Maxim Kontsevich is a permanent professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHÉS), holding the AXA Chair for Mathematics since 1995 and a visiting chair at Rutgers University (one month annually since 1997). Born in 1964 in Khimki, USSR, he earned his PhD from Bonn University in 1992. His career includes visiting positions at Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study, and Berkeley, where he was a professor from 1993 to 1995. His research spans mathematical physics, algebraic geometry, and non-commutative geometry. Notable contributions include deformation quantization, mirror symmetry, and motivic integration. His work bridges algebraic structures with geometric and physical concepts, influencing areas like topological field theories, string theory, and integrable systems. Awardees of Fields Medal (1998), Crafoord Prize (2008), and Breakthrough Prize (2014), he also holds editorial roles at Compositio Mathematica and Publications Mathématiques IHÉS. His over 50 publications explore advanced topics such as quantum cohomology, Hodge theory, and categorical structures in geometry.
Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen is a Professor and Center Director at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), and holds the D-IAS Chair at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS). He is also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the California Institute of Technology since 2013, reflecting his international stature in mathematical sciences. University: University of Southern Denmark School: Faculty of Science Department: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Position: Professor, Center Director, D-IAS Chair Andersen earned his DPhil in Mathematics from the University of Oxford in 1992, with a thesis on Jones-Witten theory and the Thurston Compactification of Teichmüller space. His research lies at the intersection of quantum theory and geometry, focusing on quantum topology, geometric quantization of moduli spaces, topological quantum field theory, low-dimensional geometry, and applications to RNA and protein folding. His work combines deep mathematical rigor with potential applications in quantum computing and biophysics. The trends in his recent publications show a consistent focus on quantization of moduli spaces, topological recursion, mapping class group representations, and quantum Chern-Simons theory. His work often bridges pure mathematics and theoretical physics, with increasing attention to computational and applied aspects in quantum technologies. ERC Synergy Grant ReNewQuantum (EUR 10m, Principal Investigator) Distinguished Visiting Professor, Caltech Andersen leads major research projects such as ReNewQuantum and TopQC2X, securing significant funding from the EU and Danish agencies. He actively supervises PhD students and collaborates with leading mathematicians worldwide, including Maxim Kontsevich and Bertrand Eynard. His work is frequently highlighted in the media for its potential impact on quantum computing and Danish industry. He is a central figure in the Quantum Mathematics center at SDU and collaborates with institutions like MSRI and the University of Hamburg. His research group is part of international networks focused on geometric and topological methods in quantum theory.
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