“Women in fundamental research”, the 2021 Friends of IHES Gala - IHES
Marylin Simons - 2021 Friends of IHES Gala - Women in fundamental research IHES

“Women in fundamental research”, the 2021 Friends of IHES Gala

The 2021 edition of the Friends of IHES Gala will take place on November 16th and will be dedicated to the theme of “Women in fundamental research”.

This year, the gala will take on a hybrid format. We will offer a virtual event, which will feature pre-recorded footage as well as live speeches and, if the health context allows, a small, exclusive in-person component will take place at the French Consulate of NYC.

Women are still largely underrepresented in science and mathematics and much more must be done to ensure equal representation for female mathematicians and scientists, not least at IHES, where 2021 marks the arrival of Laure Saint-Raymond as the first female permanent professor. Through this gala, IHES intends to have a long-term impact on this issue and implement actions to improve and foster a better representation of women at the Institute.

 This event will be an occasion to celebrate women at IHES as well as prominent female figures in tech, finance and science. While paying homage to their achievements, we will learn from their experiences and insights as to how to make the technology, science and business sectors more inclusive.

 This year’s gala honoree will be Marilyn Simons, the co-founder of the Simons Foundation, which exists to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. Through her extraordinary commitment as a philanthropist and as President of the Simons Foundation (1994-2021), Marilyn Simons has contributed immensely to the development of science and technology over the past 25 years.

The Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is excited to be associated with the gala.

To learn more and buy your ticket please visit the gala website.