Workshop

Mathematics relies on its journal literature as the main conduit for peer review and dissemination of research, and it does so more heavily and differently than other scientific fields. The conflict between universal access and the traditional subscription model that funds the journals has been debated for the past decade, while hard data on financial sustainability and usage under the different models has been slow to appear. However the last ten years have seen the move from print to the electronic version of journals becoming the version of record, and the workshop plans to take an evidence-based approach to discussing dissemination, access and usage of mathematics journals. The workshop will discuss what is important and unique to the publishing of mathematical research articles and how we can best ensure that publishing practices support peer reviewed research in the long term. Much of the current discussion is taking place between funders and publishers, including learned societies, but not directly with mathematicians. A second goal is to see if we can find a consensus of opinion on what is important about journal publishing to mathematicians, i.e., where the balance lies between the desire for profits from publishing and the broader dissemination of research. Report Update March 29, 2011: A "white paper" is available for download here. Invited speakers Sir John Ball (University of Oxford, UK) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques - IHES, France) David Clark (Elsevier) Jim Crowley (Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) David Gabai (Princeton University and Annals of Mathematics) Robert Guralnick (University of Southern California) Susan Hezlet (London Mathematical Society, UK) Carol Hutchins (Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences) Rob Kirby (University of California, Berkeley) Hans Koelsch (Springer) Matthias Kreck (University of Bonn) Angus Macintyre (Queen Mary College, University of London, UK) Paolo Mangiafico (Duke University) Don McClure (American Mathematical Society) Sam Rankin (American Mathematical Society) Bernard Teissier (Jussieu Institute of Mathematics, France) John Vaughn (Association of American Universities) Mira Waller (Project Euclid, joint venture between Cornell University Library and Duke University Press) Tom Ward (University of East Anglia) Accommodation A block of rooms has been reserved at the Rose Garden Inn. Reservations may be made by calling 1-800-992-9005 OR directly on their website. Click on Corporate at the bottom of the screen and when prompted enter code MATH (this code is not case sensitive). By using this code a new calendar will appear and will show MSRI rate on all room types available. The cut-off date for reservations is January 31, 2011. New, completely renovated Hotel Shattuck Plaza has rooms available for you! MSRI’s preferred rate is $131. Guests can either call the hotel’s main line, 510-845-7300, and ask for the MSRI rate or go to http://www.hotelshattuckplaza.com, click on "Corporate Rates" in the reservation screen and type the code msri10. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hotel Durant. Please mention the workshop name and reference the following code when making reservations via phone, fax or e-mail: MSRIRANDOMMATRIX. If you are making your reservations on line, please go to Hotel Durant website, choose your dates of stay and enter the "123MSRI" promo code in the box. The cut-off date for reservations is January 12, 2011. The rate is $110 per night plus tax.