'It Was a Great Learning Experience for the New Generation of Mathematicians'
From November 5 to 9, 2024, HSE University hosted a five-day conference on algebraic geometry and mathematical physics, organised jointly with the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications. Over 30 mathematicians from the world's leading universities, including early-career scientists, participated in the event.
In terms of the quality of basic research, China today is in many ways on par with developed countries, and the Chinese government is making systematic efforts to advance mathematical science. Notably, three years ago, the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA) was established, bringing together world-renowned scientists from various countries.
Nicolai Reshetikhin
'The development gradient has been positive for at least the past three years, during which I have observed it from the inside,' said conference participant Nicolai Reshetikhin, a prominent American and Russian mathematician currently working at BIMSA. 'China's top universities are undoubtedly serious partners for leading Russian universities. We have much to learn from each other and should create interesting joint projects. This is a wonderful opportunity not to be missed.'
Last summer, HSE University began active collaboration with BIMSA. The first joint event, the Geometry and Physics Conference, was held in Moscow and featured an hour-long presentation by Professor Shing-Tung Yau, the world-renowned mathematician and president of BIMSA. This summer, a workshop was held in Beijing in memory of Igor Krichever who led the Mathematics and Mathematical Physics programme at HSE University, with BIMSA allocating funds towards the event, providing administrative support, and extending invitations to students from Russia.
The conference on algebraic geometry and mathematical physics, hosted by the HSE Faculty of Mathematics from November 5 to 9, was the third major collaborative event between the academic partners. 'This, in fact, was the inaugural conference of “Geometry and Physics,” a new joint research project between the HSE International Laboratory of Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms and BIMSA, conducted as part of HSE University's International Academic Cooperation programme,' according to Valery Gritsenko, Head of the Laboratory.
The conference was held in a hybrid format. Specifically, Shing-Tung Yau and three Fields medallists: Caucher Birkar, Maxim Kontsevich, and Andrei Okounkov—presented online, while 12 Chinese mathematicians came to Moscow. The programme included 33 reports.
'In theoretical mathematics, a report is a concise overview of results that are either entirely new and unpublished or have only recently been released as a preprint. Reflecting the author’s unique perspective, both mathematically and emotionally, this approach helps the audience quickly engage with the research topic. Peer-reviewing a significant result that includes proof of well-known hypotheses can sometimes take over a year, whereas a report is presented here and now,' explains Valery Gritsenko.
A special track of the conference featured 16 presentations by talented early-career mathematicians from Russia and China. Presenting alongside renowned figures in the field was a valuable opportunity for them.
The younger colleagues representing HSE University included Alexey Golota, Research Fellow at the International Laboratory for Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms. His interests lie in algebraic and complex geometry, as well as the application of group theory to geometric problems. He earned his master's from the HSE Faculty of Mathematics in 2019 and his Candidate of Sciences (PhD) degree in 2023. To date, he has published five papers in Russian and international peer-reviewed journals and has presented at numerous international conferences.
'At HSE University's conference, I gave a presentation on the automorphism groups of compact complex homogeneous manifolds,' Alexey said. 'Afterward, I was asked many questions, ranging from the simplest and most basic to very complex ones, where the answers themselves constitute scientific challenges. Of course, I enjoyed listening to presentations by the Fields medallists, but equally fascinating were the reports by early-career mathematicians from BIMSA—potential partners for scientific collaboration.'
According to Alexey Golota, Chinese colleagues have successfully created a favourable environment for productive mathematical studies, and cooperation with them will undoubtedly benefit both partners. 'It seems to me that we should, to some extent, adopt from our colleagues in China their pragmatic and businesslike approach to mathematical work, which is shaped by a highly competitive scientific environment. It may also be beneficial for Chinese colleagues to gain a broader perspective on mathematical problems, which is traditionally characteristic of the Russian mathematical community,' he added.
Xinxing Tang, Associate Professor at BIMSA, was one of the early-career Chinese colleagues who presented at the conference. Her presentation focused on heat kernel analysis and the Calabi-Yau subcategory of Landau-Ginzburg models.
In an interview for the HSE News Service, she shared that over the past 20 years, mathematics in China has developed rapidly—with more mathematical centres and institutes opening, attracting leading international experts. Mathematics education has become a key component of the Chinese government's plan to strengthen basic research. With government support, Shing-Tung Yau founded a college for gifted students aged 11 to 13, and he is confident that he will be able to nurture them into great mathematicians.
'It is well known worldwide that mathematics in Russia is exceptionally strong, and that Russian scientists are the authors of many profound and original ideas and theorems. Their achievements are highly appreciated by Chinese colleagues. During my doctoral studies, I often heard about Russian mathematical seminars—for example, that they are really long and feature heated discussions,’ Xinxing Tang said.
She added that the conference in Moscow was a great opportunity to meet new people, participate in discussions, and share the results of her work and scientific ideas. The discussions were engaging and diverse, and it was a pleasure to see many younger speakers. If any organisational or technical issues arose, the organisers at HSE University addressed them promptly and efficiently. Xinxing Tan also praised the high quality of the tea served to the conference participants.
Summing up the results of the five-day event, Valery Gritsenko emphasised that the presentations covered a vast amount of scientific material that warrants further reflection and creative exploration. 'It was a great learning experience for the new generation. The presentations by world-renowned scientific authorities, along with 16 half-hour talks by younger participants, provided a comprehensive overview of the new wave of mathematics,' he concluded.
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