AMS Updates

Urheim Named AAAS Judicial Branch Fellow

Ellen Urheim has been named the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Judicial Branch Fellow for 2024–2025.

Urheim will spend the year at the Federal Judicial Center, working at the intersection of law and science at a time when federal courts increasingly face litigation that requires the expertise of scientists and engineers. Previous Fellows have addressed policy issues such as the implications of artificial intelligence and the interplay of patent law and DNA.

Urheim served as the American Mathematical Society (AMS) Congressional Fellow for 2023–2024, working in the office of Senator Bob Casey Jr. (PA). “I’m excited to bring both my mathematical knowledge and the skills I’ve developed during the AMS Congressional Fellowship to support the Federal Judicial Center’s work of educating federal judges and conducting research on the judicial branch,” she said.

—AMS Communications

Roots of Unity Scholars Tour AMS

In mid-June, 35 mathematicians toured the Rhode Island facilities of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) as part of the Roots of Unity workshop, held at the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM) at Brown University.

First convened in Minneapolis in 2022, Roots of Unity is a biennial weeklong workshop supported by the Mathematical Sciences Institutes Diversity Initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The workshop is designed to support women and nonbinary students of color who have completed one to three years of graduate school and who are considering research in algebra, combinatorics, geometry/topology, or number theory. These mathematicians are at a crucial career stage: the transition to independent learning and research.

During their workshop week at ICERM, small mentor-led working groups analyzed recent research papers in one of the four subject areas and gave presentations, developing skills and confidence.

“In short, the Roots of Unity workshop taught me how to read math papers,” said Judy Hsin-Hui Chiang, a rising second-year PhD student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities whose research interest is algebraic combinatorics. “While reading skills sound simple, for higher-level math papers/literature, I believe it requires several abilities such as mathematical communication, collaboration with one another, and confidence in oneself.”

The workshop’s professional development sessions focused on practical tools for navigating a research career and building community.

“Roots of Unity felt like math therapy to me,” said Cristina Sabando Alvarez, a fourth-year PhD candidate at Washington University also working in algebraic combinatorics. “It gave a full sense of community and belonging that I think is important as your career develops. We had a lot of sessions focused on the human side of doing math.”

The AMS tour was a local bonus, as ICERM and Brown University are a short bus ride from both the AMS headquarters in Providence, RI, and the printing and distribution facility in nearby Pawtucket.

“Part of the goal of the Roots of Unity workshop is to foster a sense of belonging as mathematical researchers,” explained co-organizer Bianca Viray, University of Washington mathematics professor and AMS vice president. “Professional organizations can seem distant to students, and it can be difficult for them to learn about all of the institutions and organizations that provide resources to the mathematical community.”

“We hope that the AMS tour gave the Roots of Unity participants access to some of this information and also empowered the students to feel that the AMS is for them.”

—AMS Communications

Deaths of AMS Members

George A. Kent, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, died on November 16, 2023. Born on June 1, 1943, he was a member of the Society for 54 years.

H. Halpern, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died on June 28, 2024. Born on August 18, 1937, he was a member of the Society for 50 years.

Rolf Jeltsch, of Switzerland, died on June 28, 2024. Born on October 31, 1945, he was a member of the Society for 51 years.

Cornel Pasnicu, of San Antonio, Texas, died on July 30, 2024. Born on September 6, 1953, he was a member of the Society for 36 years.