- Speaker
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Martin Hairer, Ph.D.Professor of Pure Mathematics , École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Imperial College London
The 2025 lecture series in mathematics and computer science is “Discovering Mathematics Through Computers.” Computers are revolutionizing the way we explore mathematical concepts. In this series, mathematicians will discuss how computational techniques are enabling new approaches to developing conjectures and proving and verifying theorems. Topics will include algorithmic number theory, formal proof verification and the role of machine learning and computational simulations in uncovering new mathematical insights. These lectures will highlight the synergy between mathematics and computer science, illustrating how digital tools expand mathematical knowledge’s frontiers.
2025 Lecture Series Themes
Biology: Mechanisms of Evolution
Mathematics and Computer Science: Discovering Mathematics Through Computers
Presidential Lectures are a series of free public colloquia spotlighting groundbreaking research across four themes: neuroscience and autism science, physics, biology, and mathematics and computer science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are designed to foster discussion and drive discovery within the New York City research community. We invite those interested in these topics to join us for this weekly lecture series.
Mathematics and computation are often considered synonymous by the general public, as demonstrated, for example, by the expression “doing the math.” This equivalence is something to which most professional mathematicians would strongly object.
In this Presidential Lecture, Martin Hairer will draw on his personal research to explore some of the ways in which computations and computers have, in fact, been impacting questions in pure mathematics, leading to the discovery of new mathematical objects.
About the Speaker
Hairer works in the general area of probability theory with a focus on the analysis of stochastic partial differential equations. In particular, he developed the theory of regularity structures, which allows one to give a precise mathematical meaning to many such equations that were previously outside the scope of mathematical analysis. His work has been distinguished by a 2014 Fields Medal, the 2021 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics and a knighthood. He currently holds positions at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Imperial College London.