IHES
Publication of the 2018 activity report
A word from the Chairman
What can I do for IHES? This is the question I have been asking myself since Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, then Director of IHES, presented me with his project: to create equity capital, based on the model of the most prestigious American universities, in order to guarantee the Institute’s independence. In 2005, with Philippe Camus, we were able to convince Airbus, EADS at the time, to support the first IHES campaign. A few years later, in 2008, I joined the Institute’s Board of Directors and accompanied the second fundraising campaign. In 2014, I agreed to chair the Board of Directors, with the objective of continuing this conquest of independence.
Together, with Emmanuel Ullmo, but also the permanent professors and administrators, we wanted to involve the Institute in a third fundraising campaign, officially launched this year as the IHES celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. Its name, “IHES, at the avant-garde of science” sets the tone and the objective of this campaign is indeed ambitious: to raise € 50m, including 30m from private sources. Our strategy focuses on people, place and sustainability, and these three axes are reflected in projects that are detailed in this annual report.
Investing in IHES means supporting the greatest mathematicians and physicists by giving them the means to pursue their research in total freedom. It also means providing the conditions for new knowledge to emerge. I am convinced that by supporting high-level fundamental research, we will open up potential for applied research and promote technological transformations.
Today, I found what I wanted to do for the Institute, and as part of the third fundraising campaign, “IHES, at the avantgarde of science”, my wife and I decided to make a donation to IHES’ endowment. We are convinced that the IHES’ mission must be sustained, and we are proud that our names are now associated with the Institute’s excellence.
I would like to thank all those who have already given their support to IHES as part of the campaign and invite you to join the forefront of science. You too, as an individual, company, foundation or institution, can help the IHES to succeed in this new phase.
Marwan Lahoud
Chairman of IHES
