Art and Practice of Mathematics, The: Interviews at the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2010-2019

"Showcases interviews of distinguished mathematicians and scientists who have visited the Institute An excellent primary source of information on the early development of ideas from the creators and pioneers in core areas of pure and applied mathematics, computer science, mathematical physics and financial mathematics Also gives the non-specialist some idea of the main issues in those fields The contributors to this volume are leaders in their fields who have made fundamental and ground-changing advances. Their personal revelations throw some light on the social milieu they were in and on the role of nature versus nurture in human achievements"-- Provided by publisher Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Scientific Advisory Board Mathematics and Physics, A Tale of Two Cultures Nonlinear Elasticity, Microstructures and Mathematics Cambridge and Zürich, Probability and Stochastik Beauty and Reality in Mathematics — D-Modules, Groups, Sheaves Wavelets at your Service The Road to Parameterized Complexity and Beyond Mathematical Modeling in Ecology, Genetics and Cancer Research Mathematics, Insurance, Finance Probabilist for All Seasons Methodology and Insight in Statistics, Financial Crisis, High-Dimensional Challenges “Addictive” Combinatorics, A Prime Obsession Elliptic Curves, Millennium Problem From Probability to Statistics — Martingales. Percolation, Bootstrap and Beyond Epilogue Quantum Information, Quantum Computation Dealing with High-Dimensional Data — Wavelets, PCA, RMT From Accidental Statistician to Interdisciplinary Statistician Who Combines Theory with Practice Part I. The Accidental Statistician Part II. The Interdisciplinary Statistician in Academia Boltzmann Equation, Partial Differential Equations and the Computer Mathematical Logic, Common-Sense Logic Control Theory, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Mathematical Finance Convexity, Optimization, Risk Pearl of Hyperbolic Manifolds Seventy Years of Mathematics From Putnam to CAT Scan Postscript Logic, Mathematics, Computer Science Hongkong–Princeton–Harvard, A Path of Several Complex Variables From Kähler Geometry to Quantum Cohomology Diophantine Geometry — From Ergodic Theory to O-Minimal Theory Sapere Aude! (Dare to Know!) From Lycée to Langlands, L’Express Femme 100 Ambassador of Mathematics Extraordinaire Probabilistic Tour de Force Courant in Hong Kong — Shock Waves, Nonlinear Waves Manifolds, Cosmos, China Number Theory and Arithmetic Algebraic Geometry Bridges Bayesians Build Name Index Photo Credits Disclaimer Mathematics and physics, a tale of two cultures -- Nonlinear elasticity, microstructures and mathematics -- Cambridge and Z|rich, probability and Stochastik -- Beauty and reality in mathematics d-modules, groups, sheaves -- Wavelets at your service -- The road to parameterized complexity and beyond -- Mathematical modeling in ecology, genetics and cancer research -- Mathematics, insurance, finance -- Probabilist for all seasons -- Methodology and insight in statistics, financial crisis, high-dimensional challenges Addictive" combinatorics, a prime obsession -- Elliptic curves, millennium problem -- From probability to statistics martingales. Percolation, bootstrap and beyond -- Qantum information, quantum computation -- Dealing with high-dimensional data wavelets, PCA, RMT -- From accidental statistician to interdisciplinary statistician who combines theory with practice -- Boltzmann equation, partial differential equations and the computer -- Mathematical logic, common-sense logic -- Control theory, computational fluid dynamics, mathematical finance -- Convexity, optimization, risk -- Pearl of hyperbolic manifolds -- Seventy years of mathematics -- From Putnam to CAT scan -- Logic, mathematics, computer science -- HongkongPrincetonHarvard, a path of several complex variables -- From Khler geometry to quantum cohomology -- Diophantine geometry from ergodic theory to o-minimal theory -- Sapere aude! (dare to know!) -- From lyéce to langlands, l'express femme 100 -- Ambassador of mathematics extraordinaire -- Probabilistic tour de force -- Courant in hong kong shock waves, nonlinear waves -- Manifolds, cosmos, China -- Number theory and arithmetic algebraic geometry -- Bridges Bayesians build This book constitutes the second volume of interviews with prominent mathematicians and mathematical scientists who visited the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore. First published in the Institute's newsletter Imprints during the period 2010-2020, they offer glimpses of an esoteric universe as viewed and experienced by some of the leading and creative practitioners of the craft of mathematics.The topics covered in this volume are wide-ranging, running from pure mathematics (logic, number theory, algebraic geometry) to applied mathematics (mathematical modeling, fluid dynamics) through probability and statistics, mathematical physics, theoretical computer science and financial mathematics. This eclectic mix of the abstract and the concrete should interest those who are enthralled by the mystique and power of mathematics, whether they are students, researchers or the non-specialists.By briefly tracing the paths traveled by the pioneers of different national backgrounds, the interviews attempt to put a cultural face to an intellectual endeavor that is often perceived as dry and austere by the uninitiated. They should also interest those who are intrigued by the influence of the environment on the creative spirit, and, in particular, those who are interested in the psychology and history of ideas.