Welcome,

It is my pleasure to present to you today the first BMS newsletter in 2009. We are proud to announce that the second BMS Summer School on Moduli is coming up, the first BMS video is now online and we are looking forward to officially open the BMS Lounge at TU on 15 May 2009!

Enjoy and please feel free to forward this to anyone interested in Mathematics.

Sincerely yours,

Professor Jürg Kramer
Chair of the Berlin Mathematical School

Summer in Berlin? Apply to the BMS Summer School!

The BMS will host its second Summer School on Moduli in August 2009. We invite you to send us your application until 31 May  2009.

The BMS Summer School of 2009 on Moduli is aimed at graduate students  and young postdocs working in the fields of algebraic geometry, number theory and automorphic forms. The Summer School will bring together algebraic geometers working on moduli spaces and researchers in the field of automorphic forms in order to highlight new developments on the arithmetic and geometry of moduli spaces and encourage collaboration among participants.

Moduli spaces are central objects in arithmetic and algebraic geometry. Partly inspired by ideas originating in the field of theoretical physics, in the last two decades we have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of the geometry of moduli spaces. The Summer School will take place from 21-23 August followed by a conference from 24-28 August. Please find further information here and here.

BMS in DFG Video Portal

You can get an inside glimpse into the BMS. The first BMS Video is now online at the webpage of the Initiative of Excellence. 

The BMS video is one of the latest additions to the DFG video portal. In January, the German Research Foundation (DFG) launched its video portal to illustrate the variety of research in the projects of the Initiative of Excellence. It is the biggest instrument to highlight the creativity brought forth by the Initiative of Excellence. The BMS video features the three chairmen and BMS student Anna von Pippich sharing their fascination with mathematics. You can find the videos about all the institutions funded by the Initiative of Excellence as well as some background information and further links on the website www.excellence-initiative.com. Please, click on the picture to see the video.

Inside BMS: Plamen Turkedjiev Reports About His First Steps in Berlin

Plamen Turkedjiev, student of the BMS since October, reports about his first steps at the BMS and his experiences with Berlin as the “epicenter of mathematic research”.

“In October 2008 I've just started at the BMS Phase I program to specialize in stochastic and finance, having previously studied for a Bachelors degree in England. Berlin really has one of the best research environments for stochastic in the whole world, there are a lot of researchers here, and there are plenty of PhD opportunities and a wide variety of fields, not only in finance but also in biology and in pure stochastic. Berlin is also extremely good in many other mathematical fields, so there is something for everyone's taste. The universities are all very well connected with other universities, both nationally and internationally, and there are regular conferences and colloquia on every research area with guest speakers from all over the world - Berlin is really in the epicenter of mathematical research here! An important fact about the graduate program here is that the school really encourages students to explore areas outside of their direct field of research through BMS Fridays and the very flexible way in which you can structure your course.

This is great for people that have not decided exactly what to research yet or to get a new perspective on other fields in mathematics for those that have already decided. I've found this to be one of the benefits of being in such a large campus. The BMS offers great administrative and soft skills training that really lets you make the most out of your postgraduate career, including language courses, computer courses, and lecturing and presentation - giving seminars. All in all, I've found BMS to be a great foundation for my career in research, and I'm very glad that I chose to come here from England!"

BMS Special Feature: Students Awarded with the Certificate of Excellence

The BMS awarded four of their former BMS students with the Certificate of Excellence: Tim Conrad, Thilo Rörig, Raman Sanyal, and Ronald Wotzlaw.

Tim Conrad, currently business manager of inbion GmbH for Bioinformatics Solutions of Life Science, owes much of his current success to his success in the BMS program: “When I look back at my time being a BMS member I basically see a lot of fun and a lot of new ideas or - generally - information. Being accepted to the program directly after it was  established, one could see that there are many  people putting a lot of effort into building up the ground structure existing now.” That covers the new BMS Lounges and social events like the BMS Fridays “where I did not always understand everything but always got some new exciting ideas, I could often use in my daily PhD life.” Ronald Wotzlaw, currently at the Research Training Group "Methods for Discrete Structures", is also  satisfied with his choice:  “I was extremely lucky that I started my PhD in Berlin when the BMS  opened its doors in 2006. The BMS has vastly broadened my horizon, not only mathematically: It offers great talks at the BMS Fridays, seminars on softskills, and excursions.”

There is one particular point both alumni agree on: The international atmosphere of the BMS. “I think the most valuable thing, though, was the new contacts I made during the BMS events with  fellow BMS students or people from other faculties I never saw before,”remarks Tim Conrad. Ronald Wotzlaw adds: “It was there that I met a lot of friendly people from all over the world that share my passion for mathematics. I feel very honored to have been one of its first members.”

Get your Math PhD in Berlin!

Interested in Mathematics? Curious about our program? You have the possibility to apply for the academic year 2009/10 until 31 May 2009 via our online application .

Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree (Vordiplom) or equivalent can enter the BMS Phase I, in which they will complete five courses on a master’s level within 3 to 4 semesters. For students who  are further advanced, part of the Phase I course requirements may be waived. Advisors will be allocated according to the areas of interest given in the application. Applicants seeking to start their Ph.D. project immediately by entering the BMS Phase II are expected to hold a master’s degree or equivalent, or must pass the BMS Qualifying Exams and meet the regular admission requirements of the Berlin universities' Ph.D. programs. Phase II applicants are expected to name an advisor in their application.

The Upcoming BMS Fridays

The first BMS Friday of the Summer Semester 2009 will take place on 24 April 2009 with Michael Hintermüller (HU). On 15 May 2009 we will celebrate the opening of the new BMS Lounge at TU Berlin. With the TU Lounge BMS students and faculty now have lounges at each of the participating universities available for their use. The TU Lounge features study rooms for students and faculty, a computer lab and a seminar room.

The upcoming BMS Fridays are:

• April 24, 2009: Michael Hintermüller (HU Berlin)
• May 8, 2009: Benedict Gross (Harvard)
• May 15, 2009: Keith Ball (UC London)
• May 29, 2009: Euler Lecture in Potsdam (Hendrik W. Lenstra, U Leiden)
• June 12, 2009: von Mises Lecture in Adlershof (Albert Shiryaev, Steklov Institute of Mathematics)
• June 19, 2009: Margaret Wright (New York University), Kovalevskaya Colloquium
• July 10, 2009: BMS Summer Outing to MPI in Golm

For further seminars and colloquia, see also the Berlin-Potsdam Mathematics Calendar. Directions on how to get to the BMS Loft at Urania can be downloaded here.

Imprint

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