
- The CRM Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), comprising distinguished international mathematicians, held its annual meeting from July 8th to 10th, coinciding with CRM’s 40th anniversary, focusing on advising CRM’s strategic direction and evaluating its research program.
- We spoke with Robert MacKay, chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, about the changes and challenges that the CRM has experienced in recent years.
The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the CRM held its annual meeting from July 8th to 10th. This body is crucial for advising on the strategic direction and shaping the scientific program of the centre. The SAB comprises distinguished scientists from prestigious institutions worldwide, including Professor Nicolas Brunel from Duke University, Professor Helen Byrne from Oxford University, Professor Albert Cohen from Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Professor Kathryn Hess from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Professor Ari Laptev from Imperial College London, Professor Gábor Lugosi from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Professor Alessandra Micheletti from Università degli Studi di Milano, Professor Carmen Miguel from Universitat de Barcelona, Professor Peregrina Quintela from Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Professor Mikhail Sodin from Tel Aviv University, and Professor Katrin Wendland from Trinity College Dublin.
This year’s meeting was particularly significant as it coincided with CRM’s 40th anniversary. Established in 1984, CRM has grown into a leading institution for mathematical research in Spain and beyond. Speaking with Professor Robert MacKay, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) for the past four years and a faculty member at the University of Warwick, he emphasized the board’s role in shaping CRM’s strategic direction.
“The role of the CRM Advisory Board is to advise the director and the management of the centre on its research agenda and to carry out evaluations of research done at CRM,” MacKay explained. He highlighted the recent shift towards a more structured assessment process, which now includes formal evaluations of research staff as well as approval of the affiliation of researchers from three of the universities in Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Navigating Challenges and Embracing Change
CRM has faced numerous challenges in the last few years, particularly in aligning with local, national, and international funding systems. MacKay, who first visited the CRM as an invited researcher in 1987, pointed out that centre “has had to reinvent itself to fit with what the funding agencies would like to see, particularly through the affiliation process.” With over 80 affiliated researchers, CRM boasts a broad range of research topics as well. Balancing this diversity, from pure mathematics to applied fields, requires careful coordination.
MacKay stressed the importance of maintaining an open dialogue between different research groups to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. “There is a big difference in approach between some of the more traditional “pure” mathematicians and those involved in real-world applications,” MacKay said. “Encouraging more integration is important, as mathematical tools developed for pure interest can often be applied to real-world problems and real-world problems can stimulate new mathematics.”
CRM’s capacity to attract international talent is a testament to its strong research groups and unique opportunities for PhD students and postdocs. The centre provides a distinctive experience compared to classical universities, making it an attractive destination for budding mathematicians. “We had the pleasure of speaking with some of the CRM PhD and Postdoctoral researchers during the SAB meeting. The strong research groups at CRM, including the broader CRM with the affiliations, make it an attractive place to be.” MacKay stated.
Looking to the future, “The opportunity is there to be a leading research centre for mathematics in Catalonia and internationally,” MacKay noted. “The challenges seem to be mainly at the bureaucratic level, in order to obtain funding and make the necessary agreements with agencies and other institutions needed for CRM’s effective operation.”
As CRM celebrates its 40th anniversary, it continues to build on its rich legacy, adapting to new scientific challenges and fostering a vibrant, interdisciplinary research community. The guidance from the Scientific Advisory Board and its members will be instrumental in navigating the path ahead and seizing the opportunities to further consolidate CRM’s standing in mathematical research.
Subscribe for more CRM News
|
CRM CommPau Varela & Mariona Fucho
|
Guillem Blanco rep el Premi José Luis Rubio de Francia 2024
Guillem Blanco, professor de la UPC i investigador adscrit al CRM, ha estat guardonat amb el Premi José Luis Rubio de Francia 2024 per les seves contribucions a la teoria de les singularitats i els D-mòduls. El jurat ha destacat, entre altres...
Hypatia 2025 Brings Together Young Researchers in Mathematics
The fourth edition of the Hypatia Graduate Summer School took place from 16 to 19 June 2025 in Barcelona. Addressed to PhD students, the school combined two advanced courses in number theory with a public colloquium, a film screening, and...
Javier Gómez Serrano collaborates with Terence Tao and DeepMind on an AI project to solve open mathematical problems
Javier Gómez Serrano, former CRM member and professor at Brown University, is working with Terence Tao and DeepMind on AlphaEvolve, an AI tool that uses code evolution to solve complex math problems. For him, it signals a shift in how research is...
Closing Session of the SIJIMat Seminar: A Celebration of Young Mathematical Talent
Four young researchers (S. Dhyr, A. Garcia, L. Unamuno and R.Homs) at CRM present their work in geometry, neuroscience, environmental statistics, and algebraic methods in the final SIJIMat session of the academic year.On June 12, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM)...
What is Open Science? From Data to Impact: Insights from the CRM
On June 11, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM) hosted the Open Science Day, bringing together researchers to explore the principles, challenges, and transformative potential of open science. With a central talk by Ignasi Labastida and a roundtable featuring...
The IRP on Modern Fourier Analysis moves forward with its main conference at CRM
For one intense week, the CRM auditorium became a meeting point for some of the most active researchers in modern Fourier analysis. From June 2 to June 6, 2025, the Conference on Modern Trends in Fourier Analysis brought together senior experts,...
Welcoming Eleven New Affiliated Researchers to the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica
From left to right, top to bottom: Carles Broto (UAB-CRM), Álvaro Corral (UAB-CRM), Wolfgang Pitsch (UAB-CRM), Richard Lang (UPC - CRM), Simeon Ball (UPC - CRM), Lluís Vena (UPC - CRM), Jorge Antezana (UB-CRM), Leticia Pardo (UB-CRM), Guillem Blanco (UPC - CRM),...
El CRM acull una nova sessió del programa Bojos per les Matemàtiques
Dissabte passat, el Centre de Recerca Matemàtica va acollir una sessió del programa Bojos per les Matemàtiques, adreçat a estudiants de batxillerat amb interès i talent per aquesta disciplina. Una vintena de participants van assistir a dues...
Núria Fagella, nova degana de la Facultat de Matemàtiques i Informàtica de la UB
La professora i investigadora Núria Fagella ha estat escollida nova degana electa de la Facultat de Matemàtiques i Informàtica de la Universitat de Barcelona. Especialista en dinàmica complexa i adscrita al Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, el seu...
El CRM apropa el cervell al públic a la Festa de la Ciència amb l’activitat “Neural Code”
Aquest cap de setmana, el Centre de Recerca Matemàtica ha participat a la 18a Festa de la Ciència de Barcelona amb l’activitat Neural Code, un taller interactiu per explorar com el cervell transforma els senyals neuronals en moviment. L’activitat, organitzada en...
The CRM hosts the Advanced Course on Modern Aspects of Fourier Analysis
From May 26 to May 30, 2025, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica (CRM) in Bellaterra welcomed more than 80 participants from institutions around the world for the Advanced Course on Modern Aspects of Fourier Analysis. The activity, held at the CRM Auditorium, was one of...
Could the Sun–Jupiter–Saturn System Truly Exist? A Computer-Assisted Approach Sheds New Light on Celestial Stability
Mathematicians Jordi-Lluís Figueras and Alex Haro have taken a step toward validating a long-standing astronomical hypothesis: that the Sun–Jupiter–Saturn system could sustain stable, quasiperiodic motion indefinitely, even in the face of chaotic...