03/10/2023

'IMPA Tech will train people to change the world', says Viana.

“IMPA Tech is aimed at training students skilled in using mathematics to solve problems. One of the basic principles of the project is excellence in training people capable of changing the world.” This is how IMPA’s Director-General, Marcelo Viana, presented the institute’s first undergraduate course at Rio Innovation Week, this Tuesday (3). The panel also included the presence of Visagio partner, Thales Miranda, and IMPA project scientist Lucas Nissenbaum.

Viana emphasized that the degree program will be entirely in-person and will take place at Porto Maravalley, a technology hub in the city's port area, created by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall. In this way, IMPA Tech will be in the same environment as several technology companies. "The course was designed for people to enter the technology job market and be able to make a difference."

Thales Miranda also reinforced the importance of integrating IMPA Tech with the technology hub. “In 2021, the Rio de Janeiro city government spoke with a group of businesspeople and brought up the perception that the city of Rio is an educational hub, but that we could do more. The initiative arose to promote technology with a unique approach in the city. Furthermore, IMPA is one of the top five institutions in mathematics, something unique to Rio. With this in mind, the idea for Porto Maravalley emerged, which is half comprised of companies and half of IMPA Tech.”

What will IMPA Tech be like?

The undergraduate program begins next year, and 100 places will be offered in this first year. The selection process will take into account students' performance in knowledge olympiads, such as the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools) , which is organized by IMPA. Viana also highlighted that through scientific competition, the institute is able to identify young talents from different parts of Brazil.

“Every year we deal with around 20 million children and young people from all over Brazil. In 2023, the Olympiad was held in 99.9% of the country's municipalities, so we have a fundamental tool for identifying talent anywhere and achieving representation in undergraduate course classes.”

Lucas Nissenbaum explained that the course curriculum was designed to cater to the different areas of interest in mathematics. Therefore, the course will offer a basic cycle of four academic semesters, after which students will choose one of four specializations: Mathematics, Data Science, Computer Science, and Physics.

“Students will not be limited at any point, so those studying Mathematics will also be able to take classes in Physics, Computer Science, and choose the intersection they are looking for. The idea is that the degree can bring knowledge from other areas of science and show how mathematics can be used to develop research and methods.”

In the presentation, Nissebaum also cited projects carried out at the Pi Center (IMPA's Center for Projects and Innovation), where researchers and graduate students engage in academic-industrial collaborations with companies and institutions, bringing challenges to be solved. “At the Pi Center, we solve basic day-to-day problems—problems in the medical field, communication, finance—using mathematical modeling. This is exactly the type of project and knowledge we want to bring to IMPA's undergraduate programs. With this, we are building courses that generate integration between diverse subjects.”

Thales Miranda also highlighted IMPA's close relationship with the productive sector. "Many times we associate IMPA with something very theoretical, but in reality, the institute can be a breeding ground for business," he stated.

In addition to participating in the panel, IMPA is present at Rio Innovation Week at the NIT (Technological Innovation Center of Research Units) booth, where the public can learn about the projects developed by the institute.

The event takes place until Friday (6) at Pier Mauá. The program includes more than 30 conferences and 1,800 speakers. Rio Innovation Week will also have exhibitions and workshops throughout the week. Tickets are available on the website .