EMS Digest, Nr 42

The EMS was founded in 1990 in Madralin near Warsaw (Poland). This celebratory event was originally planned for October 2020, but postponed due to the pandemic.

The list of contributors can be found [on the event's webpage (link).](https://www.icms.org.uk/events/2022/european-mathematical-society-30th-anniversary-meeting)

This will be a hybrid event, with both in person and online participation possible. Registration for both types of particiaption is now open at the [on the event's webpage (link).](https://www.icms.org.uk/events/2022/european-mathematical-society-30th-anniversary-meeting)



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European Mathematical Society 30th Anniversary Celebration

George Lusztig 1

George Lusztig wins the 2022 Wolf Prize in Mathematics


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Mathematicians against war

President of the Russian Federation

V. V. Putin

Mr. President!

We, mathematicians working in the Russian Federation, strongly protest against the military invasion of the territory of Ukraine launched by the Russian army on February 24, 2022.

The standard of living in a country and its position in the world are largely determined by the level of its science. Scientists around the world are working on problems that have no national and territorial restrictions, for the well-being of all mankind; international cooperation, lack of borders for the dissemination of knowledge and humanistic values are the foundation on which science is built. Our long-standing efforts to strengthen the reputation of Russia as a leading mathematical centre have been completely devalued in consequence of unprovoked military aggression initiated by our country.

Mathematics has always been one of the few areas of fundamental science in which Russia has maintained a leading world position. As confirmation of this, Russia was supposed to host the most prestigious mathematical conference in the world, the International Congress of Mathematicians, in the summer of 2022. The International Mathematical Union cancelled this decision in connection with the Russian attack on Ukraine. In a situation where our country has become a military aggressor and, as a result, a rogue state, Russia's leading positions in world mathematics will be irretrievably lost.

In the orders of the President of December 4, 2020, mathematics was named a priority area for the development of the Russian Federation; goals were identified both in the field of fundamental science and in education. These goals, of course, cannot be achieved in the current conditions, when the lives of our closest colleagues – scientists in Ukraine, with whom we have been connected by many years of successful joint work, are daily exposed to danger, the source of which is the Russian army, and when Russia has found itself in international isolation, without the possibility of intensive scientific exchange and cooperation with scientists from other countries.

We are convinced that no geopolitical interests can justify casualties and bloodshed. War will only make the country lose its future, for which we work.

We demand an immediate cessation of military actions and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine.

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Translated from [here (link)](https://trv-science.ru/2022/02/mathematicians-against-war/), the webpage of the Russian scientific publication, *Troitsky Variant*. The original text follows.
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Президенту Российской Федерации

В. В. Путину

Господин президент!

Мы, учёные-математики, работающие в Российской Федерации, выражаем решительный протест против военного вторжения на территорию Украины, начатого российской армией 24 февраля 2022 года.

Уровень жизни в стране и её положение в мире во многом определяются уровнем её науки. Ученые всего мира работают над задачами, не имеющими национальных и территориальных ограничений, ради благополучия всего человечества; международное сотрудничество, отсутствие границ для распространения знаний и гуманистические ценности — основа, на которой строится наука. Наши многолетние усилия по укреплению репутации России как ведущего математического центра полностью обесценены в результате неcпровоцированной военной агрессии, инициатором которой выступила наша страна.

Математика всегда была одной из немногих областей фундаментальной науки, в которых Россия сохраняла ведущие мировые позиции. Как подтверждение этого, Россия должна была принять летом 2022 года самую престижную математическую конференцию в мире — Международный конгресс математиков. Международный математический союз отменил это решение в связи с нападением России на Украину. В ситуации, когда наша страна стала военным агрессором и, как следствие, страной-изгоем, лидерские позиции России в мировой математике будут безвозвратно утрачены.

В поручениях Президента от 4 декабря 2020 года математика была названа приоритетным направлением развития Российской Федерации; были обозначены цели как в области фундаментальной науки, так и в образовании. Эти цели, безусловно, не могут быть достигнуты в текущих условиях, когда жизни наших ближайших коллег — ученых в Украине, с которыми нас связывают многие годы успешной совместной работы, ежедневно подвергаются опасности, источником которой является российская армия, а Россия оказалась в международной изоляции, без возможности интенсивного научного обмена и кооперации с учёными из других стран.

Мы убеждены, что никакие геополитические интересы не могут служить оправданием жертв и кровопролития. Война приведёт лишь к утрате страной её будущего, ради которого мы работаем.

Мы требуем немедленного прекращения боевых действий и вывода российских войск с территории Украины.


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Text taken from [here (link)](https://trv-science.ru/2022/02/mathematicians-against-war/), the webpage of the Russian scientific publication, *Troitsky Variant*.

Open letter from Russian mathematicians against the war in Ukraine

The European Mathematical Society (EMS) supports the European Union’s consistent action against Russia's attack on Ukraine, which is in violation of international law. The EMS regards the Russian invasion as an attack on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy and self-determination, which in turn provide the basis for academic freedom and opportunities for academic cooperation. We are in strong solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our mathematical colleagues.

Although we believe strongly in international scientific cooperation, at this stage we recommend that academic cooperation with state institutions and business enterprises in Russia are frozen and no new cooperations should be initiated at the present time. The EMS  is aware of the consequences of these measures and at the same time deeply regrets them for science. In this direction our solidarity also goes to our long-standing Russian partners and scholars who are themselves horrified at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.


Statement: European Mathematical Society solidarity with partners in Ukraine – consequences for the mathematical community

Note that that issue was published before the recent decision to change ICM 2022 into a purely online event, as discussed [here (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/news/statement-of-the-executive-board-of-the-european-mathematical-society-on-icm-2022-in-russia-54).

Highlights include:

- A [new year message (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/articles/mag-63) from EMS President Volker Mehrmann, a message from the EMS Executive Committee, and a message regarding predatory publishing practices.

- Jochen Glück on [Evolution equations with eventually positive solutions (link).](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/issues/123) "This eventual positivity phenomenon has recently been discovered for various classes of differential equations, but so far a general theory to explain this type of behaviour exists only under additional spectral assumptions."

- Jean-Paul Allouche writes about [T. Tao and the Syracuse conjecture (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/articles/mag-64). Also known as Collatz's conjecture and the *3x+1* conjecture, this notorious mathematical problem needs no introduction, but has seen some recent progress by Terence Tao. (The EMS thanks _La Gazette des Mathématiciens_ for permission to publish this English translation of an [article from April 2021 (link)](https://smf.emath.fr/publications/la-gazette-des-mathematiciens-168-avril-2021). The author thanks Miriam Gellrich Pedra and Jean-Bernard Bru for their translation.)

- José Francisco Rodrigues discusses [Portuguese mathematical typography: A brief overview from 1496 until 1987 (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/articles/mag-68). The article follows a recent exihibition in Leiria (Portugal), and contains many fascinating photographs of historical documents.

- Tsou Sheung Tsun [remembers Andreas Griewank (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/articles/mag-69), a long-term and valued member of the EMS' s Committee for Developing Countries, who died unexpectedly last September, and is much missed.

- Eugenie Hunsicker reports from [the online panel on Gender Balance in Mathematics (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/articles/mag-71) which took place on 22 June, 2021 as part of the European Congress. 

There is much more besides, so please [click through (link)](https://euromathsoc.org/magazine/issues/123) and have a read!


EMS Magazine No. 123

UPDATE (26/2/2022): The International Mathematical Union has announced that the International Congress of Mathematicians July 2022 will be held fully (and freely) online, instead of in Russia. Full statement [from the IMU at this link](https://www.mathunion.org/fileadmin/IMU/ICM2022/ICM_2022_statement.pdf).

The EMS is an affiliate member of the IMU, and the EMS Executive Commitee welcomes this decision.

Statement of the Executive Board of the European Mathematical Society on ICM 2022 in Russia

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EMS Council Meeting, 25-26 June 2022, Bled

The congress will take place in a hybrid format, with participation both in person and online.

The main events of the congress are 9 plenary lectures addressed to all participants and 15-20 parallel sessions focusing on a particular topic or area in mathematics, including probability theory and statistics, and the history of mathematics. A typical session will include presentations and discussions on two afternoons.

We hereby invite proposals for sessions. A successful proposal should be organised by a group of 2-4 mathematicians, preferably with one member coming from a Nordic country and one member coming from a non-Nordic European country.

The following points should be addressed in a proposal:
-	Session title
-	List of organisers with affiliation, e-mail address and information on how the organisers plan to participate; in person (preferred) or online
-	A brief description of the (fairly broad) session topic or area
-	A short list of potential contributors to the session

The congress has no funds for financing sessions but will provide logistic support, including enabling the hybrid format.

Proposals should be submitted to the chair of the Scientific Committee, Arne Jensen, matarne@math.aau.dk. Deadline: 1 September 2022.

Shortly after the deadline the Scientific Committee will select up to 20 proposals for sessions at the congress.

The Scientific Committee has been appointed by the Nordic Mathematical Societies and by the European Mathematical Society. It consists of: Arne Jensen (Aalborg U; chair), Jana Björn (Linköping U), Martin Bridson (U Oxford), Rosa Donat (Basque C Appl. Math.), Tuomo Kuusi (U Helsinki), Eva Miranda (UP Catalunya & CRM Barcelona), Rögnvaldur Möller (U Iceland), and Volodya Roubtsov (U Angers).

Click on [this link for the congress's website.](http://ncm29.math.aau.dk/)

Nordic Congress Cube Logo 1

29th Nordic Congress - call for session proposals

Bessenrodt held the Chair of Algebra and Number Theory at The University of Hannover since 2002, and her distinguished career included being an invited speaker at the second European Congress in 1996 in Budapest. She was an active and valued member of the EMS, the DMV (the German Mathematical Society), and EWM (the society of European Women in Mathematics). For more, please read [the tribute at www.europeanwomeninmaths.org](https://www.europeanwomeninmaths.org/christine-bessenrodt-1958-2022/).

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