THE CRM: 50 years of shaping mathematical sciences in Canada

Mathematical reseach activities have dramatically increased over the last decade, acting on the course of reaseach in all human activities, as their applications now range from cryptography, web efficient search algorithms, decision-making policies and finance, to brain imaging, computational cell biology and quantum computing. Their applications to industry have increased accordingly. This proposal seeks the renewal of funding from NSERC to the CRM (Centre de Recherches Mathématiques), at a moment where this investment is most needed. Founded in 1968, the CRM was one of the very first institutes in the world and the first in Canada to launch annual or semester-long ``thematic programs ''. These programs bring together several hundred scientists from around the world for intensive sessions running over a few months to work on cutting edge research questions in pure and applied mathematical sciences. The rapidity with which important scientific results are now disseminated around the world and assimilated by researchers is a direct result of the creation of these programs by the CRM. With its world-renowned thematic programming, and outreach activities, with 1,500 scientific visitors from around the world annually, and ten laboratories directly involving 195 researchers from nine major universities in Quebec and Ontario and several hundreds of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, the Centre de recherches mathématiques (CRM) is a major hub for the mathematical sciences in the world. The dual structure on which the CRM is built -- top-level national and international scientific events operating in parallel with ten research laboratories -- is unique in the world. Every month, the CRM hosts in average four international workshops or conferences, eight colloquia in mathematics and statistics, and a hundred seminars on a wide variety of subjects. It has founded and inspired over the last decade many other organizations and one of the most performing NCE's in Canada. The CRM is a driving force in training, as well as in outreach to industry while remaining firmly rooted in the Canadian university system.