International Mathematical Union

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is an international organization that helps people around the world share ideas about mathematics. It is part of the larger International Science Council (ISC). The IMU organizes big meetings for mathematicians, such as the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM). The IMU has members from more than 80 countries.

The IMU has several important goals. It wants to help countries work together in math. It supports big math meetings and gives special awards to people who have done great work in math. The IMU tries to help all kinds of math activities, including pure math, using math in real life, and teaching math to students.

History

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) started in 1920. It stopped for a while but began again in 1950 during a meeting in New York. Official rules were set on September 10, 1951, after ten countries joined. Big activities started in March 1952 in Rome, Italy.

In 2010, leaders decided to put the IMU’s main office in Berlin. The office opened on January 1, 2011, and is hosted by a research institute with many scientists working on math problems for businesses and industries. The past president was Carlos Kenig from 2019 to 2022, and the current president is Hiraku Nakajima. The office is in India and works with the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community.

Commissions and committees

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) works with math education through its International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI). This commission has its own leaders and meetings.

The IMU helps countries that are still growing. It uses money from many places, like gifts, math groups, and foundations, to support these countries. Since 2011, this work is managed by the Commission for Developing Countries (CDC).

There is also a group called the Committee for Women in Mathematics (CWM). It looks at issues about women in math around the world. It organizes a special meeting called the World Meeting for Women in Mathematics.

The IMU also works with another group, the International Commission on the History of Mathematics (ICHM). This group works with the Division of the History of Science of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS).

There is a Committee on Electronic Information and Communication (CEIC). It gives advice to the IMU about math information and communication.

Prizes

The International Mathematical Union gives out important prizes every four years at the International Congress of Mathematicians. These prizes are some of the biggest honors in math. They include the Fields Medals, the IMU Abacus Medal, the Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize, the Chern Medal, and the Leelavati Award. Each prize honors mathematicians for their great work and help to the field of math.

Membership and General Assembly

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) has members from many countries. Each country is represented by a group, like a math society or academy. Countries that are just starting their math programs can join as Associate Members. There are also special groups, like math societies, that can join as Affiliate Members.

Every four years, leaders from all the member groups meet in a General Assembly. They make important decisions, choose leaders for the IMU, and talk about plans for the future.

Members and Associate Members

The IMU has 83 full Member countries and two Associate Members (Bangladesh and Paraguay).

Affiliate members

The IMU has five affiliate members:

• African Mathematical Union (AMU)
• European Mathematical Society (EMS)
• Mathematical Council of the Americas (MCofA)
• Southeast Asian Mathematical Society (SEAMS)
• Unión Matemática de América Latina y el Caribe (UMALCA)

Organization and Executive Committee

The International Mathematical Union is managed by an executive committee. The committee includes a President, two vice-presidents, a Secretary, six Members-at-Large, and the Past President. They are all elected for four-year terms. The committee makes important decisions and handles tasks, like choosing members for committees that organize big math events and award prizes.

Publications

The International Mathematical Union publishes an electronic newsletter called IMU-Net every two months. The newsletter shares news about big events and interesting topics in mathematics.

Each year, the IMU also sends out a bulletin to update its members about its work. In 2009, they published a document called Best Current Practices for Journals.

IMU’s Involvement in developing countries

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) started helping mathematics in developing countries in the early 1970s. In 2010, it created the Commission for Developing Countries (CDC) to organize its efforts to support math and mathematicians in these areas.

Some of the programs the IMU supports include:

• Grants Program for Mathematicians: This program helps mathematicians from developing countries travel for research and organize math conferences.
• African Mathematics Millennium Science Initiative (AMMSI): This network in sub-Saharan Africa organizes events, lectures, and offers scholarships for students studying math.
• Mentoring African Research in Mathematics (MARM): The IMU helped start this program, which connects math experts in the United Kingdom with those in Africa to support teaching and learning.
• Volunteer Lecturer Program (VLP): This program lists volunteers who can teach advanced math courses in universities in developing countries.

The IMU also supports the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction with its programs in Asia and Africa. It has published reports to help improve math education in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. In 2014, it released a report looking at its past, present, and future work in developing countries.

MENAO Symposium at the ICM

In 2014, the International Mathematical Union held a special meeting called "Mathematics in Emerging Nations: Achievements and Opportunities" (MENAO). This meeting happened the day before the International Congress of Mathematicians began. About 260 people from many countries attended. They included representatives from embassies, scientific groups, businesses, and foundations. The attendees heard inspiring stories about mathematicians and progress in developing countries.

Presidents

The International Mathematical Union has had many leaders since it started in 1952. Each leader serves for a few years and helps guide the group. Here are some of the leaders from different times and places: