New England Will Get Its First NSF-Funded Mathematics Institute

September 3, 2010 

A $15.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will lead to the creation of the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, which will be the first of its kind in New England. 

The NSF has funded seven other mathematics institutes in the country. The newest institute is set to open in fall 2011, at Brown University. 

The institute is expected to attract experts from around the world to develop advanced mathematics tools for online search engines, secure communications, and router optimization. Google, IBM, and Microsoft will be represented on the institute’s advisory board, and will play a part in research involving health care, communications, financial services, and national security. 

“Mathematics has entered an age where powerful and readily available computational tools can transform the mathematical landscape at all levels of education,” said Jill Pipher (Brown University), who has been named the institute’s director. “ICERM’s mission is to support and enhance the interaction of mathematics and computation and to solve new problems of critical importance and benefit to society.”

The NSF grant will fund the institute for five years, supporting a full-time staff of five plus two full-time postdoctoral researchers each year, and up to seven postdoctoral researchers each semester.

Source: Providence Business News (August 5, 2010)