[cmath] Challenges and opportunities for Canada's Math. Sci. Community

[BIRS Director]

Dear Colleagues:

You are all aware that our Canadian mathematical community is  
currently facing many challenges, but it is also in a position to  
capitalize on new opportunities. The Math Institute directors and  
presidents of the professional societies  will convene for a retreat  
at BIRS next week to discuss current issues and how to address them  
together as a community.  I encourage all of you with specific  
(global) concerns, ideas, and action plans for the future to  
communicate them to us before next Thursday, and we will be happy to  
consider them for the agenda.

Sample issues to be considered:

1.  The changes in NSERC's review processes for Discovery grants.
2.  NSERC's new deliberate policy of lowering success rates and its  
impact on the math sciences.
3.  NSERC's changes to the guidelines of the MRS program, and their  
impact on AARMS and NICDS.
4.  The substantial cut by NSERC to  the MRS program (and its  
potential impact on the 3 institutes and BIRS)
5.  The upcoming termination of MITACS NCE funding and the potential  
loss of 9 million dollars in funding for the mathematical sciences.
6.  Our relationship with the IMU (after its rejection of  two of our  
bids for ICM 2010, and 2014, its handling of Canada's role in the  
Fields medal, etc...)
7.  The recently achieved prominent role of our community in  
advocating for research and innovation on the national level.

The retreat of the Canadian mathematical community at BIRS in 2004  
correctly anticipated many of the upcoming challenges mentioned  
above.  We were, however, much less successful in implementing the  
recommendations that came out of that retreat. It is therefore high  
time to rethink the next steps.

Thanks to all

Nassif