The Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM) is a national institute whose mission is to catalyze fundamental research in the mathematical sciences. Its focus is the fruitful interplay between mathematics and computers, developed through computation and experimentation. ICERM pursues this mission by supporting theoretical advances related to computation and by addressing mathematical problems posed by the use of the computer. Mathematics influences an ever-widening range of scientific and industrial enterprises - including cryptography, data analysis, fluid dynamics, image processing, and industrial design - and computation is at the heart of this interaction. The institute has a special focus on training the next generation in computational skills, preparing them for a variety of scientific careers. ICERM works to increase the participation of members of groups underrepresented in mathematics. To support these goals, it provides a sophisticated research infrastructure including access to high-performance computing and state-of-the-art software resources.
ICERM convenes leading scientists from academia and industry, together with students and early-career researchers, in programs that generate new mathematics and that accelerate the development of technology arising from new mathematics. The institute pursues its goals through semester-long programs, with support for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students; week-long workshops disseminating the latest research and catalyzing new collaborations; and team-based research programs exposing graduate and undergraduate students to experimental methodologies and computer-aided tools. Its independent Scientific Advisory Board chooses topics based on proposals from the scientific community; the resulting programs are open to students and researchers from across the country and around the world. ICERM supports data-driven explorations in both pure and applied areas of mathematics through a culture of open exchange of ideas and an environment rich in computational tools. The institute also hosts numerous outreach activities and public events showing the beauty and social impact of mathematical research and computational advances.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
