Mathematics Newsletter

44
Asia Pacific Mathematics Newsletter
the field of sustainability, climate, mathematics, and
several other areas. Norway and India share a close
relationship in terms of intellectual knowledge. A
recent white paper identifies India as one of Norway’s
prioritised partners for research cooperation.”
The agreement on research and technology cooperation
between India and Norway was signed in
2006. It encompasses the exchange of researchers,
information and documentation, grants for young
researchers to participate in exchanges, bilateral
seminars and courses, cooperation on identifying
research areas and projects of mutual interest, and
organising conferences on research and technology.
In order to strengthen bilateral research cooperation
between India and Norway, the Norwegian Programme
for Research Cooperation with India (INDNOR),
managed by the Norwegian Research Council, has
been established as an initiative on research funding
cooperation as part of this effort.
The results are starting to show in the Embassy and
Research Council’s cooperation with India. Number
of joint publications in peer reviewed research publications
has increased from 16 in 2000 to 156 in 2010.
Scientific subjects are well represented, for instance
in condense matter physics, nuclear physics, applied
mathematics, computer sciences and artificial intelligence.
One of the goals for the INDNOR programme is to lay
the foundation for increased cooperation with India
in all thematic areas and scientific fields, and encompassing
basic research, applied research and innovation.
Efforts will be made to ensure the involvement of trade
and industry, universities and university colleges, as
well as research institutes in both countries.
India and France to Set Up Virtual Institute on
Mathematics
India and France have decided to set up a virtual institute
for applied mathematics to take up joint research
projects in the area. An agreement to set up the virtual
institute was signed on January 12, 2012 between the
Department of Science and Technology and the National
Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) of France.
The new initiative will have participation from six
institutes from India led by the Indian Institute of
Science (IISc), Bangalore. The University of Toulouse
will be the lead institute from France. Besides the
April 2012, Volume 2 No 2
initiative in mathematics, the two sides also signed
agreements to renew cooperation in the field of
immunology and informatics. The three projects will be
funded equally by Paris-based CNRS and the Departments
of Science and Technology, and Biotechnology.
“We have signed agreements with the Indian counterparts
to set up a joint unit in mathematics in Bangalore
and two international associated labs in informatics
and immunology to strengthen scientific collaboration
between the two countries,” CNRS Director–General
Joel Bertrand said.
“Each side will contribute Rs five crore (or 50 million
rupees, approximately US$ 100,000) towards the
initiative,” said Thirumalachari Ramasami, Secretary,
Department of Science and Technology. He also said
the funds would be spent over the next four years on
joint research projects in mathematical sciences and
exchange visits.
The top 30 Indian and 30 French mathematicians will
jointly work on the research projects over the next
four years at IISc in Bangalore and at CNRS centres in
Paris and Toulouse in France. Besides the IISc, Chennai
Mathematical Institute (CMI) and the Institute of
Mathematical Sciences, Chennai and a couple of IITs
will be involved in the mathematics initiative, said G
Rangarajan, a professor of Mathematics at IISc and
Indian coordinator for the project told.
The 72-year-old CNRS is the state-funded organisation
under the French ministry of research and higher
education, with a budget of 3.3 billion euros in 2012.
With about 1,100 research units, including joint
research labs with universities and industries worldwide,
CNRS employs 35,200 people, including 11,400
researchers and 15,200 engineers and technicians.
Math Facebook: Teaching Tomorrow
Chennai-based online mathematics education platform
HeyMath is working on launching a new social
networking site “Math Facebook” called “Teaching
Tomorrow” within three months. HeyMath, which
has former IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan and
entrepreneur Jerry Rao on its advisory board, is on
course to unveil the social networking site for mathematics.
Symbolically, it is happening in 2012 — the
National Mathematics Year in India. “I am visualising
3,000 teachers coming together (from key HeyMath