Finding Your Math Roots

The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.

Simons Foundation

Registration opens 3 weeks before the event and closes at 2PM day-of. Review the full list of registration & entrance requirements below.

Presents

A free events series exploring the connections between science, culture, and society. Join our scientists and special guests as they discuss the intersections of their work. Come for the conversation, stay for the connections.

Most people can trace a family tree through parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Mathematicians can do something similar, but instead of following genetic bloodlines, they trace an academic genealogy through the areas of inquiry they choose to explore and the people who helped shape them.Behind every mathematician is a vast network of teachers, mentors, advisers, collaborators and students whose influence extends far beyond any one individual. Together, these connections form their own “family tree,” spanning generations and carrying forward not only mathematical knowledge but also shared experiences and ways of thinking. Contrary to the stereotype of the solitary genius, mathematics has always been a deeply human endeavor shaped not only by ideas but also by the relationships that help those ideas grow.Mathematicians Ingrid Daubechies, Rachel Ward, Soledad Villar and Teresa Huang make up four generations of a remarkable academic lineage that looks nothing like the tropes we’ve come to expect. It is defined not only by scientific excellence but also by its role in breaking down barriers, pushing the frontiers of mathematical knowledge, and championing interdisciplinary exploration between math and other areas, such as art and AI.Join them as they sit down with Molly Webster, senior correspondent at Radiolab, for a conversation about how relationships shape careers, inspire discovery and create pathways for future generations. As they trace the branches of their mathematical family tree, this conversation will explore the human connections that advance research, foster belonging and help new ideas take root. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS<a href="https://scholars.duke.edu/person/ingrid.daubechies" title="https://scholars.duke.edu/person/ingrid.daubechies" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Daubechies</a> is the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Duke University. Her sprawling research career has touched fields as diverse as art restoration, evolutionary biology, electrical engineering and, most notably, image and data processing. Her most famous contributions concern wavelets, mathematical structures vital for modern signal processing. Her proposal of an institute devoted to data analysis ultimately led to the formation of the Simons Foundation’s Flatiron Institute. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Academia Europaea. She is a 1992 MacArthur Fellow and served as president of the International Mathematical Union from 2011 to 2014. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Academy of Sciences Award in Mathematics, the Wolf Prize in Mathematics, the Bakerian Medal, the National Medal of Science, the Nemmers Prize, the Fudan-Zhongzhi Science Award and the Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research.<a href="https://oden.utexas.edu/people/directory/rachel--ward/" title="https://oden.utexas.edu/people/directory/rachel--ward/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Ward</a> is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, with positions in the math department and the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. Her research spans stochastic optimization, randomized numerical linear algebra, applied harmonic analysis, and “AI+Math.” She has received several awards for her research, including the IMA Prize in Mathematics and its Applications, the Sloan Fellowship and the Institute for Advanced Study von Neumann Fellowship. She received her Ph.D. in computational and applied mathematics from Princeton University in 2009, supervised by Ingrid Daubechies. She was a Courant instructor from 2009 to 2011 before joining UT Austin as an assistant professor of mathematics. Between 2017 and 2018, she was a visiting research scientist at Facebook AI Research (FAIR), and from 2023 to 2025, she served as a principal researcher at Microsoft Research.<a href="https://www.ams.jhu.edu/villar/" title="https://www.ams.jhu.edu/villar/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Villar</a> is an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics at Johns Hopkins University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, advised by Rachel Ward. She has done research at the University of California, Berkeley, New York University, Apple Research and the Simons Foundation’s Flatiron Institute. She is originally from Uruguay.<a href="https://nhuang37.github.io/" title="https://nhuang37.github.io/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Huang</a> is a research scientist at Google Research in New York City. She is broadly interested in geometric deep learning, theory and algorithms for foundation models, and machine learning for science. Before joining Google, she was a research fellow in the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Mathematics. She completed her Ph.D. in 2024 at Johns Hopkins University, where she was co-advised by Professors Soledad Villar and Carey Priebe.Conversation Moderator: <a href="https://radiolab.org/team/molly-webster" title="https://radiolab.org/team/molly-webster" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Webster</a> is the Senior Correspondent at Radiolab. After completing a degree in biology, Molly pursued science journalism, writing for outlets such as Scientific American and National Geographic Adventure. Her ability to comprehend and totally immerse herself in complicated issues has helped Radiolab investigate <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/birthstory2018" title="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/birthstory2018" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">international surrogacy</a>, <a href="http://www.radiolab.org/story/worth/" title="http://www.radiolab.org/story/worth/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">the price of a human life</a>, and one <a href="http://www.radiolab.org/story/seed-jar/" title="http://www.radiolab.org/story/seed-jar/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">very special jar</a>. She has adapted her audio and written work for the stage, performing in theaters from BAM to <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/molly_webster_the_weird_history_of_the_sex_chromosomes" title="https://www.ted.com/talks/molly_webster_the_weird_history_of_the_sex_chromosomes" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">TED</a>. A frequent guest host on Radiolab, she developed, produced, and hosted our first-ever special series, <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/projects/radiolab-presents-gonads" title="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/projects/radiolab-presents-gonads" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Gonads</a> - a critically acclaimed podcast and live event series about the parts of us that make more of us.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS &amp; DETAILS<ul><li>You must be 18+ to attend this event</li><li>Registration will close at 2:00 PM the day of the event</li><li>Please only register yourself and use your complete first and last name as it appears on your photo ID when filling in the form</li><li>If you have a guest you would like to bring with you to this event, please send them the link to register so they can sign up on their own</li><li>By registering to attend this event, participants agree to follow the <a href="https://www.simonsfoundation.org/code-of-conduct/" title="https://www.simonsfoundation.org/code-of-conduct/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Simons Foundation Code of Conduct</a></li><li>Please note that the Simons Foundation will never ask for credit card information or require payment for registration to our free public events.</li></ul> BUILDING ENTRY PROTOCOL<ul><li>All attendees must be pre-registered and walk-in entry will be denied</li><li>Provide valid photo ID upon entry</li><li>Present your digital or printed Eventbrite ticket confirmation; make sure it is for the correct event and that the name on it matches your ID</li><li>Limited seating is available for this in-person event and is on a first-come, first-served basis</li><li>Once the floor reaches maximum capacity, event organizers will not be able to admit additional guests, in accordance with New York City fire safety and building occupancy regulations.</li><li>Admittance to the event closes at 6:20 p.m.</li></ul>Please note that by entering the Simons Foundation buildings, you are attesting that you are not experiencing COVID symptoms and are not knowingly positive for COVID.

EVENT SCHEDULE:Doors open: 5:30 p.m. (No entrance before 5:30 p.m.)In Conversation: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. (Admittance closes at 6:20 p.m.)Reception: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.If alcohol is served at this event, event organizers reserve the right to refuse to serve guests who are not of legal drinking age or who appear to be intoxicated.The Gerald D. Fischbach Auditorium complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and offers accessible seating to visitors with special access needs.Inquiries: sfpresents@simonsfoundation.org

Finding Your Math Roots

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Finding Your Math Roots

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