ETH Global Lecture Series: From Coffee to Mathematics
15 May 2023 - What are mathematical problems? Why is it important to solve them? How exactly do we do it? We will discover some of the important steps leading to a mathematical breakthrough by focusing on dramatic changes in physical systems -- scholarly name: phase transitions.
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The ETH Global Lecture Series offers a platform for contemporary global topics to be discussed with outstanding global thinkers. We bring amazing people together to discuss their personal insights, experiences and expertise. In addition to simply learning, our goals are to broaden our perspectives of a contemporary issue so we can all broaden our thinking, challenge our opinions and through this, make a meaningful contribution to issues we are working on.
From Coffee to Mathematics: a Lecture with Fields Medalist Hugo Duminil-Copin
What are mathematical problems? Why is it important to solve them? How exactly do we do it? These are some of the questions mathematicians are constantly asked. The daily work of a scientist remains mysterious for most people, especially when the science in question is mathematics. We will discover some of the important steps leading to a mathematical breakthrough by focusing on dramatic changes in physical systems -- scholarly name: phase transitions. These happen all the time in our everyday life, for example when making coffee. This will give us an occasion to explore what motivates mathematicians, how they organize their work, and why beauty plays a key role in that process.
Speakers
Hugo Duminil-Copin
Born in 1985 in Châtenay-Malabry (France), Hugo Duminil-Copin grew up in the Paris region. After passing through the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, he graduated from the University of Paris-Saclay. Appointed professor of mathematics at the University of Geneva in 2013, he has also been a permanent professor at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques in Bures-Sur-Yvette since 2016. In 2022, he received the Fields medal from the IMU.
Vincent Tassion
Born in 1986, Vincent Tassion grew up in Beaufort, a small village in the French Alps. He completed his PhD at École Normale Supérieure in Lyon, and moved later to Geneva for a PostDoc with Hugo Duminil Copin. Since 2017, he has been a professor of mathematics at ETH Zurich.