01/02/2022

Colloquium portrays the advances in Brazilian mathematics.

With outreach lectures and plenary sessions, advanced and introductory courses, thematic sessions, and roundtables, the Brazilian Mathematics Colloquium (CBM) paints a picture of the Brazilian mathematical landscape with each edition. The event has been traditionally held by IMPA every two years since 1957 and has become the largest conference of the country's mathematical scientific community. While maintaining its essence of educating and inspiring young people in mathematics and providing them with initial guidance, the Colloquium transforms with each edition, keeping pace with the evolution of national mathematics and reaching even more people.

One of the main legacies of the event, which last year reached its 33rd edition, is the production of more than 350 textbooks originating from the courses taught during the conference. The director-general of IMPA, Marcelo Viana, says that these works “gave rise to a thriving body of mathematical literature produced in Brazil.” Some of them resulted in major scientific works published in Brazil and abroad. “The books by Manfredo do Carmo on curves and surfaces and Riemannian manifolds, the book on dynamical systems by Jacob Palis and Welington de Melo. The book by Elon Lages Lima on fundamental groups and coverings. The book on ergodic theory by Ricardo Mañé. And so many others that are a source of pride for Brazilian mathematics,” Viana emphasizes.

First editions

While today the Colloquium typically gathers around 1,000 participants, its beginnings were much more modest. The first edition of the event was held between July 1st and 20th, 1957, at the Palace Hotel in Poços de Caldas (MG), and represented a milestone in IMPA's contribution to the development of Brazilian mathematics. In an adventurous spirit, about 50 mathematicians from different states traveled from their cities to the location, at a time when there was no internet, cell phones, or other communication possibilities.

Participantes do 1º Colóquio Brasileiro de Matemática, em 1957

IMPA researcher Dan Marchesin, who attended several editions of the Colloquium held in Poços de Caldas, recalls that the atmosphere of the event was one of enthusiasm. “It was really cool because we spent 24 hours a day at the Colloquium. Maybe we slept, but we slept in the hotel, sharing rooms with other colloquium participants. It was very intense, socially as well as mathematically.”

The experience was so impactful that it changed Marchesin's professional path. “I was going to become a physicist and decided to become a mathematician. Other people also influenced me. But the Colloquium carries a lot of weight, because it shows the vitality of Brazilian mathematics and a little bit of what's out there as well,” he shares.

Internationalization and plurality of themes

Over the years, the organization has kept pace with the evolution of Brazilian mathematics and has made the event more scientific through a partial internationalization of the meeting. Starting with the 19th edition, the program has included plenary lectures given by internationally renowned mathematicians, which has sparked the interest of an ever-growing number of participants.

IMPA's deputy director, Claudio Landim, only managed to participate in the event in 1991, already as a PhD. But it wasn't for lack of trying. The researcher learned about the colloquium during his undergraduate studies at PUC-Rio, when he became interested in graph theory and found an excellent monograph on the subject in the CBM books. "PUC only received two scholarships for students and gave them to other colleagues, so I ended up not going. Then I was away for my doctorate, so I only managed to go after I had already earned a PhD," he recalls.

The wait was worth it. Since his debut at the event, when he gave a course on stochastic optimization, Landim has been impressed by the plurality of themes that the conference brought together. “Usually you participate in conferences where you meet colleagues who work in the same area. The Colloquium is that opportunity you have to meet mathematicians from other states who work on different subjects, and they will share some of their experiences and show how mathematics has progressed in each of these universities.”

Corredores do IMPA durante o 31º CBM, em 2017

Transformations and expectations for future editions

Held at IMPA's headquarters in Jardim Botânico since 1987, the Colloquium continues to follow the transformations of Brazilian mathematics and reinvent itself in response. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the last edition of the Colloquium was held virtually in 2021, reaching even more people than usual, with around 2,000 participants.

IMPA researcher and coordinator of the 33rd CBM, Carolina Araujo, speaks about the challenge of leading an edition so different from previous ones. “We couldn't virtually reproduce the vibrant atmosphere provided by the occupation of IMPA by hundreds of students. But on the other hand, we succeeded in increasing the Colloquium's reach. We had a record audience of over 2,000 participants, and many people who couldn't come to IMPA to participate in person had the opportunity to enjoy the activities.”

And they continue to enjoy it! The video lessons from the courses remain available on the Colloquium's YouTube channel . There, you can watch plenary lectures by international stars of mathematics, such as Fields Medal winners Cédric Villani (University of Lyon) and Martin Hairer (Imperial College London); and Turing Award winner Shafi Goldwasser (MIT & Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing).

The expectation for the next edition of the event, scheduled for mid-2023, is a mix of formats, says Carolina, who will once again coordinate the conference. “We hope to be able to hold the Colloquium in person, and see IMPA full of students again. But we also intend to incorporate some virtual components into the program, aiming to reach a greater number of people from all corners of Brazil.”

For the researcher, who has participated in the event since 1995, the Colloquium is "a way to bring young people closer to mathematics and to contribute to a healthier and more joyful mathematical community. It's a great celebration."