Since the days of Boltzmann, it has been well accepted that natural phenomena, when described using tools of statistical mechanics, are governed by various "laws of large numbers." For practitioners of the field this usually means that certain empirical means converge to constants when the limit of a large system is taken. However, evidence has been amassed that such laws apply also to geometric features of these systems and, in particular, to many naturally-defined shapes. Earlier examples where such convergence could be proved include certain interacting particle systems, invasion percolation models and spin systems in equilibrium statistical mechanics.

The last decade has seen a true explosion of "limit-shape" results. New tools of combinatorics, random matrices and representation theory have given us new models for which limit shapes can be determined and further studied: dimer models, polymer models, sorting networks, ASEP (asymmetric exclusion processes), sandpile models,... (more)

Lattices are abstractly very simple objects, yet their concrete realizations contain beautifully intricate problems that are stubbornly difficult even in low dimensions. For example, our present day understandings of densest lattice packings and reduction theory are still plagued with large gaps.

In the 1970's and 1980's lattices entered the world of cryptography as tools used to break certain crypto systems, particularly those based on the subset sum problem, and since the 1990's they have become increasingly important in the building of other types of crypto systems (thanks to the difficulty in the underlying mathematics). Their significance has recently been bolstered by average-case complexity bounds and their present resistance to quantum computing attacks.

Currently the theory of lattices is a lively research topic among mathematicians, computer scientists, and experts in cybersecurity. However, to this date, there has been little to no interaction between these communities.... (more)

This event is co-sponsored with the Brown University Physics Department.

The conference will promote a broad discussion of current topics in Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics. Talks will focus on theoretical frameworks (or the desire for such) and on specific systems from wide-ranging fields such as astrophysics, atomic physics, biology, chemistry, climate physics, condensed matter, fluid mechanics, geophysics, and high-energy physics. There will be a mix of experimental, computational, and theoretical perspectives.

This is the second in a series of Conferences made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Tony and Pat Houghton. Tony, who was a theoretical condensed matter physicist, chaired the Brown University Department of Physics from 1992 to 1998.

Symplectic and contact geometry and topology, which provide a natural setting for Hamiltonian dynamics, comprise a broad spectrum of interrelated disciplines in the mainstream of modern mathematics. The past two decades gave rise to several exciting developments in these fields: on one hand, powerful new mathematical tools and concepts were introduced, solving long-standing problems that were previously unattainable; and on the other hand, challenging and exciting new questions arose for future research. Presently, symplectic and contact geometry have connections with an amazingly wide range of areas in mathematics and physics: differential and algebraic geometry, complex analysis, dynamical systems, low-dimensional topology, quantum mechanics, and string theory.

The research program will address a number of cutting-edge research topics within symplectic and Hamiltonian dynamics, with a special focus on computational and experimental aspects.

Program Structure
Several... (more)

This workshop focuses on topics at the interface of classical mechanics, differential geometry, and computer experiments. The directions of current research to be explored at the workshop include the study of invariants and complete integrability of geometrically motivated differential equations (in particular, vehicle motion, tire track geometry, and smoke ring equations), sub-Riemannian geometry, geometric control, nonholonomic systems (such as e.g. bicycle stability and nonholonomic methods in billiard problems), computational methods in mechanics and dynamics (including geometric integrators, biological applications, etc.).

The goal of the workshop is to explore broad applications of the mechanical approach to geometry and geometric one to classical mechanics, to foster interaction between researchers in the above areas, with a view of finding new domains for applications of these fertile ideas.

Imagine spending eight-weeks on the beautiful Brown University campus in historic Providence, RI, working in a small team setting to solve mathematical research problems developed by faculty experts in their fields.

Imagine creating career-building connections between peers, near peers (graduate students and postdocs), and academic professionals.

Imagine spending your summer in a fun, memorable, and intellectually stimulating environment.

Now, imagine having this experience with support for travel within the U.S., room and board paid, plus a $3,000 stipend*.

The 2015 Summer@ICERM Program is designed for a select group of 14-16 undergraduate scholars. Students work in groups of two or three, supervised by faculty advisors and aided by teaching assistants. The faculty... (more)

In the early 1990s, William Massey of Bell Laboratories (then AT&T, now Lucent Technologies) had an idea for an organization devoted mainly to addressing critical issues involving African-American researchers and graduate students in the mathematical sciences. It was envisioned that this organization would highlight current research by African-American researchers and graduate students in mathematics, strengthen the mathematical sciences by encouraging increased participation of African-Americans and members of other underrepresented groups, facilitate working relations among them, and provide assistance to them in cultivating their careers.

This organization became known as the Conference for African-American Researchers in the Mathematical Sciences (CAARMS). For the past twenty years this conference has been held at various institutions and institutes across the U.S.. The CAARMS 21 program will include invited speakers, tutorials, and... (more)

Interested in discussing cutting edge research ideas with both peers and leaders in their field?

Interested in broadening your professional network across the mathematical sciences?

Interested in the opportunity to present your ideas and hear about funding opportunities from program officers?

Idea-Lab is a one-week program aimed at 15 early career researchers (within five years of their Ph.D.) that will focus on a topic at the frontier of research. Participants will be exposed to a problem whose solution may require broad perspectives and multiple areas of expertise. Senior researchers will introduce the topic in tutorials and lead discussions. The participants will break into teams to brainstorm ideas, comprehend the obstacles, and explore possible avenues towards a solution. The teams will be encouraged to develop a... (more)

This workshop will bring together mathematicians working on combinatorial, geometric and topological properties of arrangements. In addition to fundamental open problems in the area, we will emphasize connections to tropical geometry, configuration spaces, and applications (coding theory, statistical economics, topological robotics), building bridges between those working on different aspects of the area. The main aim of the workshop is to discuss computational issues that arise in studying topological and combinatorial invariants of arrangements.

The workshop will be comprised of two main activities: A series of short courses by leading experts and research or expository talks. The short courses will be aimed at a broad audience; in particular they will be appropriate for advanced graduate students and early career mathematicians. In addition to theory, talks will highlight computational aspects of the problems, and the state of the art on the main open conjectures in the field. We... (more)

The mathematical study of image reconstruction problems can have a huge impact on human life. More efficient mathematical algorithms for X-ray tomography and more accurate mathematical models in seismic or hybrid imaging can lead to better imaging devices in fields such as medicine and remote sensing. Developing the underlying mathematics, including the analysis of reconstruction stability, regularization, singularity characterization, and efficient algorithms, may lead to fewer false positives in fields such as medical, seismic and radar imaging.

This topical workshop will bring together international experts working in computational and analytical aspects of image reconstruction (including but not limited to electron-microscope tomography, hybrid imaging, radar and sonar, full waveform inversion of seismic imaging and X-ray CT) as well as postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. There will be multiple introductory-level talks for early-career researchers and non-specialists in... (more)