Ludovic Rifford

Ludovic Rifford is a Professor of Mathematics at University Côte d'Azur and holds the CNRS-AIMS Chair in Mathematics at AIMS Senegal. He serves as Secretary for Policy of the Commission for Developing Countries within the International Mathematical Union and previously as Executive Director of CIMPA (2016-2020).

Education:

• PhD in Mathematics, Université Lyon I (2000)
• Habilitation à diriger des recherches, Université Paris XI (2005)

Rifford's research focuses on Sub-Riemannian Geometry, Optimal Transport, and Geometric Control Theory. His work addresses the Sard Conjecture for sub-Riemannian structures, measure contraction properties, and regularity of solutions to Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Recent projects explore convex integration techniques and singular minimizing geodesics.

The 15 most recent publications highlight advancements in geometric analysis, including the Sard Conjecture, optimal transport on manifolds, and dynamics of geodesic flows. Key subtopics include curvature analysis, mixed convex integration, subanalytic distributions, and applications to dynamical systems.

Scientific Honors:

• Distinguished invited Professor at Universidad de Chile (2015)
• Eisenbud Professor at Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (2013)
• Junior member of Institut Universitaire de France (2011-2016)

Rifford actively supports international collaborations through workshops and research schools in Africa, organizing funding for conferences like the Workshop on Geometry and Topology at AIMS-Cameroon (2025) and mentoring mathematicians across sub-Saharan universities.