How Berlin maths is shaping the future
The Berlin Mathematics Research Centre MATH+ is a cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary cluster of excellence in which scientists research and further develop new approaches in application-oriented mathematics. The focus is on mathematical foundations for utilising ever larger amounts of data in the life and material sciences, energy and network research, or the humanities and social sciences. In addition to scientific progress, the aim is to promote technological innovation and a comprehensive understanding of social processes.
The three major Berlin universities - Freie Universit?t Berlin (FU), Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin (HU) and Technische Universit?t Berlin (TU) - as well as the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) and the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB) are involved in MATH+. The Cluster of Excellence continues the success stories of the renowned MATHEON research centre and the world-renowned Berlin Mathematical School (BMS) as a graduate school of MATH+.
New priorities for the new funding phase
"In our second funding phase, we want to do more research into the social dynamics of opinion formation, among other things," says Sebastian Pokutta, Head of the Mathematical Optimisation department at Technische Universit?t Berlin, Vice President of the Zuse Institute Berlin and one of the three spokespersons for MATH+. "The speed at which opinions spread and change through social media has increased enormously in recent years. It is therefore more important than ever to research how opinions are formed in order to strengthen democratic values and processes and protect them from threats. Methods from artificial intelligence and optimisation play a decisive role in this - they are central components of MATH+."
Another important aspect of our next funding phase will be sustainability," adds MATH+ spokesperson Andrea Walther, who heads the Department of Mathematical Optimisation at Humboldt Universit?t zu Berlin. "On the one hand, this involves algorithms that can increase efficiency in the mobility or energy sector, for example in the optimisation of our transport networks. On the other hand, it is also about the efficiency of our mathematical methods. With optimised algorithms, for example, we will be able to significantly reduce the high power consumption that artificial intelligence currently requires for learning." Claudia Schillings, Head of the "Numerical Analysis" department at Freie Universit?t Berlin and third spokesperson for MATH+, summarises: "In general, we will continue to expand our focus on applied mathematics in the future, which is based on data-driven modelling, simulation and optimisation. In addition to mobility and energy, this will take place in the areas of health and technology. In doing so, we want to strengthen our collaboration with companies, which will also benefit Berlin and the region."
Speakers
- Prof. Dr Sebastian Pokutta | Technical University of Berlin and Zuse Institute Berlin
- Prof Dr Andrea Walther | Humboldt Universit?t zu Berlin
- Prof. Dr Claudia Schillings | Free University of Berlin
Applicant universities
- Free University of Berlin
- Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin
- Berlin University of Technology
Participating institutions
- Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) | Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB)
Co-operation partner
- Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW)
- German Archaeological Institute (DAI)
- Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz Institute for High Frequency Technology (FBH)
- Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy (HZB)
- Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG)
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
- Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB)