24/07/2023

Young people crowd IMPA on the first day of the 34th CBM.

At the opening of the 34th Brazilian Mathematics Colloquium (CBM), IMPA's deputy director, Claudio Landim, said he was impressed by the number of young people gathered on the first day of the event, which runs until Friday (28) at the institute.

“I wanted to thank Carolina [Araujo, researcher and coordinator of the colloquium], because I joined IMPA in 1982 and I don’t remember seeing the institute with so many young people gathered on the same day. It is a great pleasure to see the mathematical community again, after two years of pandemic and some years with science left aside,” Landim told the audience that filled the Ricardo Mañé auditorium on Monday morning (24).

The Brazilian Mathematical Congress (CBM) is the main event of the Brazilian mathematical community and takes place biennially. This year's edition features 23 thematic sessions – a record number in the event's history. The program also includes 6 plenary sessions given by international researchers, two roundtables, a special lecture, and three other outreach sessions. The complete program can be found here.

At the opening of the event, Carolina Araujo made a point of highlighting the importance of the meeting, especially for the academic development of young people.

“The colloquium is more than a scientific event; it’s a great celebration of Brazilian mathematics. It brings together not only researchers, but also undergraduate and graduate students. I remember my first participation in the mathematics colloquium, when I was in my second year of undergraduate studies, and the strong impact [of the event] on my training as a mathematician. I wanted to welcome the students, especially those who are making their first visit, and hope it will be the first of a long history of partnership,” said Carolina.

Also participating in the opening of the event was the president of the Brazilian Mathematical Society, Paolo Piccione, who was moved by the number of participants on the first day of the meeting.

“It is a great honor to represent the SBM at this Brazilian Mathematics Colloquium – the highlight of the mathematical calendar in Brazil. I was thrilled when I entered here and saw the number of participants. This shows that Brazil has such a vibrant mathematical community, and that is what also motivates our work within the community.”

Colloquium brings together Brazilian and foreign participants.

Diana Carolina, a Colombian doctoral student at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), is participating in the CBM for the first time. She sees the event as an opportunity to expand her knowledge. “I’m interested in a wide variety of topics, not only in my field of study but also in other areas. I’m focusing a lot on the advanced courses.”

Odylo Abdalla, a doctoral student in Mathematics at the Sorbonne University in France, says he took advantage of his vacation in Brazil to participate in the Colloquium. "The Colloquium is always excellent; each time I come, I develop a different perspective. Now I have more of a researcher's perspective; other times it was more of a student's perspective. It's really cool to see this change in knowledge." Aline Melo, a postdoctoral researcher in mathematics at UFC (Federal University of Ceará), is also a frequent attendee of the colloquium. "I've come before. The first time I was still an undergraduate. This year is really great and different because now I have a bit more knowledge and experience, so I'm taking advanced mini-courses."

Mynor Ademar, from El Salvador and a doctoral student at UFSCar, said that despite being from the field of geometry, he is interested in attending courses on dynamical systems. “I wanted to learn more about this area, and that’s why I came to the colloquium. There are many interesting topics, and I’ll be here all week to attend the entire event.”

Emmily Gomes, a graduate student at the Federal Fluminense University, Santo Antônio de Pádua campus, says she was anxious for the event. “It’s my first time here. I’ve been waiting for this event since last year and I’m very excited. I want to specialize in pure mathematics and IMPA is an option for me.”

The Brazilian Mathematics Colloquium is the most comprehensive scientific meeting of the Brazilian mathematical community. Current topics such as the presence of women in science, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the prospects for young mathematicians will also be addressed throughout the event.