ID :
46882
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 10:32
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https://www.oananews.org//node/46882
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(Yonhap Interview) Seoul hopes ICM 2014 hosting will strengthen int'l math community
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's hosting of the 2014 Math Olympics could
send a positive massage to other "late starters" that they too can contribute to
the advancement of the universal science, the head of the event's local
organizing committee said Sunday.
Park Hyung-ju, a computational science professor at the Korea Institute for
Advanced Study, told Yonhap News Agency that Seoul's bid to host the
International Congress of Mathematics (ICM) 2014 could also help create a
collaborative global math community with far-reaching benefits for the future.
He pointed out that Seoul has pledged to pay for travel and accommodations for
1,000 mathematicians from countries that have typically not been able to
participate in such gatherings in the past.
"These people can then take home the excitement and new knowledge they acquired
at the ICM, helping future generations," the chief organizer said.
The congress, held once every four years, serves as a platform for the world's
mathematicians to share their ideas via seminars and discussions. It is attended
by experts in the field from 100 countries and is famous for handing out the
Fields Medal -- often referred to as the Nobel Prize of mathematics -- at the
opening ceremony by the host country's head of state. It was held in Madrid in
2006 and will be hosted by Hyderabad, India, in 2010.
South Korean organizers expect at least 5,000 to take part in the 2014 meeting.
Park's comments come as the executive committee International Mathematical Union
(IMU) is set to choose the host for the global event this April. At present South
Korea, Brazil and Canada are in the running, with local organizers claiming Seoul
has a 51 percent chance being selected.
The professor insists that wider global participation in the event will help
forge a closer and more harmonious math community that can benefit all mankind.
Math as the science of quantity, structure, space and change has been
instrumental in human development, permitting man to explore new frontiers and
create everyday appliances like mobile phones, TV and computers.
Park said that what makes South Korea attractive as a host is because it has
grown so rapidly from a "virtual nonentity" in math when it joined the IMU in
1981 to 12th place at present.
The global ranking is measured in terms of excellence of research, impact factor,
international cooperation and cultural maturity in fostering mathematics.
Such gains have elevated South Korea from a Group Level One in the union's
ranking scale to Level Two in 1993 and Level Four in 2007. The scale measures the
overall competitiveness of math levels among member states, with group level five
being the highest.
"South Korea's two-level jump is practically unheard of in the international
organization's history," the professor said, hinting that such developments could
serve as a role model for other countries.
The chief organizer added that if Seoul wins the ICM, it could fuel renewed
interest in math among South Korean youth, benefiting national growth in the long
run.
"The recent drop in interest in math and science is a serious development because
mathematics plays a key role in such areas as information technology, banking and
economics," he said.
He pointed out that countries that did well in math were also global economic
leaders. The Group of Eight industrialized countries all rank within the top 10
in the IMU along with China and Israel.
In terms of local support, Park said government officials from President Lee
Myung-bak to the Prime Minister have pledged to support the hosting of the event
with Hyundai Motor Co. and POSCO agreeing sponsor the gathering.
Other global companies including Samsung Electronics Co. and LG have said they
would do their part to make the hosting a success.
Organizers said they plan to outline the advantages of South Korea hosting the
event when an IMU delegation arrives in Seoul on Monday to check readiness and
general infrastructure.
The Korean Mathematical Society (KMS) said the mission -- led by IMU President
Laszlo Lovasz, Secretary Martin Groetschel and Vice President Ma Zhiming -- will
inspect facilities, meet government officials and hold talks with local
mathematicians from Monday through Thursday.
The local mathematical society added that the Lovasz and other members of the
fact-finding inspection team will meet with Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and
Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, and view the COEX convention center.
Seoul said that if it wins the hosting rights, it will suggest that North Korea
be allowed to host some of the numerous "satellite" sessions planned.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's hosting of the 2014 Math Olympics could
send a positive massage to other "late starters" that they too can contribute to
the advancement of the universal science, the head of the event's local
organizing committee said Sunday.
Park Hyung-ju, a computational science professor at the Korea Institute for
Advanced Study, told Yonhap News Agency that Seoul's bid to host the
International Congress of Mathematics (ICM) 2014 could also help create a
collaborative global math community with far-reaching benefits for the future.
He pointed out that Seoul has pledged to pay for travel and accommodations for
1,000 mathematicians from countries that have typically not been able to
participate in such gatherings in the past.
"These people can then take home the excitement and new knowledge they acquired
at the ICM, helping future generations," the chief organizer said.
The congress, held once every four years, serves as a platform for the world's
mathematicians to share their ideas via seminars and discussions. It is attended
by experts in the field from 100 countries and is famous for handing out the
Fields Medal -- often referred to as the Nobel Prize of mathematics -- at the
opening ceremony by the host country's head of state. It was held in Madrid in
2006 and will be hosted by Hyderabad, India, in 2010.
South Korean organizers expect at least 5,000 to take part in the 2014 meeting.
Park's comments come as the executive committee International Mathematical Union
(IMU) is set to choose the host for the global event this April. At present South
Korea, Brazil and Canada are in the running, with local organizers claiming Seoul
has a 51 percent chance being selected.
The professor insists that wider global participation in the event will help
forge a closer and more harmonious math community that can benefit all mankind.
Math as the science of quantity, structure, space and change has been
instrumental in human development, permitting man to explore new frontiers and
create everyday appliances like mobile phones, TV and computers.
Park said that what makes South Korea attractive as a host is because it has
grown so rapidly from a "virtual nonentity" in math when it joined the IMU in
1981 to 12th place at present.
The global ranking is measured in terms of excellence of research, impact factor,
international cooperation and cultural maturity in fostering mathematics.
Such gains have elevated South Korea from a Group Level One in the union's
ranking scale to Level Two in 1993 and Level Four in 2007. The scale measures the
overall competitiveness of math levels among member states, with group level five
being the highest.
"South Korea's two-level jump is practically unheard of in the international
organization's history," the professor said, hinting that such developments could
serve as a role model for other countries.
The chief organizer added that if Seoul wins the ICM, it could fuel renewed
interest in math among South Korean youth, benefiting national growth in the long
run.
"The recent drop in interest in math and science is a serious development because
mathematics plays a key role in such areas as information technology, banking and
economics," he said.
He pointed out that countries that did well in math were also global economic
leaders. The Group of Eight industrialized countries all rank within the top 10
in the IMU along with China and Israel.
In terms of local support, Park said government officials from President Lee
Myung-bak to the Prime Minister have pledged to support the hosting of the event
with Hyundai Motor Co. and POSCO agreeing sponsor the gathering.
Other global companies including Samsung Electronics Co. and LG have said they
would do their part to make the hosting a success.
Organizers said they plan to outline the advantages of South Korea hosting the
event when an IMU delegation arrives in Seoul on Monday to check readiness and
general infrastructure.
The Korean Mathematical Society (KMS) said the mission -- led by IMU President
Laszlo Lovasz, Secretary Martin Groetschel and Vice President Ma Zhiming -- will
inspect facilities, meet government officials and hold talks with local
mathematicians from Monday through Thursday.
The local mathematical society added that the Lovasz and other members of the
fact-finding inspection team will meet with Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and
Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, and view the COEX convention center.
Seoul said that if it wins the hosting rights, it will suggest that North Korea
be allowed to host some of the numerous "satellite" sessions planned.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
