Special Meetings: Travel support for the PRIMA Congress

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This grant will fund approximately 50 US mathematical scientists to attend and participate in the first PRIMA Pacific Rim Congress, to be held at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, during July 6-10, 2009. The Congress will include 11 plenary speakers highlighting the intense mathematical activities throughout the region, and 14 special sessions on both core and applied areas. A strong US presence is vital to strengthening ties and building collaborations with researchers throughout the Pacific Rim. Participants in the Congress will be able to exchange information about the latest advances in their research areas, as well as plan future initiatives based on the contacts made during the Congress.There is explosive growth in the mathematical sciences occurring in many parts of the Pacific Rim, but for reasons of distance and culture it is often difficult for US scientists to learn about what is happening, much less to directly participate. The PRIMA Congress is a unique opportunity for US participants to become integrated into the vibrant and interconnected mathematical community in the region, so vital to our economic future. This is especially true for younger researchers and students, as well as members of underrepresented groups, whose travel support is a main focus of this proposal. Participation in the Congress may well be transformational for many, opening up an entirely new range of scientific contacts and leading to further regional activities such as summer schools and follow-up conferences as well as smaller scale intensive collaborations. This can also have a profound impact on the training of the next generation of leaders in the mathematical sciences, who will operate in a global environment in which the Pacific Rim is playing an increasingly important role