Looking back on this year’s “Budding Maths” and “MathTech” events

On January 17th and January 25th, 2024, IHES once again hosted the “Budding Maths Day” and “MathTech Meetings” of the Fondation mathématique Jacques Hadamard (FMJH), of which the Institute is a founding member.

The Budding Maths Day is primarily designed for third-year mathematics students at Université Paris-Saclay. Its goal is to offer students a dynamic and varied perspective on mathematical research, with the hope of inspiring them to further pursue their studies in the field. During the event, students had the chance to attend talks by research mathematicians, including Cédric Villani, holder of the IHES-Université de Lyon Chair in analysis. The Budding Maths Day also aims to foster discussions between undergraduate students and PhD students or postdocs, allowing them to explore potential career paths in mathematics.

On the other hand, the MathTech Meetings are geared towards doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in mathematics. The event aims to develop connections between mathematicians and industry leaders, highlighting a PhD as a gateway to research or scientific management in the public or private sectors. This year, participants had the opportunity to hear testimonials from mathematicians working in the aerospace, energy, finance, or healthcare sectors. Alex Gerko, founder of the algorithmic trading company XTX Markets and a major donor to FMJH and IHES, shared his journey from obtaining a PhD in mathematics to becoming the founder and CEO of one of the world’s leading financial technology firms. Amidst the various talks by professionals, selected PhD students from the Ecole Doctorale Mathématique Hadamard had the chance to pitch their research projects to the audience.

The Rencontres MathTech ended with the first award ceremony of the Pierre Lamoure Prize. Named in honor of the founder of Groupe Atlantic, the Pierre Lamoure Prize recognizes a mathematical research project on an industry-related problem. Pierre Lamoure indeed viewed science and mathematics as means for economic, and more generally, human progress. The laureate, Thibaud Ehret, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre Borelli lab at ENS Paris-Saclay, was awarded the Pierre Lamoure Prize for his work on the automatic detection and quantification of methane emissions through satellite imagery. These efforts, in collaboration with Kayrros, led to the creation of the Methane Watch platform, supported by the European Space Agency. The prize was awarded to the laureate in the presence of Jacques Lamoure, son of Pierre Lamoure, and major donor to both FMJH and IHES.

IHES is delighted to host these events as part of its partnership with FMJH, as they provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas within the mathematical community and with the private and public sector.