24/06/2025

The 35th Brazilian Congress of Science (CBM) will be in honor of Palis, a giant of Brazilian science.

“The Colloquium has an atmosphere of camaraderie and encouragement for us to integrate ourselves into an effort to produce the best possible research, as well as to face the challenge of contributing to the improvement of mathematics education.” These words, spoken by Jacob Palis, then Director-General of IMPA, at the opening of the 24th Brazilian Mathematics Colloquium (CBM) , accurately describe the atmosphere of the most traditional event in the field in Brazil. The 35th edition of the CBM is dedicated to the memory of Palis, who passed away on May 7th at the age of 85.

The tribute recognizes the scientific and institutional contributions of Palis, an international reference in the field of dynamical systems. President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences for three terms, he was one of the main figures in the development of mathematics in Brazil. Throughout his career, Palis trained generations of researchers and was a key figure in consolidating IMPA as a world-class center of excellence.

“Palis’s career profoundly marked Brazilian mathematics. Director of IMPA from 2003 to 2013, he also presided over the International Mathematical Union, consolidating Brazil’s role on the world scientific stage. It is only right that IMPA reciprocates and celebrates all that this singular scientist offered to the institute and to science,” highlighted Jorge Vitório Pereira, deputy director of IMPA and coordinator of the event.

As part of the Colloquium's program, Palis's legacy will be celebrated on July 30th with a lecture by the Director-General of IMPA, Marcelo Viana, who was mentored by Palis during his doctoral studies at the institute. The presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion with the participation of the President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), Helena Nader, the Emeritus Professor of UFRJ and former President of ABC, Luiz Davidovich, and the IMPA and University of Zurich researcher, Artur Avila, winner of the Fields Medal in 2014.

Other activities of the 35th CBM

Between July 28th and August 1st, the corridors of IMPA will host researchers and students from Brazil and abroad to discuss advancements in various areas of mathematics. More than 200 presentations are scheduled.

This year, the plenary sessions will be led by researchers Gigliola Staffilani (MIT); Jelani Nelson (UC Berkeley); José Seade (Institute of Mathematics, UNAM); Marco Gualtieri (University of Toronto) and Svetlana Jitomirskaya (UC Berkeley).

The scientific program also includes mini-courses, thematic sessions, and poster presentations.

The roundtable discussion “ The Value of Mathematics Outside Academia: A Discussion on the Presence of Mathematicians in Companies and the Academia-Industry Interaction ,” scheduled for July 30th, will feature guests Gustavo Nonato (USP-São Carlos), João Carabetta ( Data Office of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall), and Pedro Peixoto (USP). Registration for the event can be done at this link.

Held every two years, the CBM has been promoted by IMPA since 1957. This year, in addition to celebrating the directions of contemporary mathematics, the Colloquium will also be an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of a scientist who dedicated his life to research and the training of new talents in Brazil and abroad.