14/06/2022

Marcelo Viana talks about research in Latin America.

Marcelo Viana, Director-General of IMPA, discusses the challenges and opportunities of mathematical research in Latin America in an interview for the Springer Math Podcast. Host Robinson dos Santos, mathematics editor of the podcast, welcomed the Director-General for a conversation about the institute's role in the development of mathematical research in the region. The full episode is available on the Springer Math Podcast website .

In the interview, Viana recalls his history with the IMPA mathematics community. The mathematician completed his doctorate at the institute in 1990, six years after finishing his undergraduate degree at the University of Porto, in Portugal. “I greatly enjoyed the freedom I had to dedicate my time to thinking about mathematics and also the interaction between visitors and students. I was definitely won over by the institute!” Viana recalled.

From that time until today, the director-general acknowledges that there has been a great leap in IMPA's recognition among the general public. “In recent years, the institute has become a kind of 'brand of its own,' partly because we organize the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools (OBMEP), with around 20 million children participating every year. This is one of the reasons, of course not the only one, why people recognize the name and impact of IMPA. The Fields Medal won by Artur Avila also greatly boosted IMPA's recognition,” Viana commented.

The interview also touched upon the celebration of the institute's 70th anniversary and its contribution to the development of mathematical research in Latin America. “One of the very concrete aspects is the teaching and training of students. About 50% of IMPA's graduate students come from abroad, and of course, the vast majority are from neighboring countries in Latin America,” said Viana. “Around 25% of the students who graduate here return to their countries. We consider this a valuable investment, because these people become 'ambassadors' of Brazilian mathematics, and they also tend to be leaders in their own communities,” he added.

The “Springer Math Podcast” is about mathematics and the people who develop it. The episodes combine recent developments and visions for the future of the field. The full interview with Marcelo Viana is available on the podcast website.