The American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) is spotlighting arithmetic dynamics of multiple maps in a new workshop designed to connect mathematicians for collaborative research. AIM’s model features week-long sessions, drawing about 30 participants per workshop to tackle cutting-edge open problems in a variety of mathematical fields.
Michelle Manes, deputy director of AIM, said, “The mission from the beginning was to advance mathematics by fostering collaborative research. But the question was how to do that. You can’t just put people in a room together and hope that good things will happen. What we found is that you could develop a model that really worked across many, many areas of mathematics.”
Reflecting on her own post-PhD experience at AIM, Manes added, “I worked with six other mathematicians on a paper… We kind of turned the problem on its head. We kind of inverted it in a way, and we were able to solve that version of the problem. And it was just tremendously exciting. It was such a unique experience for me, like nothing I had experienced in graduate school.”
AIM, now located at Caltech, welcomes over 1,000 visitors annually and emphasizes short, engaging workshops that foster deep, lasting collaborations. During each session, participants break into working groups to address 10 to 40 research challenges. “It is still amazing to me. I’ve been working with AIM for two and a half years now. It always works every time… This process will work for bringing them together, getting them excited about open problems that they could be working on, and forming new collaborations to work on these new problems,” Manes said.
In addition to research, AIM manages public events and teacher circles, extending its impact to K-12 students, educators and the community. For information about AIM programs and upcoming events, contact or visit AIM.
American Institute of Mathematics. Caltech 8-32, 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena. Phone: (626) 395-8522. Email: info@aimath.org. Website: www.aimath.org.
