The Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach (MFO) is an international mathematical research center that supports the dissemination of new knowledge in mathematics and its applications, the initiation of new research projects, and the interaction of leading junior and senior researchers. Annually nearly 3,000 selected scientific visitors engage in weeklong intensive research programs, which are monitored by an international scientific committee. The broad scope of the program at the MFO includes research topics in pure mathematics as well as a wide range of interdisciplinary topics that reflect mathematical techniques prevalent in all areas of science and technology. This award annually supports the participation in these programs of 100 US-based graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty within ten years of the PhD. Participation in the MFO programs gives these US Junior Oberwolfach Fellows the opportunity at an early stage of their careers to interact with top senior scientists from all over the world in an intense research atmosphere without distractions. In this way the next generation of US mathematicians receives training and access to senior colleagues at the highest level, benefitting the whole field.
The MFO runs its weeklong scientific activities in four central programs that cover all fields of mathematics, including applications in other sciences: the Oberwolfach Workshops, the Mini-Workshops, the Arbeitsgemeinschaften, and the Oberwolfach Seminars. The main scientific program consists of 40 weeklong workshops per year, each with about 50 participants, organized by leading experts selected by a scientific committee. The Mini-Workshop Program offers 12 weeklong mini-workshops with about 15 participants. In all workshops the US Junior Oberwolfach fellows have the opportunity to attend lectures, to work with senior participants, and possibly to present results of their own. In an Arbeitsgemeinschaft (Study Group) junior as well as senior researchers learn about a new active topic outside their current area of research by active presentations of the material. The six Oberwolfach Seminars are graduate schools organized by leading experts in the field and address Ph.D. students and postdocs from all over the world. On average, the project "US Junior Oberwolfach Fellows" allows the MFO to support two fellows per week from 2016 to 2021, for a total of 500 fellows over a five-year period.
