Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences

11/06/2026

Math Planck People - They make Math happen! 📸

Hello! My name is Rhys Steele and since October 2023 I have been a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Felix Otto. Prior to this, I was a PhD student of Professor Martin Hairer at Imperial College London.

My research focuses on Singular Stochastic Partial Differential Equations, which are partial differential equations subject to a random forcing that is so irregular that it produces infinite divergences that have to be renormalised. Such equations arise in a wide range of areas, including quantum field theory, models of surface growth, and fluid dynamics.

Outside of mathematics, I like to relax by playing board games, reading fantasy novels and by baking. 🍰🎲

✨ Meet our at: https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/math-planck-people

28/05/2026

👏Three members of our Non-Linear Algebra at Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences group obtained their PhD degrees at UC Berkeley on May 22, and they were hooded by their advisor, Bernd Sturmfels.

We congratulate and wish them all the best for their next steps. 🍀

🎓Hannah Friedman will be a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics ICERM at Brown University. 🎓Lizzie Pratt will be a postdoc at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo. 🎓Svala Sverrisdóttir will join Merton College in Oxford as a junior research fellow.

26/05/2026

⚽️ Mathletico Max Planck finishes as football runner-up! 🥈Congratulations to our soccer team on a fantastic second place at the Leipzig Science Cup tournament. 🎊

🌐 Read more in our Institute News: https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/football-meets-science

21/05/2026

We’re delighted to announce that St John's College, Oxford has appointed our director László Székelyhidi as an Honorary Fellow, recognizing his outstanding achievements and longstanding connection to the college. Heartfelt congratulations! 💐

Read more: 👇

St John’s College has appointed two distinguished alumni, Professor László Székelyhidi and Bronwen Maddox, as Honorary Fellows.

19/05/2026

We warmly congratulate our director Felix Otto on several special milestones this year, including his 60th birthday and his invitation as a plenary speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), while also celebrating 30 years of the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences. 💐🎉

👉 Read more in our Institute News:

We warmly congratulate our director Felix Otto on several special milestones this year, including his 60th birthday and his invitation as a plenary speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), while also celebrating 30 years of the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Scienc...

15/05/2026

A new book project by Jürgen Jost and former group members Raffaella Mulas and D**g Zhang explores the spectra of graphs, simplicial complexes, and hypergraphs, bridging mathematical theory and interdisciplinary applications.

📙 “Spectra of Discrete Structures” published by Cambridge University Press.

👉 Read more in our Institute News:

A new book project by Jürgen Jost and former group members Raffaella Mulas and D**g Zhang explores the spectra of graphs, simplicial complexes, and hypergraphs—bridging mathematical theory and interdisciplinary applications.

06/05/2026

🎓 Congratulations to Armin Pournaki on successfully completing his PhD on "Computational Approaches to the Analysis of Political Narratives"!
He has now joined the Institute of Sociology at the University of Bern, where he will contribute to the development of the Digital Society Lab.
👉 Read more in our Institute News:

Armin Pournaki has successfully completed his doctoral thesis on “Computational Approaches to the Analysis of Political Narratives”. He has now moved to the Institute of Sociology at the University of Bern, where he will contribute to the development of the Digital Society Lab. Congratulations!

30/04/2026

Join us for the Q***r in Math Day on June 22 at MPI MiS.
This one-day conference showcases the work of q***r mathematicians and creates a safe space for networking, as well as for sharing advice and experiences. The scientific program is designed to be accessible to a broad mathematical audience.

While the event highlights q***r perspectives in mathematics, everyone is very welcome to attend and learn. As some topics may be sensitive, we kindly ask all participants to be respectful and help us maintain a supportive and safe environment for everyone.

👉Registration is now open until June 8 https://forms.mis.mpg.de/cgi-bin/registration.pl?id=443

👉 Conference Website: www.mis.mpg.de/qimd

28/04/2026

Math Planck People - They make Math happen! 📸

Hello, my name is Marco Inversi. Since September 2025 I am new PostDoc in the Applied Analysis Group of László Székelyhidi.

I studied mathematics at University of Pisa, where I completed my Bachelor and Master. After visiting ETH Zurich for two semesters, I moved to Basel for my Phd. Under the supervision of Prof. Gianluca Crippa, I studied some problems related to partial differential equations in fluid mechanics. In particular, I focused on the renormalization problem for the transport equation, as well as energy conservation and intermittency in incompressible turbulence modelled by Euler and Navier—Stokes equations. Meanwhile, I worked on problems related to Gamma-convergence for fractional Allen—Cahn type energies. This is a classical topic in Calculus of Variations. which I have been exposed to during my undergraduate studies in Pisa.

Outside of mathematics, I have a lot of interests. Despite being bad in all of them, I enjoy my free time practising several sports such as cycling, swimming, running, gym, football, and much more. I love trying new experiences, exploring new places and making new friends. I like painting, cooking and listening to music. I love being in the nature, especially in the mountains.

✨ Meet our at: https://www.mis.mpg.de/news/math-planck-people

23/04/2026

🎓 35 doctoral students, two group leaders, and a diverse program centered on research, team building, and good scientific practice—the IMPRS Retreat 2026 provided space for exchange and fresh perspectives.

Read more in our IMPRS News:

35 doctoral students, two group leaders, and a diverse program centered on research, team building, and good scientific practice—the IMPRS Retreat 2026 provided space for exchange and fresh perspectives.