IMAGINARY
Conference
2018

Montevideo, Uruguay
December 5-8, 2018

Shaping the future of Mathematics communication

What is the future of mathematics communication? What does successful knowledge transfer in mathematics look like? What are its modern tools, concepts, and strategies? How can the public be involved in a meaningful way?

The IMAGINARY Conference on Open and Collaborative Communication of Mathematical Research 2018 (IC18) is an interdisciplinary gathering of mathematicians, communicators and interested professionals who wish to discuss and work together on current issues of communication and knowledge transfer in mathematics. In contrast to a classical conference, IC18 will take a participative and collaborative approach in order to advance new ideas, bring forward concrete results and help shape the future of mathematics communication.

The first edition of the IMAGINARY Conference (IC16) took place in Berlin, Germany from July 20 to 23, 2016. It had over 150 participants in its four days of talks and workshops.
Visit the IC16 site

News

02-12-2018

The full program is online!

02-12-2018

We have added a map of places to eat around the conference venue to our local information page.

Program

The program of the IC18 is a rich mixture of inspiring talks and hands-on workshops in four areas of current mathematics communication. Guest talks from international professionals will introduce each topic followed by a selection of contributed presentations. The workshops are designed to run in parallel and each will gather a group of participants to address a specific task that is achievable in the given timeframe of 11 hours over three afternoons. All results of the conference will be made openly available to the community. A diverse evening cultural program will make networking and mingling with your peers easy and allow you discover the beautiful city of Montevideo.

Topical sessions

We have identified several topics of general importance for mathematics communication and its open source distribution. Each of them is introduced and briefly outlined below. More topics can be added.

Visualization, new tools and creation of mathematics exhibits

Focusing on modern visualization and production techniques that especially apply to mathematical topics and exhibits. This includes new techniques for visualizing mathematics, new user interfaces and technology. Special focus areas could be:

  • 2D and 3D visualization tools
  • 3D printing and other physical construction tools
  • video game technologies
  • mixed reality and virtual reality
  • mathematics and art

Community and networking

An introduction to available community resources such as physical mathematics museums, online exhibits, and mathematic communication networks. We also tackle the question: How can we, as communicators, involve the public and broaden the interdisciplinary approach? Some examples:

  • mathematics communication / research 2.0: giving mathematics communication a more research oriented focus.
  • mathematics communication network: linking mathematics communicators
  • mathematics museums and exhibitions
  • legal notes for mathematics communication (copyright, code of conduct, open source)
  • funding & politics (financial sustainability, policy)
  • integrating mathematics communication into a larger institutional structure
  • open source tools for community management and communication

Knowledge transfer and pedagogics

Didactical approaches needed in mathematics communication for children and adults. This includes new forms of knowledge transfer and inter/cross-disciplinary methods. Key aspects include:

  • didactics and pedagogy
  • participation and cross-disciplinarity
  • accessibility
  • inclusion
  • open education
  • new forms of communication: social media, MOOCs, competitions, films, etc.

Mathematical writing, journalism and media

Communication with the media and on presenting written material in an interesting and comprehensible way. An overall introduction to the available mathematical media outlets for a general audience. Possible examples are:

  • mathematics journalism (magazines, articles, etc.)
  • mathematics communication journals
  • mathematical writing on current research
  • supporting mathematicians in writing about their research

IMAGINARY around the world

IMAGINARY’s community is literally spread over the world. Exhibitions and events have been organized on each continent (apart from Antarctica), most of them organized independently by a local team. We encourage you to share your experience with the community.

Follow-up from IC16 workshops

During the workshops in IC16, several projects were created, and they are becoming a reality by now. We will have a small session for presentations of these projects.

Side program

Round table: Women in math

The IC18 will be holding a Round Table on the topic of “Women in math”, co-organized jointly with the event Matemáticas en el Cono Sur.

Mathlapse festival

The MathLapse festival will show the best MathLapse movies submitted to our expert jury.

Avant premiere of the documentary "IMAGINARY in Uruguay"

During 2016 and 2017, the Uruguayan team visited more than 14 cities all around the country with a big IMAGINARY exhibition. The process was documented, and the first projection of the documentary will take place during IC18.

User exhibition

There will be a free exhibition corner at IC18. You can bring your work and put it on display for the community. Please let us know in advance and register your exhibit on site. We highly welcome open source exhibits and kindly ask you to also share your work on the IMAGINARY platform.

Practical information

IC18 will take place from December 5 to December 8 at the Facultad de Ingeniería, UdelaR, Montevideo

With its 4-day program of inspiring presentations and participative workshops, it will bring together many international mathematics researchers, communicators and interested professionals.

  • September 23, 2018 – Registration opens
  • October 30, 2018 – Deadline for MathLapse submissions
  • November 15, 2018 – Registration closes
  • December 5–8, 2018 – Conference

Location

IC18 will take place at the J.L. Massera building, Facultad de Ingeniería, and its surrounding spaces. This new building has a beautiful conference room, and several green spaces around to use as working areas for the different workshops.

The building is accessible without restrictions for people with impairments and in close vicinity to many restaurants, bars, the sea (Rambla de Montevideo) and a beautiful park (Parque Rodó).

Child care

Child Care will be provided during the conference. During registration for the conference, please specify the number of children you would like to bring, their age and any other important information (allergies etc.) We will get in touch with you if there are questions and to provide you with the details.

Travel support

In order to support the participation of interested professionals regardless of their financial means, IC18 will look for possibilities to give away travel grants to a selected number of applicants who are not able to fund their attendance fully.

In order to apply for travel support download our travel grant template and submit all information to [email protected] before August 15 2018.

Conference fees

There is a Conference Fee of 100 USD, which includes coffee, dinner and international support, besides all the conference activities.

There is also a Reduced Fee of 50 USD, which includes coffee, dinner, and all the conference activities. This is only available for students and special groups (please send a message why you apply for reduction).

A limited number of scholarships for local participants will be awarded by the Organizing Team (please do not hesitate to contact any of the local organizers).

Local information

We have compiled some information about travelling to Montevideo, currency, weather and accommodation, including several special conference prices in nearby hotels.

Learn more

Contact

You can reach us with any questions at [email protected]

Register

Registration for IC18 is now open and will be until November 15. Note that your registration is only valid after the online payment of the conference fee.

1. Register for IC18

2. Pay the conference fee

IC18 Newsletter

In order to receive the latest information about IC18 be sure to register to our announcement newsletter.

You will only receive a few emails with important information regarding the IMAGINARY Conference 2018. We will not give your address to anyone else, and you can unsubscribe at any point.

About the organizer

IMAGINARY creates and distributes interactive exhibits that communicate modern mathematics to the general public. As a non profit organization we promote mathematical education and knowledge worldwide by offering all content under an open license on our website imaginary.org. We empower people to organize local exhibitions and carry modern mathematics to every corner on earth. Our philosophy and international network of math enthusiasts help us to constantly develop our content, to produce new exhibits and to establish IMAGINARY as think tank for modern mathematics communication. Started as project at the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach in 2008 and spun-off in 2016 with support of the Leibniz Association, we have inspired millions of visitors in more than 50 countries with our exhibits ever since.

IMAGINARY Uruguay began with a big exhibition in 2015 in Montevideo. Since then the group has been traveling across the country, bringing the IMAGINARY experience to 14 different uruguayan cities so far.

Organizing Team

  • Diego Armentano
  • Marcelo Fiori
  • Andreas Matt
  • Mariana Pereira

Scientific Board