The American Mathematical Society (AMS) proposes to administer a travel grant program for U.S. mathematicians to attend the inaugural Mathematical Congress of the Americas (MCA 2013) in Guanajuato, Mexico, August 5-9, 2013. Funds are being requested to support the travel and lodging expenses of up to sixty U.S. mathematicians for this conference. It is expected that the standard amount for an award will be $1,600 for the invited speakers (senior mathematicians) and $1,800 for early career mathematicians. Awards will be made to U.S. mathematicians only. U.S. mathematicians are those who are affiliated with a U.S. institution, and must be affiliated with a U.S. institution at the time of travel.
The inaugural meeting of the Mathematical Congress of the Americas (MCA) will be held in Guanajuato, Mexico, on August 5-9, 2013. The conference will bring together mathematicians from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The MCA 2013 is open to all areas of the mathematical sciences, and it is expected that the program will cover a broad range of topics, including number theory, algebra, algebraic geometry, representation theory, dynamical systems, topology, differential geometry, probability and statistics, harmonic analysis, PDE, numerical analysis, computational mathematics, and applications of mathematics. The proposed travel grant program will provide travel support for both U.S.-based invited lecturers and early career mathematicians to attend the conference. The AMS has substantial experience in administering similar travel grant programs, and makes every effort to ensure representative distribution of awards to women and minority mathematicians, as well as geographic spread.
MCA 2013 will benefit future scientific research in the U.S. by increasing the interaction between research mathematicians from across the Americas; such face-to-face interaction at meetings helps research mathematicians to exchange new ideas and form connections with other researchers that often lead to future research collaborations, and so can be an invaluable experience for U.S. participants. Contact with mathematical scientists from other parts of the world is important not only for the education of future mathematicians, but also for the long-term health of mathematical research in the United States. Half of the travel awards are reserved for early career mathematicians as such travel support is often crucial for them to attend, and connecting with colleagues in other countries is especially important for mathematicians in the early stage of their careers as they establish their research programs. Efforts will be made to ensure that women and minorities receive full consideration to support their attendance.
PI: Ellen J Maycock, American Mathematical Society The American Mathematical Society received a total of US$105,000 to administer a travel grants program for U.S. mathematicians who attended the inaugural meeting of the Mathematical Congress of the Americas (MCA 2013). The MCA 2013 was held in Guanajuato, Mexico, on August 5-9, 2013. It is anticipated that the MCA will be a quadrennial event held in different countries of the Americas. Its goals are ambitious: to highlight the excellence of mathematical achievements in the Americas within the context of the international arena and to foster the scientific integration of all mathematical communities in the continent. This project was able to provide opportunities for research for those who attended the MCA 2013. One hundred and twelve applications were received (74 men, 35 women, 3 unknown). Sixty-three travel grants were awarded, of which 20 were awarded to women (an underrepresented group in mathematics). Thirty-one grants of US$1,600 each were awarded to invited speakers and thirty-two grants of US$1,800 each were awarded to early-career mathematicians (those within six years of their doctorate). The standard award was intended to cover travel and a portion of subsistence and/or registration fees, except in the case of early-career mathematicians, who were awarded a higher amount to cover more of their subsistence costs. Awards were made only to mathematicians who were affiliated with U.S. institutions. The MCA 2013 travel grants gave an opportunity for junior and senior U.S. mathematicians to learn about the latest advances in their fields, to present their own research, to meet mathematicians from other countries in the Americas, and to have the possibility of forming new research collaborations.
