The 2023 IHES Annual Report is now available online. Read the editorial by IHES President Marwan Lahoud below.
“When Léon Motchane founded IHES in Paris in 1958, he was absolutely convinced of the vital role fundamental scientific research played in contemporary society, and in particular, the rebuilding of France and Europe. Drawing inspiration from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Léon Motchane enjoyed support and advice from the scientists there, and especially its director, Robert Oppenheimer, a member of the IHES Scientific Council until his passing in 1967. From the very start, international scientific cooperation and a quest for borderless research were the two mainstays of IHES.
Aware of its history and the responsibility it entails, IHES welcomed the first meeting of support for the creation of the new International Centre for Mathematics in Ukraine (ICMU) in January 2023. Founded in November 2022 by a group of Ukrainian mathematicians gravitating around Masha Vlasenko and Maryna Viazovska, 2022 Fields medalist and former IHES postdoctoral researcher, ICMU aims to preserve mathematical research in Ukraine, and promote the emergence of scientific talent.
As is the case for IHES, ICMU has also included the values of scientific excellence and academic freedom in its statutes. And now, in the same way that IHES received support from IAS as the former was starting out, the Institute is proud to help launch the new ICMU. In addition to guidance on governance, several IHES scientists have become personally involved in the project, including Ahmed Abbes and Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, former IHES Director and now Honorary Professor, who was elected the first member of the ICMU Board of Directors.
Such commitments suggest lasting relationships between IHES and ICMU, as well as sustained scientific discussions. These are milestones in the life of an institute, as shown by IHES’ experience in the United States. To this day, a majority of IHES invited researchers come from American institutions, and the Institute can count on the loyal support of its partners and donors in the US. The unparalleled success of the Friends of IHES New York Gala in November 2023 is a perfect example. More than 1.2 million dollars was raised during a wonderful evening with an enchanting mix of jazz and physics. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly thank all IHES sponsors, as well our extended community of scientists, staff, Board members and friends of the Institute, who contributes to the sustainability of its model of curiosity-driven research – a source of inspiration for those who share these values.”
Photo credit: Chris Peus / IHES