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Mission. The Institute for Mathematics and its Applications
was established in 1982 by the National Science Foundation, as
a result of a national competition.
The primary mission of the
IMA is to increase the impact of mathematics by fostering
research of a truly interdisciplinary nature, linking
mathematics of the highest caliber and important scientific and
technological problems from other disciplines and
industry.
Allied with this mission, the IMA also aims to expand and
strengthen the talent base engaged in mathematical research
applied to or relevant to such problems.
Strategies.The IMA pursues a variety of strategies to advance
its mission:
- The IMA positions itself as an information hub in the
mathematical sciences. We identify important research areas and
problems in need of new mathematics and communicate them to
high quality mathematicians. We inform and instruct users and
potential users about new mathematical developments. We bring
together mathematicians and scientists to discuss important
issues to whose resolution both groups may contribute.
- The IMA provides a program and an environment which is
highly conducive to research, collaboration, and communication.
- The IMA works to build lasting new multidisciplinary
research communities.
- The IMA seeks out and meaningfully engages mathematicians
and scientists from as wide as possible a variety of
backgrounds, particularly considering groups which are
traditionally underrepresented.
- The IMA educates mathematicians at the start of their
career and after they have been well-established. Its programs
not only help mathematicians to extend their expertise, but
also to broaden their perspective on the utility and impact of
mathematics in science and technology. It enables them to
become essential participants in interdisciplinary
collaborations.
- The IMA enriches the education of the next generation of
mathematical scientists by introducing graduate students to a
wide view of the role of mathematics.
Mechanisms. The IMA employs a variety of programmatic mechanisms. Among
these are:
- Annual Thematic Programs lasting
10 months and involving on the order of 1,000 participants including long-term,
medium-term and short-term visitors, coming from academia, industry, and government.
Each year involves a number of periods of intense activity such as workshops,
tutorials, panel discussions, public lectures, etc., separated by periods
for less structured interaction and research.
- Summer Programs typically lasting
2-7 weeks and involving on the order of 100 participants.
- Special workshops and Hot Topics Workshops, short
programs which can be launched quickly as necessary to respond to areas of
particular interest or opportunity.
- Participating Institution Conferences.
- Participating Institution Graduate Student
Summer Programs.
- Industrial Math Modeling for Graduate Students.
-
IMA
Postdoctoral Fellowships
and
IMA Industrial Postdoctoral
Fellowships.
- The IMA Participating Corporations and Participating
Institutions program.
- The IMA website and IMA
publications.
- A variety of seminars and seminar series.
- A variety of outreach activities by the directors, postdocs,
and associated faculty of the IMA.
The Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications
is located at the University
of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, Lind Hall. It enjoys
a close affiliation with the School of Mathematics,
the Institute of Technology, and the Minnesota
Center for Industrial Mathematics.
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