Planetary problems challenge researchers.
On a planet with over seven billion people, three billion of whom are malnourished, and where one in eight inhabitants lives in megacities, how can mathematicians make a contribution? This topic was debated by six researchers from different parts of the world on Tuesday evening at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM 2018).
According to Professor Maria Esteban, from the Center for Mathematics at Paris-Dauphine University, researchers in Mathematics have great potential to contribute to the advancement of initiatives for so-called smart cities, designed to improve the well-being of the population in general. "We have opportunities to work in many areas, and one of them is smart cities. For example, research not only into alternative energy uses, but also into reducing electricity consumption in general," she stated.
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Energy generation and consumption were also mentioned by Professor Claudia Sagastizábal, from the University of Campinas (Unicamp). "A few years ago, we researched the increase in electricity bills in São Paulo and realized that there was a misinterpretation of the algorithms," the researcher said.
Pedro Leite da Silva Dias, director of the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of São Paulo (USP), said that one of the most relevant contributions of Mathematics in recent decades has been in the field of weather forecasting. “There was a leap in quality in the 2000s due to advances in Mathematics in the 1980s. It took 20 years for these advances to reach weather forecasting. In the 1970s, it seemed like a dream to think that it was possible, as it is today, to make reliable forecasts for 10 or 20 days,” he stated.
Amit Apte, a mathematician at the Centre for Theoretical Sciences in India, also mentioned the importance of mathematics applied to understanding phenomena such as monsoons or El Niño and La Niña. Edward Lungu, a professor at the newly created Botswana International University of Science and Technology, said that in recent years, professionals linked to mathematics have been working closely with other scientists to address problems such as the rapid spread of diseases in humans and animals. "There is also a great effort in the area of biotechnology to produce food more quickly and with more nutrients," he said.
The debate was moderated by Professor Hans Engler of Georgetown University. "The challenges facing the planet are beyond the capabilities of individual countries and national interests, and involve social and political aspects," he noted.
