10/05/2018

Brazilian Academy of Sciences awards Jacob Palis

Mathematician Jacob Palis, emeritus researcher at IMPA, received the Henrique Morize Medal, the highest honor granted by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), on Wednesday night (10), in a ceremony at the Museum of Tomorrow (Rio de Janeiro port area).

Created in 2014, the Henrique Morize Medal aims to honor individuals or institutions that have made or are making significant contributions to the development of academia and Brazilian science. This is the case of Jacob Palis Junior, from Uberaba, Minas Gerais, 78 years old, the most awarded researcher in the history of Brazilian mathematics.

Palis presided over the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) and the International Mathematical Union (IMU). He was also the Director-General of IMPA. This year, he received the Medal of Officer of the Legion of Honor from France, for his outstanding work in promoting world science and scientific relations between France and Brazil.

Trained as an engineer at the former University of Brazil (now the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/UFRJ), with master's and doctoral degrees completed at the University of California (USA) in the 1960s, Palis delivered a brief and moving speech at the ceremony, which filled the auditorium of the Museum of Tomorrow and was attended by Minister Gilberto Kassab, of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my dear Suely, my companion for many years. And also to my children, family, colleagues, friends, and staff at the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences," said the honoree.

In concluding his speech, Jacob Palis made it clear that he intends to continue dedicating himself wholeheartedly to mathematics and scientific achievements.

"We will continue working together for the advancement of Brazilian science, which makes me very honored and happy," he concluded.

Present at the ceremony, the Director-General of IMPA, Marcelo Viana, highlighted the role played by Palis in almost 60 years of mathematical and scientific work.

“The awarding of the Henrique Morize medal to Jacob is, first and foremost, an act of justice, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to Brazilian science and to the Brazilian Academy of Sciences itself,” commented Viana.

Also at the ceremony, mathematician Felipe Linares, senior researcher at IMPA, received his diploma and took office as a new member of the ABC. "It is a great honor to be part of this institution," he stated.

A poignant moment occurred when the ABC (Brazilian Academy of Sciences) observed a minute of silence in honor of recently deceased academics. During the event, photographs of the mourned scientists were displayed on a large screen. One of them was Manfredo do Carmo, emeritus researcher at IMPA (Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics), who died on April 30th.

The ceremony also included the presentation of the Admiral Álvaro Alberto Award to historian Jorge Sidney Coli Junior, full professor of Art History and Cultural History at the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). The award is granted by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), in partnership with the Conrado Wessel Foundation and the Brazilian Navy.