MSRI / SLMath - Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute

👏👏 9 KILOMETERS is a 2026 Mathical Book Prize Honor Book for Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) 👏👏

Congratulations to author .aguilera.7315, illustrator Gabriela Lyon, and translator .schimel!

The 2026 Mathical Book Prize is awarded by the MSRI / SLMath - Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English and the NCTM - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics ) and in coordination with The Children's Book Council.

The 2026 Mathical Book Prize Award Winners and Honor Books are here! This year brings 30 new titles featuring outstanding fiction and nonfiction for ages 2-18 with inspiring math themes. Get the booklist and view press release (link in comments). The Mathical Prize, now in its 12th year, is selected annually by a committee of PreK-12 math and language arts teachers, librarians, mathematicians, early childhood experts, and others, co-chaired this year by Sondra Eklund of Fairfax County Public Library (Virginia), Chris Nho of Desmos, and Dr. John Urschel of the MIT Mathematics Department. The Prize is awarded by the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath) in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and in coordination with the Children’s Book Council (CBC).

2026 AWARD WINNERS (Published in 2025)

Preschool students and early readers (Ages 2-4): Seven Little Ducklings by Annette LeBlanc Cate (Candlewick Press)

Young readers (Grades K-2): How Did You Count? by Christopher Danielson (Stenhouse Publishers)

Elementary readers (Grades 3-5): The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice: How to Discover a Shape by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by Anna Bron (Candlewick Press)

Middle grade readers (Grades 6-8): Imposter by Cait Levin (Charlesbridge)

Young adults (Grades 9-12): Reasons We Break by Jesmeen Kaur Deo (Disney Books)

Apply for Spring 2027 AxIOM Programs: Research Visits of 1 to 4 Weeks

AxIOM (Accelerating Innovation in Mathematics) are new month-long, intensive research programs designed to accelerate innovation and introduce transformative ideas into the mathematical sciences. Programs are held at SLMath (formerly MSRI) in Berkeley, California. Researchers with a PhD or advanced graduate standing can apply by March 31, 2026 to join any of the following AxIOM programs for a minimum of one week. ** SLMath will provide local accommodation or reimburse participants for out-of-pocket lodging costs. Apply to participate via MathPrograms - link in comments.

(1) Commutative Algebra, Representation Theory, and Other Interactions (January 25 - February 19, 2027), organized by David Eisenbud (UC Berkeley), Srikanth Iyengar (University of Utah), Claudia Polini (University of Notre Dame), and Bernd Ulrich (Purdue University)

(2) Machine Learning for Mathematics (March 1-26, 2027), organized by Mohammed Abouzaid (Stanford University), Otis Chodosh (Stanford University), Eric Ramos (Stevens Institute of Technology), Kyler Siegel (University of Southern California), and Rachel Ward (University of Texas at Austin)

(3) Building the Mathematical Library of the Future (March 15 - April 9, 2027), organized by Kevin Buzzard (Imperial College, London), Jireh Loreaux (Southern Illinois University), Emily Riehl (Johns Hopkins University), and Adam Topaz (University of Alberta)

January 23, 2026 - Announcing the opening of the National Association of Mathematicians, Inc. (NAM) Archival Collection featuring many of the more than 90 African American mathematicians who were interviewed for the Journeys of Black Mathematicians film series. The initial 10 video biographies of Black mathematicians in the NAM sub-collection are now available online, free for the public to use. The Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library is hosting the sub-collection here:
https://radar.auctr.edu/national-association-mathematicians-video-biographies

The goal of the series, anticipated for completion by December 2028, envisages editing 50 to 60 biographical videos to be accessible free of charge in NAM's repository. Videos will vary in length from five to 50 minutes or longer. The online biographies are the result of a collaboration between NAM, the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath), Zala Films, and the AUC Woodruff Library Archives Research Center.

Filming the Journeys of Black Mathematicians project began in 2020 with the objective of producing a documentary film on the considerable achievements of African American mathematicians, many of whom remain unknown to the general public. Two documentaries, one hour each, were released for theatrical, educational, and broadcast distribution: Forging Resilience in 2024 and Creating Pathways in 2025. Both films began airing on public television in 2025.

Here is the first of the 10 initial video biographies, or what mathematician Earl Barnes called "Earl Barnes in a Nutshell" ... for your enjoyment
https://radar.auctr.edu/barnes-earl-october-19-2021-and-april-2-2023

For information about the sub-collection, contact NAM's Historical and Archival Committee (NAM-HAC) at [email protected].






(Photo of mathematician Dr. Virginia Newell, the oldest alum of Talladega College, who passed away at the age of 107 on March 14, 2025. She was the first mathematicians interviewed for the Journeys of Black Mathematicians documentary film series.)

SLMath is now hiring an Events Manager & Board Liaison (Full-time, 40 hours per week, onsite in Berkeley, CA). Details and how to apply: https://slmath.org/jobs

Congratulations to the 40 U.S. Title I schools who received Mathical Collection Development Awards in 2025-26 with the generous support of the Guru Krupa Foundation. Learn more about this year's awards, organized in partnership with School Library Journal: https://www.mathicalbooks.org/2025/12/2025-26-mathical-collection-development-award-winners/

Reminder: tonight (Tuesday 1/20) at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern, teams of U.S. mathematical scientists can join a Zoom info and application session for SLMath's newest summer research opportunity for teams, LATTICE. Register:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: LATTICE Information Session (SLMath Summer Research for Teams). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. This event is envisioned as a hands-on information session to support small teams of mathematical scientists who wish to apply to the 2026 LATTICE program at the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath), formerly MSRI, in Berkeley, California. Anyone interested in applying to the progr...

U.S. mathematical scientists are invited to join a hands-on Zoom information session held on Tuesday, January 20th from 4-5pm Pacific / 7-8pm Eastern to learn more about applying to a new summer research for teams opportunity in Berkeley, California. LATTICE applications are due February 1, 2026. Register for the Zoom link: https://msri.zoom.us/meeting/register/xa9N7IcQQDO4rMutuLRDlg #/registration.

Lasting Alliance Through Team Immersion and Collaborative Exploration (LATTICE) is a yearlong program which provides opportunities for U.S. mathematicians to conduct collaborative research on topics at the forefront of the mathematical and statistical sciences. The goal of the program is to advance mathematical research by offering a structured environment where participants can concentrate on their work, make substantial progress, build professional connections, and contribute to the overall growth of the mathematical sciences. This program is designed for faculty whose research momentum may be affected by demanding teaching loads, limited access to research infrastructure, professional isolation, administrative responsibilities, or personal obligations. Anyone interested in applying to the program is welcome to join to meet with LATTICE Co-Directors and learn more about the application process and details.

17 Gauss Way is the newsletter of the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath). Read the Fall 2025 edition at https://www.slmath.org/newsletter-archive, including:

- Director Tatiana Toro shares the new SLMath program schedule beginning this summer, including the introduction of month-long research programs from Spring 2027 onwards
- Fall 2025 members give an overview of the Kinetic Theory and Recent Trends in Stochastic Partial Differential Equations research programs
- Profiles of Fall 2025 featured scientists Irene M. Gamba (University of Texas) and Franco Flandoli (Scuola Normale Superiore), as well as the semester’s named postdoctoral fellows and program associates
-News from Mathical Books, updates on the Journeys of Black Mathematicians" documentary series on public television, and a new exhibit of Art at SLMath on display through Spring 2026
- And of course: new puzzles to enjoy from columnists Joe Buhler and Tanya Khovanova, joined by Pavlo (Pasha) Pylyavskyy

Newly formed or existing teams of 2-5 researchers are invited to apply to SLMath's new Lasting Alliance Through Team Immersion and Collaborative Exploration (LATTICE) program by Feb. 1, 2026 to work on a new or established research project which they have defined. Application link in comments.

The Summer 2026 LATTICE on-site program runs from June 22 to July 3, 2026. All team members must be in residence at SLMath in Berkeley, CA for these two weeks and willing to pursue their project during the following academic year. The program provides opportunities for U.S. mathematicians to conduct collaborative research on topics at the forefront of the mathematical and statistical sciences. This program is designed for faculty whose research momentum may be affected by demanding teaching loads, limited access to research infrastructure, professional isolation, administrative responsibilities, or personal obligations.

All LATTICE participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, possess a PhD in the mathematical or statistical sciences, and be employed at a U.S. institution.