10/01/2023

Nina da Hora and Julia Jaccoud are part of the Summer Program.

Nina da Hora

Computer scientist Ana Carolina da Hora, known as Nina da Hora, and mathematics professor Julia Jaccoud are among the students in IMPA's Summer Program, which began on the Mondays and runs until March Tuesdays. Together, they have over 250,000 followers on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, and share the initiative to share scientific knowledge and learning online.

In 2021, Nina was included in Forbes' "Under 30" list. The magazine selects young people under 30 who have excelled in various fields.

The science communicator and “anti-racist hacker,” as she calls herself, has already participated in three editions of the Summer Program. However, this is her first time attending in-person classes at IMPA. “Getting to know the campus and the library was great. The first thing I noticed was the benches and the spaces for people to breathe. In addition, the exchange that happens with the people is also very important. There are people from Peru, master's and undergraduate students. This contact is really cool.”

A student taking courses in "Machine Learning" and "Computation, Logic and Set Theory," the young woman says that one of her goals in the course is to strengthen her theoretical understanding of the subject matter and prepare for her master's degree.

“Set theory will help me prepare for my master's and doctoral studies, and it will also give me a foundation for understanding the consequences of some technological solutions, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). So, the course gives me a foundation that precedes the practice of AI, which is very important. I can visualize the applications, but I want to know what happens behind the scenes,” he explained.

Julia Jaccoud

Mathematics professor Julia Jaccoud, who had also participated in the Summer Program, enrolled this year in the Commutative Algebra course. For the creator of the YouTube channel “A Matemaníaca” (The Math Maniac), which has 106,000 subscribers, the most important aspect of coming to IMPA is the contact with researchers and other students.

"I believe in science that is built on plurality and creative collaboration, and I think that having the opportunity to leave one institute and go to another, to meet researchers, other professors and colleagues, gives us a different perspective on mathematics and allows us to evolve."

A graduate of IME-USP, Julia jokes: "Mathematics is done in the IMPA café. It's a place where I challenged myself a lot, a space of great growth and maturity."

Regarding "Math Maniac," the teacher defines the page as "a space to encourage people to have positive experiences with mathematics."

Summer Program

The IMPA Summer Program began on January Mondays. The course is free and activities are open to students and researchers from other institutions. Divided into three undergraduate research courses, nine master's courses, seven doctoral courses, and ten seminars, the program runs until March Tuesdays. Classes are also available on IMPA's YouTube channel.

The list of subjects is available on the website, as well as the activity schedules. Check it out here. Registration is open until January 1Fridays.