IHES in New York City

After visiting Singapore earlier this year, IHES traveled to the United States to meet its friends and supporters in New York City, as well as Board members of its partner organization, Friends of IHES, during the week of February 12, 2024.

 

On February 14, Hugo Duminil-Copin, Permanent Professor at IHES and 2022 Fields Medalist, spoke at the National Museum of Mathematics for its free and public Math Encounters series. After an introduction by Michael Aizenman, Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Princeton University, Hugo shared his passion for the game of HEX, its mathematical underpinnings, and how it relates to his research on percolation. The audience notably included Ingrid Daubechies, a regular IHES visitor and laureate of the 2023 Wolf Prize in Mathematics, and Alex Kontorovich, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University and a member of the Scientific Board for Quanta Magazine. Ingrid Daubechies is currently serving as the Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics at MoMath, where she hosts the monthly web series Meet a Mathematician.

On February 15, Friends of IHES, in cooperation with BNP Paribas, organized an exclusive evening with Hugo Duminil-Copin at the Consulate General of France in New York City. Following an introduction by Damien Laban, Acting Consul General, Emmanuel Ullmo, Director of IHES, and Joe Bonnaud, Deputy Head of the Global Markets Americas, Hugo Duminil-Copin delved into the question of the true nature of randomness in front of about 100 participants. The audience included the Friends of IHES Chair, Marilyn Simons, the Friends of IHES Treasurer, Mark Howard, and several Friends of IHES Board members and supporters. Dennis Sullivan, former Permanent Professor at IHES and Abel Prize Winner, also attended the event.

Before enjoying the cocktail, Marilyn Simons also shared great news about the endowment fund launched by Friends of IHES in 2022: with over 17 million dollars in gifts and pledges, the goal of raising 20 million dollars by 2025 is nearly reached. She encouraged participants to contribute to get to this ambitious target, reminding them that any gift made before 2025 will be matched by the Simons Foundation International, up to 10 million dollars.

The week in New York not only allowed IHES to reconnect with friends and partners but also to reinforce its connections in the United States, notably with leaders from Antin Infrastructure Partners, Goldman Sachs, Societe Generale, and Tikehau Capital.