Discrete optimization is a vibrant area of computational mathematics devoted to efficiently finding optimal solutions among a finite or countable set of possible feasible solutions.

A famous and classical example of a problem in discrete optimization is the traveling salesperson problem: For given cities and distances of traveling from one city to another, we seek to find the shortest route that visits each city once and returns to the starting city. Discrete optimization problems naturally arise in many kinds of applications including bioinformatics, telecommunications network design, airline scheduling, circuit design, and efficient resource allocation. The field also connects to a variety of areas in mathematics, computer science, and data analytics including approximation algorithms, convex and tropical geometry, number theory, real algebraic geometry, parameterized complexity theory, quantum computing, machine learning, and mathematical logic.

The semester program... (more)

Combinatorial optimization is an active research field in mathematics, with an immense range of applications. This workshop will bring together researchers and leading experts interested in the mathematical foundations of combinatorial optimization algorithms to discuss new tools and methods, in particular regarding the use of algebraic, analytical, and geometric techniques. Special emphasis will be given on polyhedral methods, since they are at the core of several groundbreaking combinatorial optimization results developed in recent years.

The aim of this workshop is to discuss many exciting recent developments on the computational side of discrete optimization. The workshop has three main themes. The first theme is that of commercial and academic/open-source solvers that have allowed the solution of very large-scale problems, and of recent developments in exact solvers that have allowed for proofs of results in logic, knot theory, and combinatorics. The second theme is the interaction between optimization and machine learning: these two areas complement each other in several ways. The third theme is quantum computing and unconventional computing architectures: quantum computing has been used to tackle combinatorial optimization problems, and quantum algorithms exist for other related optimization problems such as linear and semidefinite relaxations.

This workshop will focus on the intersection of mathematics, statistics, machine learning, and computation, when viewed through the lens of optimal transport (OT). Mathematical topics will include low-dimensional models for OT, linearizations of OT, and the geometry of OT including gradient flows and gradient descent in the space of measures. Relevant statistical topics will include reliable and efficient estimation of OT plans in high dimensions, the role of regularization in computing OT distances and plans, with applications to robust statistics, uncertainty quantification, and overparameterized machine learning. Computation will be a recurring theme of the workshop, with emphasis on the development of fast algorithms and applications to computational biology, high energy physics, material science, spatio-temporal modeling, natural language processing, and image processing.

This workshop focuses on the interplay between dynamics, rigidity, and arithmetic in hyperbolic geometry and related areas. There have been many striking developments in recent years, particularly related to totally geodesic submanifolds in both finite and infinite volume hyperbolic and even complex hyperbolic manifolds.

One aim of this workshop is to expose young researchers to these breakthroughs providing them with the necessary background from dynamics, and geometry to allow them to appreciate some of these recent advances, and prepare them to make new original contributions. For this purpose, we will have minicourses on "Arithmeticity, Superrigidity and totally geodesic manifolds", and "Rigidity and geodesic planes in infinite volume hyperbolic manifolds". These courses will be preceded by an introductory minicourse on Hyperbolic geometry. We will also have a minicourse on "Understanding of geodesic planes in hyperbolic 3-manifolds via computations and visualization". In... (more)

In spite of their omnipresence and importance, a number of questions about knots remain elusive. Addressing them solicits techniques from a range of mathematical disciplines at the interface of algebra, analysis, geometry, modeling, and low-dimensional topology. Some of the most exciting recent avenues of research include optimizing geometry, quantum knot invariants, and applications in material sciences, physics, and molecular biology.

This workshop emphasizes bridging the gap between theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches in knot theory and its applications, including artificial intelligence.

MSML2023 is the forth edition of a newly established conference, with emphasis on promoting the study of mathematical theory and algorithms of machine learning, as well as applications of machine learning in scientific computing and engineering disciplines. This conference aims to bring together the communities of machine learning, applied mathematics, and computational science and engineering, to exchange ideas and progress in the fast-growing field of scientific machine learning (SciML). The objective of this annual conference series is to promote the study of:

• Theory and algorithms of machine learning.
• Applications in scientific and engineering disciplines such as physics, chemistry, material sciences, fluid and solid mechanics, etc.
• To provide hands-on tutorials for students and new researchers in the field.

Previous MSML Conferences:
First MSML: (more)

The Summer@ICERM faculty advisers will present a variety of research projects on the combinatorial and graph theoretical properties of DNA self-assembly. By modeling nanostructures with discrete graphs, efficient DNA self-assembly becomes a mathematical puzzle. Faculty will also guide the development of computational tools which can be used to aid in answering fundamental questions that arise in this field.

Throughout the eight-week program, students will be introduced to the research topic with interactive lectures. Afterward, students will work on their projects in assigned groups of two to four, supervised by faculty advisors and aided by teaching assistants. Students will meet daily, give regular talks about their findings, attend mini-courses, guest talks, and professional development seminars, practice coding, and Tex typesetting, and will acquire skills in free software development. Students will learn how to collaborate mathematically, working closely in their teams to write... (more)

The field of mathematical and computational biology is rapidly growing. The most applicable computational models have been developed in collaboration between computational and life science researchers. This workshop aims to bring these groups together to facilitate and promote collaborations among them.

A mathematical model for one disease might also be useful in modeling another disease. Some researchers are working on theoretical mathematical & statistical problems related to biological and biomedical applications, while others are developing computational methodologies to address fundamental life science knowledge gaps.

This workshop fosters and features collaborations among these groups along with experimentalists and physicians. Theoreticians will be exposed to a variety of open biological questions in need of state-of-the-art and efficient mathematical methods. Computational scientists will learn about more robust and efficient methods that could be tailored to answer... (more)

In Summer 2023, ICERM hosts the second of two summer programs entitled The Social Justice and Data Science Summer Research Program. This program aims to increase interest, research training, and capacity for data science for social justice, and to develop both quantitative and qualitative approaches to those professional practices that call for community engagement, critical inquiry, and interdisciplinary cooperation. Building off of Summer 2022's program, which included a workshop on network science and analysis as well as foundational conversations with community partners, the Summer 2023 program will advance the mathematics community's understanding of the complexity of computational social justice work through three emphasis areas (1) policy, (2) education, and (3) community-driven research.

As a new field emerges at the face of computational and applied mathematics and social justice, this requires new methods for working across community lines. In order to address the novel and... (more)

How can quantitative science inform policy decisions? This workshop is designed to help mathematicians and data scientists leverage their expertise to contribute positively to social justice efforts ranging from small town issues to global concerns. It is intended for those interested in data science, mathematical modeling, and policy interventions.

The main technical skill that the workshop will focus on is data storytelling, specifically with an eye towards policy. Data storytelling includes a mix of rhetorical and technical skills. On the technical side, these skills include data visualization, conclusion description, crafting human stories from data (example: the “middle third” technique), all done effectively and ethically, with an eye toward the audience and purpose of the communication. Participants will be exposed to other technical skills through four projects, each of which will have its own project leadership team. In advance of the workshop, participants will be asked... (more)