Grant: Major Resources Support Program - Infrastructure

The Fields Institute is an international centre for mathematical research. Its mission is to promote interaction among mathematicians, and to develop collaboration between the mathematical sciences and users of mathematics in other sciences, education, business and industry. The Institute's semester-long thematic programmes bring the world's leading mathematical researchers together with students, postdoctoral fellows and young academics. This critical mass spurs major progress in the field; its impact stems in part from collaborations that continue beyond the term of the program. In addition, the Institute runs topical workshops both at its acclaimed headquarters building in Toronto and on the sites of its sponsoring and affiliated universities, comprising all the research universities in Ontario and several in the rest of Canada and abroad. The Institute is a window on the world for the Canadian mathematical community, and brings Canadian mathematics to the attention of the world community. Continued NSERC support forms the base (about one-third of the annual budget) that allows for planning and for leveraging of funds from other public and private sources, that support the Institute's additional efforts in building bridges to education and the public, and in bringing the power of mathematics to bear on industry and societal problems. Fields is one of a handful of international institutes that are changing the face of mathematical research. The additional funding requested in this proposal will increase postdoctoral support, anchoring the thematic programs even more in the research of tomorrow, and will increase general scientific activity in Ontario, raising the research sights of junior faculty and making international connections.