International Doctoral Training in Mathematical Sciences in Paris

Project Information

MathInParis

Grant agreement ID: 754362

DOI

10.3030/754362

Project closed

EC signature date 12 May 2017

Start date 1 September 2017

End date 31 January 2023

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 6 278 400,00

EU contribution

€ 3 139 200,00

Coordinated by

FONDATION SCIENCES MATHEMATIQUES DE PARIS
France

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - MathInParis (International Doctoral Training in Mathematical Sciences in Paris)

Reporting period: 2020-09-01 to 2023-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The international Doctoral Training in Mathematical Sciences in Paris - MathInParis – Co-funded by Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, offered 40 PhD fellowships in mathematics or theoretical computer science within the framework of the European Horizon 2020 programme.

The beneficiary of the project is the Fondation Sciences Mathématiques de Paris (FSMP), a network of excellence, covering a wide scientific spectrum from fundamental mathematics to mathematical questioning arising in Computer Science, Economy, Physics, Biology, Environmental Sciences, etc…
In 2006, all mathematicians in the three federations of Universities in Paris (PSL, SU, UPCité) decided to join their efforts to build a world-class new type of mathematical sciences structure unifying all laboratories of Mathematics. Together inside FSMP, they form a research-intensive department of Mathematics with over 1800 researchers. Each year, around 175 students defend their PhD thesis in mathematics in one of the three Doctoral Schools of the perimeter: École Doctorale de Dauphine, École Doctorale de Sciences Mathématiques Paris Centre and École Doctorale Galilée.

Research in mathematics and theoretical computer science is very important for society at all levels: its economic impact and consequences in terms of technological innovation have now been well established. Companies reveal both a growing need for mathematicians and an increasing awareness of the issue of including mathematicians into their teams. Therefore, professional perspectives for PhDs in mathematics are excellent.

Cofund MathInParis programme aimed to create and build upon existing networks to attract exceptional students coming from all the world, to ensure a very high standard of training and to disseminate good practice in terms of selection and mentoring throughout all its Doctoral schools by means of those implemented within this programme.
To enhance the potential and future career perspectives of young researchers, the programme offered an extremely attractive place, a strengthened advising, and a broadened support for career development.

At the end of the programme all 40 fellows completed their PhD: 32 defended their thesis and 8 planned to defend it before July 2023. They produced around hundred articles between publications and pre-publications.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The first period of the programme (September 1st, 2017 - August 31st, 2019), was mainly devoted to communication and dissemination activities to recruit the 40 PhD students through two calls.
A web page was created containing all the main information about the FSMP laboratories, the recruitment procedure and the working conditions.

We advertised both calls via Euraxess and the specialized website MathJobs.Org. Both calls were organised in the same way. First took place the online submission of applications, where help was provided to candidates looking for an advisor. After a pre-selection phase, around 45 candidates were interviewed by a panel of at least five international experts. Then, the Scientific Committee examined the evaluation forms, the interview grades and established the list of laureates. Selected fellows were enrolled in the Doctoral School and signed a work contract with the University.

In the second period (September 1st, 2019-August 31st, 2020) of the Cofund MathInParis programme the work was mainly devoted to management. The recruitment of the 40 fellows was completed, the mid-term meeting was performed and 2 amendments to the Grant Agreement were finalised. Starting from March 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic perturbed the programme and specific difficulties had to be managed. To ensure well-being and the continuity in the fellows’ work became our priority. Therefore, the fellows’ follow-up was reinforced, and international mandatory mobility adapted.

In the final period (September 1st, 2020- January 1st, 2023) work was mainly devoted to ensuring the possibility to all fellows to complete their PhD despite the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we proposed a two-month extension to the 40 fellows' work contracts, if necessary, to facilitate the completion of their PhDs. At the end, also due to the efforts of the whole community (advisors, tutors, Doctoral School responsible, FSMP board, etc.) everyone managed to complete their work and to defend their PhD. Moreover, fellows’ work counts, at today, 101 papers published (48) and/or submitted (53) mostly as articles in peer-revied international journals.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Cofund MathInParis promotes a new generation of international mathematicians trained in Paris to create a new network of young innovating researchers integrated in the European Union and more generally as scientific ambassadors worldwide.
New ambitions, more mobility and more curiosity, more awareness for the impact of mathematics in the new economy, more taste for risk taking, innovation and entrepreneurship will surely emerge.

One of the major expected results of Cofund MathInParis was to promote closer relationships between laboratories in universities and partners from the non-academic sector. Mathematics have been indeed recognized as an important vector for innovation, and it is fundamental to ensure transfer to companies. However, our relationships still lack a solid and efficient structure, and one of our aims was to use the Cofund MathInParis as a trojan horse to improve technological transfer and promote bridges to companies.

We think today, at the end of the programme, that the work done has been in line with expected impacts. However, the Covid-19 pandemic situation did not permit to fully develop training aspects mostly linked with activities that are better performed in presence, and this had, of course, an impact on the whole programme.
Between 2020 and 2021, our programme experienced a decline in quality in several areas, primarily since fellows were unable to fully immerse themselves in the research environment of a mathematical laboratory in Paris for the required 36-month period. This timeframe is crucial to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed as mathematicians. Despite these challenges, we are proud to report that all 40 fellows completed their PhDs, and have already published 48 articles, with an additional 53 works in the pre-publication stage.
It is important to underline the key role of the MathInParis programme as the first Cofund programme coordinated by FSMP. Indeed, since 2017, the FSMP is the coordinator of 2 Doctoral Programmes: MathInParis, renewed in 2020 as MathInParis2020, and of the Postdoctoral Programme MathinGreaterParis, started in 2021. Moreover, at the light of the selection and recruitment experiences for the Cofund MathInParis, the FSMP engaged the procedure and obtain the HRS4R label.
Based on these experiences the FSMP submitted in the Cofund MSCA call 2022 a new ambitious programme, MathPhDInFrance, in collaboration with partners in all French regions. The aim is to enlarge and promote to all the French mathematical community the momentum initiated by the MathInParis programme. Indeed, it is expected that the doctoral programme will make emerge new ambitions, mindset changes towards more mobility and curiosity, a greater awareness of the impact of Mathematics in the new economy, a greater taste for risk, innovation, and entrepreneurship, yielding regional, national and international socio-economic benefits and strengthening significantly research human resources.

MathInParis Flayer for Call 2