About MSRI

The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) is dedicated to the advancement and communication of fundamental knowledge in mathematics and the mathematical sciences, to the development of human capital for the growth and use of such knowledge, and to the cultivation in the larger society of awareness and appreciation of the beauty, power and importance of mathematical ideas and ways of understanding the world.

From its beginning in 1982 the Institute has been primarily funded by the NSF with additional support from other government agencies, private foundations, and academic and corporate Sponsors. Now more than 1500 mathematical scientists visit MSRI each year, many for substantial periods.

National Science Foundation Annual Reports

• 2005-06 (PDF file 2.3MB)
• 2006-07 (PDF file 4.1MB)
• 2007-08 (PDF file 10.3MB)

MSRI is governed administratively by a Board of Trustees. The trustees are drawn from academia, government labs, and the business world. The Board receives input from its Committee of Academic Sponsors (CAS) that represents over 80 of the leading research departments across the country. The Board provides guidance through the work of 11 trustees committees:

Audit Committee: Calvin Moore, Chair; Robion Kirby, Roger Strauch (ex officio, Treasurer)

Committee on Public Understanding: Dusa McDuff, Chair; Andrea Bertozzi, Ruth Charney, Dan Freed, Jeff Goodby, Julius Krevans

Committee on Women in Mathematics: Ruth Charney, Chair; Andrea Bertozzi, Jennifer Chayes, Ricardo Cortez, Tom Leighton, Dusa McDuff, Peter Sarnak

Committee on Trustees: Charles Fefferman, Chair; Robert Bryant, David Eisenbud, Phillip Griffiths, Will Hearst, Morris Kalka (ex officio), Sheldon Katz (ex officio), Lucy Sanders, Hugo Sonnenschein

Corporate Partners Committee: Edward Baker, Chair; Elwyn Berlekamp, Jennifer Chayes, Jerry Fiddler, Maria Klawe, Julius Krevans, Lucy Sanders, Myron Scholes, Nat Simons, Hugo Sonnenschein, Andrew Viterbi

Development Committee: Julius Krevans, Chair; Edward Baker, Elwyn Berlekamp, Jennifer Chayes, Charles Fefferman, William R. Hearst III (ex officio), Maria Klawe, Tom Leighton, Douglas Lind (ex officio), Andrew Viterbi

Education Committee: Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Chair; Maria Klawe, Julius Krevans, Tom Leighton

Finance Committee: Roger Strauch, Chair; Ed Baker, Charles Fefferman, Jerry Fiddler, Enrico Hernandez (CFO, ex officio), Julius Krevans, Sandor Straus

Investment Committee: Ed Baker, Chair; Myron Scholes, Sandor Straus

Recompetition Committee: Charles Fefferman, Chair; Hélène Barcelo, Robert Bryant, Robert Calderbank, Ricardo Cortez, Phillip Griffiths, Maria Klawe, Kathy O’Hara, Roger Strauch

Steering Committee: Charles Fefferman, Chair (Chair of the Board of Trustees); Edward Baker (Secretary, Board of Trustees), Hélène Barcelo (Deputy Director), Robert Bryant (Director), Helmut Hofer (SAC Co-Chair), Carlos Kenig (SAC Co-Chair), Morris Kalka (CAS Chair), Julius Krevans (Vice Chair, Board of Trustees), Kathy O’Hara (Associate Director), Roger Strauch (Treasurer, Board of Trustees)

The executive functions of the trustees are handled by the Steering Committee, drawn from the trustees, sponsors, SAC. MSRI's scientific programs are overseen by a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of leading mathematical scientists. MSRI is also advised by specialized committees of experts, including the Educational Advisory Committee (EAC) and the Human Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC).

MSRI wishes to thank those who are part of its history and future…

Founders:
Calvin Moore
Shiing-Shen Chern
I. M. Singer

Chairs of the Board:
Hyman Bass (10/3/81–9/30/85)
Hugo Rossi (10/1/85–3/19/89)
John Morgan (3/20/89–3/31/94)
Elwyn Berlekamp (4/1/94–3/31/98)
Dusa McDuff (4/1/98–3/31/01)
Robert Bryant (4/1/01–3/31/04)
Donald Saari (4/1/2004-3/31/2007)
Charles Fefferman (4/1/2007-3/31/2010)

Directors:
Shiing-Shen Chern (10/1/1981–8/31/1984)
Irving Kaplansky (9/1/1984–6/30/1992)
William Thurston (7/1/1992–6/30/1997)
David Eisenbud (7/1/1997–7/31/2007)
Robert Bryant (8/1/2007-7/31/2012)

Deputy Directors:
Calvin Moore (10/1/1981–7/1/1985)
Robion Kirby (7/1/1985–4/20/1987)
P. Emery Thomas (4/20/1987–8/30/1990)
Robert Osserman (9/1/1990–8/31/1995)
Lenore Blum (9/1/1992–6/30/1997)
Tsit-Yuen Lam (8/15/1995–7/31/1997)
Carol Wood (8/1/1996–7/31/1997)
Hugo Rossi (8/1/1997–7/31/1999 and 8/1/2003–8/1/2005)
Joe Buhler (8/1/1999–7/31/2001)
Michael Singer (8/1/2000–7/1/2002; Acting Director, 7/1/2002–7/1/2003)
Robert Megginson (7/1/2002–7/31/2004)
Matthew Miller (Associate Director, 8/11/2004–12/31/2004)
Lance Small (Associate Director, 4/1/2005–4/1/2006)
Gadiel Seroussi (Associate Director, 10/15/2005–7/31/2006)
Hugo Rossi (8/1/2003-7/31/2007)
Julius Zelmanowitz (7/1/2006-6/30/2008)
Kathleen O'Hara (Associate Director, 8/1/2006-7/31/2009)
Hélène Barcelo (7/1/2008-6/30/2010)

…and many other distinguished mathematicians and scientists.

MSRI FACT SHEET

March 7, 2009

The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) in Berkeley, California, is internationally renowned as a center for mathematics research and postdoctoral education. The Institute hosts about 80 researchers in residence at any given time, each a leader in his or her field. They participate in scientific workshops and programs that target the world's most challenging scientific problems and that last up to one academic year. The Institute is an independent non-profit organization that enjoys extensive support from individuals, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and more than 90 universities and institutions. An indication of MSRI's reputation is that since its founding in 1982, the Institute has been one of the largest single projects of the National Science Foundation's Division of Mathematical Sciences. MSRI is now also the largest single project of the National Security Agency's mathematics program. In addition to pure and applied research, MSRI informs the public about mathematics and hosts an annual workshop in K-12 mathematics education. MSRI public events include the "MSRI Conversations With..." series and public lectures and concerts. MSRI sponsors programs for middle and high school students and their teachers, including weekly Math Circles and Circles for Teachers, the Bay Area Mathematics Olympiad, the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival, and a team to the China Girls Math Olympiad. MSRI relies upon private support to fund these programs. Individuals, corporations and foundations can support MSRI through grants, and through membership in the Institute's Archimedes Society and Corporate Partners Program. For more information, please contact the Development Office at 510-643-6056; Corporate Relations at 510-642-0771; or Media Relations at 510-642-0448.

Background & Purpose

• Established in 1982 in Berkeley, California
• Located above the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, as an independent, non-profit, research institute. Sponsored by more than 90 universities and institutions around the world
• Dedicated to the advancement of research in pure, applied, andinterdisciplinary mathematics
• Recognized as the world's premier center for collaborative research spanning all branches of mathematical sciences and the site of breakthroughs in mathematics leading to progress in science, technology, medicine and economics
• Hosts over 2,000 annual scientific visits by mathematicians from the U.S. and abroad, including many recipients of the Fields Medal and the Abel Prize
• Trains the next generation of researchers through post doctoral fellowships in mathematics
• Provides K-12 education programs for students and training for educators
• Actively recruits women and underrepresented minorities to participate in its programs
• Generates public appreciation of mathematics through innovative scientific, literary, musical, and other cultural events

Resources & Programs

MSRI Research Program 2009-2012

• Major Programs: The Institute's Scientific Advisory Committee selects major programs several years in advance. The following programs have been selected for 2009-12:
  • Algebraic Geometry (2009)
  • Symplectic and Contact Geometry and Topology (2009-2010)
  • Tropical Geometry (2009)
  • Homology Theories of Knots and Links (2010)
  • Random Matrix Theory, Interacting Particle Systems and Integrable Systems (2010)
  • Inverse Problems and Applications (2010)
  • Free Boundary Problems, Theory and Applications (2011)
  • Arithmetic Statistics (2011)
  • Quantitative Geometry (2012)
  • Random Spatial Processes (2012)
• Many Workshops Related to the Programs
• 2009 Summer Graduate Workshops:
  • Toric Varieties
  • IAS/PCMI Program: The Arithmetic of L-functions
  • Random Matrix Theory
  • Inverse Problems
  • Computational Theory of Real Reductive Groups (Salt Lake City)
  • Symplectic and Contact Geometry and Topology
• MSRI-UP - a summer undergraduate program for under-represented minority students
• Workshops at Banff International Research Station, Alberta, Canada (http://www.pims.math.ca/birs): A partnership between MSRI and the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS)

K-12 Mathematics Education Programs

• Conferences on critical issues in K-12 mathematics education
  • 2004 - Assessing Students' Mathematical Knowledge: Issues, Costs and Benefits
  • 2005 - The Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (K-8): Why, What, and How?
  • 2006 - Raising the Floor: Progress and Setbacks in the Struggle for Quality Mathematics Education for All
  • 2007 - Teaching Teachers Mathematics
  • 2008 - Learning and Teaching Algebra
  • 2009 - Teaching Undergraduates Mathematics
• Math Circles for middle and high school students
• Bay Area Mathematical Olympiad (about 350 contestants/year)
• Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival & Problem Solving Challenge
• Sponsors USA team to the China Girls Math Olympiad
• MSRI Mathematical Circles Library

MSRI Biology Colloquia

• Biology for Mathematicians
  
• Dr. Arnold Levine, Evolution of Influenza Viruses (2006)
• Dr. Mimi Koehl, Sniffing by Hairy Noses (2007)
• Dr. Robert Schleif, Information Storage and Retrieval of Functions of DNA (2007)
• Dr. Sidney Brenner, Biology, the Art of the Satisfactory and Drowning in a Sea of Data and Thirsting for Knowledge (2007)
• Dr. Alan Perelson, How Mathematics Provides Information About HIV/(2007)
• Dr. Garrett Odell, For Making Genetic Networks Operate Robustly, Unintelligent Non-Design Suffices (2008)

MSRI Climate Change

• Symposium on Climate Change: from Global Models to Local Action (2007)
• Climate Change Summer School (2008)
• Economic Games and Mechanisms to Address Climate Change (2009)

Public Programs

• Lectures open to the public and usually free-of-charge
• Community events on mathematical topics:
  • Good News Everyone, Mathematical Writers from The Simpsons and Futurama
  • Funny Numbers: An Evening with Steve Martin in Conversation with Bob Osserman, with actors Steve Martin and Robin Williams
  • Tomography to Toy Story
  • Mathematics in Arcadia with playwright Tom Stoppard
  • Theater, Science and History in "Copenhagen" with playwright Michael Frayn
  • Cinemath, a MSRI film festival
  • From Einstein to Koyaanisqatsi - Philip Glass in conversation with Bob Osserman
  • A Beautiful Mind with author Sylvia Nasar and mathematician Dave Bayer
  • The Shape of Space - MacArthur Fellow Jeff Weeks
  • Fractals and Financial Markets - A Conversation with Benoit Mandelbrot
  • Geometry and Physics: From Plato to Hawking - 20th Anniversary Lecture by Sir Michael Atiyah
  • Before the Big Bang: a Radical Solution to the Mystery of the Second Law of Thermodynamics - Simons Auditorium Inaugural lecture by Sir Roger Penrose
  • M*A*T*H - Alan Alda in conversation with Bob Osserman

Music and Mathematics

• The Art of Fugue, Davitt Moroney, Harpsichordist
• Christopher Taylor in Conversation with Bob Osserman
• St. Lawrence String Quartet
• The John Cage Legacy: Chance in Music and Mathematics, the Merce Cuningham Dance Company
• Cavani String Quartet and pianist Sharon Mann
• Elizabeth Blumenstock, One is One and All Alone, violin
• Tanya Tomkins, One is One and All Alone, Baroque cello
• Marcus du Sautoy, Music of the Primes
• Christopher Taylor in Conversation with David Benson and Bob Osserman

On Video/DVD

• Funny Numbers: An Evening with Steve Martin in Conversation with Robert Osserman
• Mathematics in Arcadia: Tom Stoppard in Conversation with Robert Osserman
• porridge pulleys and Pi (biographical video on Vaughan Jones and Hendrik Lenstra, 2001 MSRI program leaders)
• Galileo: A Dialog on Science, Mathematics, History and Drama
• Fermat's Last Theorem: The Theorem and Its Proof - An Exploration of Issues and Ideas (from the Fermat Fest)
• Documentation of MSRI conferences (DVD format)

Publications

• 250 papers developed annually by MSRI members
• Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Publications, a book series in 55 volumes published by the Cambridge University Press
• Emissary Newsletter in the Fall and Spring
• Bimonthly Outlook by e-mail

MSRI Web Site

• 1,000,000 web site hits/month at www.msri.org
• Free archives available for viewing or downloading:
  • VMath Archive (streaming video system) of MSRI lectures: the world's largest streaming video collection of mathematics lectures - over 3,000 hours
  • Scientific graphics project imagery and research papers
  • Full text of MSRI books (Cambridge University Press)
  • On-line newsletters
• Updated, comprehensive calendar of MSRI programs, on-line publications, media coverage, proposal and application information, fellowship opportunities

Facilities

• Three-story building located above the UC Berkeley campus (enlarged in 2006 to 35,000 sq. ft.), houses the Simons Auditorium, Edward D. Baker Board Room, Austine McDonnell Hearst library, Strauch Auditorium Outlook, Hearst Foundation Library Video Room, and office facilities.

Funding

• One of the largest single projects funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Mathematical Sciences
• Supported by the National Security Agency; and the National Science Foundation, Directorate of Education and Human Resources
• Archimedes Society (annual campaign)
• Museion donor level Dinner Lectures in Berkeley and New York
• Gauss Society (planned giving)
• Corporate Partners
• Capital campaign (target $7.3M; actual $11.9M)
• Simons Endowment Challenge ($10 million endowment: $5 million challenge grant)
• Support from more than 90 Academic Sponsors who send graduate students to summer programs and participate in governance
• And with grants from:
  • Simons Foundation
  • Kresge Foundation
  • Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation
  • Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
  • Hearst Foundation
  • Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
  • Mosse Foundation for Arts and Education
  • Sea Change Foundation
  • Clay Mathematics Institute
  • Math for America
  • Koret Foundation
  • Noyce Foundation
  • Moody's Foundation
  • Microsoft Research
  • Texas Instruments
  • Google
  • Pixar Animation Studios
  • Hewlett-Packard
  • Pacific Journal of Mathematics
  • IBM Almaden Research Center
  • Intel
  • Akamai
  • Akamai Foundation
  • CME Group
  • DE Shaw and Company
  • Firedoll Foundation
  • Maplesoft
  • Mathematical Association of America
  • Number Theory Foundation
  • SS Chern Foundation for Mathematical Research
  • Sunlin and Priscilla Chou Foundation
  • The Getty Foundation
  • Wolfram Research
  • John Templeton Foundation

Endowments, Special Research Appointments, and Awards

• The Cha Family Endowment for Scholars, a gift of Johnson M. D. Cha, supporting visiting mathematicians living in (or who are citizens of) China, Taiwan or Hong Kong
• S. S. Chern Endowment supports visiting mathematicians from China
• Clay Senior Scholars, distinguished visiting scholars supported by the Clay Mathematics Institute
• The Eisenbud Professorship, a gift of The Simons Foundation, supports distinguished visiting professors to MSRI
• Simons Foundation Endowment, a gift of Jim and Marilyn Simons, provides general operating support to MSRI
• Simons Visiting Professors, a gift of The Simons Foundation, supports distinguished professors at MSRI
• Viterbi Endowed Postdoctoral Scholars, a gift of Andrew and Erna Viterbi and the Viterbi Family Foundation, supports postdoctoral scholars at MSRI
• Anonymous Fund, supports coffee mugs for members at MSRI
• CME Group/MSRI Prize in Innovative Quantitative Applications, awarded annually to an individual or a group, to recognize the vital impact quantitative research and application play in shaping global financial markets

MSRI Points of Excellence

March 2009

• MSRI is the world’s premier center for collaborative research across the whole spectrum of the mathematical sciences.


• MSRI is an acknowledged leader of activities for the public understanding of mathematics. These popular events include interviews with playwrights (Tom Stoppard, Arcadia; Michael Frayn, Copenhagen; David Auburn, Proof), musicians (Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Christopher Taylor) and public personalities (Funny Numbers with Steve Martin and Robin Williams, M*A*T*H with Alan Alda). These events are nationally distributed in a unique series of videos.


• For over twenty-five years, MSRI has been one of the largest single projects of the Division of Mathematical Sciences of the National Science Foundation.


• MSRI is the largest non-classified mathematics project of the National Security Agency, which supports the Institute as the best resource for strengthening the pool of mathematicians available to assist the government.


• MSRI is one of the world’s most sought after and successful centers for postdoctoral training.


• MSRI is the primary model for institutes in Canada, England, Russia, Korea, and Singapore.


• MSRI's "VMath" archive of mathematical lectures in video is by far the world's largest. It contains talks by the majority of today's great mathematicians.


• MSRI has hosted every Fields Medalist since the Institute was opened in 1982. (The Fields Medal is Mathematics' version of the Nobel Prize.)


• Some 2000 scientific visits to MSRI each year, by mathematicians from around the world, make the Institute an ideal center for sharing information and spreading ideas through the mathematical community.


• With more than 90 Academic Sponsors, MSRI has the broadest base of community support of any mathematics institute in the world.


• MSRI is one of the few world centers involved in the entire spectrum of mathematical activity, with programs ranging from K-12 mathematics and public understanding of mathematics to the most advanced current research. MSRI leads the nation in the development of math circles for top tier students as well as for students just learning to love and engage deeply in mathematics.


• MSRI's physical plant, with its Simons Auditorium, over 40 offices, and striking views of San Francisco Bay, is one of the most desirable mathematics destinations in the world.


• MSRI has the strongest program of outreach to minorities of any United States mathematics institute. Led by a committee of distinguished minority mathematicians, its successes range from the first Conference of African American Researchers in the mathematical sciences to residential summer programs for under-represented undergraduates considering careers in research, to after school math programs in impacted school districts, and to the highly successful series of workshops held at the SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans in Science) national conference to raise the awareness of upcoming MSRI programs in a group that might not otherwise participate in these activities.


• MSRI has become a magnet for private philanthropic support of mathematics, as witnessed by the successful completion in 2004 of a $12,000,000 capital campaign for building improvements and the launching of a $10,000,000 drive for endowment.