicitation and development of programs and workshops and help secure grant proposals to support existing and new programs and initiatives.
Sergei is an active researcher and experienced administrator. His research focus is in geometry, topology, and dynamics. He has co-authored several books including "Mathematical Omnibus," a collection of 30 lectures on classic mathematics. Sergei is the Director of the NSF-funded semester-long MASS (Mathematics Advanced Study Semesters) Program at Penn State. He is the Notes Editor of the American Mathematical Monthly, a column editor of the Mathematical Intelligencer, and the Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Mathematics. He has held visiting positions at mathematical institutes worldwide: IHES, ETH Zurich, I. Newton Institute Cambridge, MSRI, Max-Planck-Institut, Hausdorff Institute Bonn, Fields Institute. He is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the recipient of the Teresa Cohen Service Award in Mathematics at Penn State.
Homer's research interests lie in computational and applied mathematics. Much of his work has been done in collaboration with researchers at U.S. national laboratories who have extensive experience with both challenging applications and advanced hardware and software for high-performance computing. Homer's administrative experience includes service as program manager for the Applied Mathematics Program in the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research within the DOE Office of Science, and as head of the WPI Mathematical Sciences Department. He has extensive experience organizing conferences and workshops, ranging in scale from local and regional to international.
In announcing the Deputy Director appointments, Pipher said, "Both Sergei and Homer have broad perspectives on mathematical research, and bring substantial administrative experience and a collaborative spirit, making them great assets to the institute's leadership team."
As the Associate Director of Diversity and Outreach, Ulrica will provide leadership in meeting institutional diversity goals: ensuring diversity throughout ICERM's programs, assisting in the development of policies and procedures, and helping to identify and obtain funding for programs and activities.
Ulrica's primary research has been in noncommutative ring theory and combinatorial matrix theory. Throughout her career, she has integrated opportunities to address diversity issues in the mathematical workforce. A decade of experience includes co-directing the Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) Program. As part of her role as an organizer and co-PI of the Research Experience for Undergraduate Faculty (REUF) workshops at the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM), she recruits women and underrepresented participants to the program. She was selected to serve as one of two interim co-Directors for the National Institutes of Health sponsored Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS RISE) Program. As co-Director, she planned and managed program activities and the budget. Ulrica's grants and awards reflect her dedication to reaching and mentoring underrepresented groups in mathematics: NSF grant for EDGE Program, NSA grant for EDGE Algebra Workshop, NSF S-STEM for Increasing the number of professional mathematicians, and QEM HBCU-UP Professional Development and Mentoring Program grant.
Pipher says, "Ulrica has extensive experience in addressing diversity issues in the mathematical workforce, and in organizing and developing professional opportunities aimed at underrepresented groups. She will be a tremendous asset to the institute in this newly created position."