20/08/2018

Conference at IMPA honors Manfredo do Carmo

For over 30 years, mathematician Manfredo do Carmo spent part of his time at IMPA, between classes, supervisions, research, in an intense exchange with professors and students.

Next Wednesday (22), the “house” where the father of differential geometry in Brazil produced his important legacy prepared a tribute to honor the Alagoas native, who died on April 30. The emeritus researcher at IMPA would have turned 90 on August 15.

Open to the public, with registration via email eventos@impa.br , the Manfredo do Carmo Conference program begins at 9:50 am and continues until the late afternoon, with a series of lectures on the researcher's work, in the Ricardo Mañé auditorium. There will be a live broadcast on IMPA's YouTube channel.

“It’s going to be tough,” confesses his fellow countryman Hilário Alencar, coordinator of the tribute, referring to the longing he feels for his friend. A professor at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) and former president of the Brazilian Mathematical Society (SBM), he shared a long history with Manfredo , with whom he spoke faithfully every 15 days.

In addition to the geometer's remarkable academic output, author of seminal books in the field such as "Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces," Hilário highlights his friend's frequent good humor and his fondness for working with peers. "Besides his great joy for life, he valued collaborative research," he recounts.

Currently a researcher at Princeton University in the United States, Fernando Codá came to Brazil to honor his mentor, who inspired him to pursue the field of geometry. In his lecture, he will recall the mathematics of Manfredo , who even mentored him at IMPA before he went on to do a PhD at Cornell University.

It fell to Professor Emerita Keti Tenenblat of the University of Brasília (UnB) to highlight the legacy of the Alagoas native. A specialist in Riemannian geometry and author of publications such as "Introduction to Differential Geometry," she was also mentored by Manfredo .

After the lunch break, at 2 pm, IMPA's extraordinary researcher Harold Hosenberg, a specialist in the field of differential geometry, resumes the tribute with the lecture "Minimal planes in asymptotically flat 3-manifolds".

At 3 pm, Hilário Alencar, João Lucas Barbosa (UFC) and Walcy Santos (UFRJ) will participate in the round table “Remembering Manfredo ”. Immediately afterwards, everyone will proceed to the unveiling of the plaque in honor of the Alagoas native, which will be affixed to the third floor, in room 346.

In honor of Manfredo 's 90th birthday, a mass will also be held this Tuesday (21), at 6 pm, at the PUC-Rio church, celebrated by Father Paul Schweitzer.