Brown’s Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics receives $17.5M grant

JILL PIPHER, founding director of Brown University's Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, said she is pleased that the National Science Foundation has renewed funding for the institute. It is providing a $17.5-million grant to support operations for the next five years. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
JILL PIPHER, founding director of Brown University's Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, said she is pleased that the National Science Foundation has renewed funding for the institute. It is providing a $17.5-million grant to support operations for the next five years. / PBN FILE PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

PROVIDENCE – The National Science Foundation has renewed funding for Brown University’s Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, providing a $17.5-million grant to support operations for the next five years.
Founded in 2010 with a five year, $15.5 million grant from the foundation, it is one of eight in the nation and the only one in New England.
The purpose of the institute is to enable the world’s “best mathematical minds” to explore disciplines ranging from computer science and applied math to cybersecurity, climate modeling, data analytics and the challenges of exascale or super-computing, according to a news release from Brown.
A conference this past July on the mathematics of data science attracted 150 participants and included Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Trip Advisor, merging minds in business and academics, said Jill Pipher, the institute’s founding director.
“This is just a huge exploding area that affects every societal problem,” she said. “We’re touching both pure and applied math.”
Undergraduate research in everything from medicine to math is also part of what the institute offers and attracts students from across the country, she said. In 2012, the institute hosted a conference on super-computing that also attracted IBM.
“ICERM’s initial challenge lay in demonstrating, through its programs and activities, that its mission was both compelling and broad in scope,” said Pipher. “I think we have more than met that challenge with a wide variety of cutting-edge research programs, and we’re very pleased that NSF has validated our mission, our accomplishments, and our future vision with this continuing grant.”
Brendan Hassett will succeed Pipher next summer as the institute’s second director. Hassett joined the faculty in Brown’s Department of Mathematics this summer after 15 years on the faculty at Rice University.
In its first five years, the institute has attained a global profile, attracting an international network of mathematicians and establishing Providence as “an important hub,” said Brown President Christina Paxson.
“The institute’s programs, which focus on the intersection of mathematics and computation, are creatively addressing a range of issues and technologies that will be important in the near term and more distant future.”
The institute supports semester-long research programs, week-long workshops and lectures by prominent scholars. A rotating group of visiting scholars in residence and postdoctoral researchers have created a year-round scholarly community at the institute’s headquarters at 121 South Main St.
The institute also has set up mentoring and professional programs for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Its immersive research program for undergraduates, known as Summer@ICERM, includes a summer math camp which has run for the past two years called GirlsGetMath@ICERM.

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