Simons Symposia

The Simons Foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences division invites proposals for its Simons Symposia series, which brings together mathematicians, theoretical physicists and theoretical computer scientists to interact and collaborate in a series of three symposia, held every two years and focusing on one topic or a tightly connected group of topics.

The first meetings in the new series will start in the winter or spring of 2023, and the foundation expects to select up to one in either mathematics, theoretical physics or theoretical computer science series.

The foundation strongly encourages the participation of scientists from underrepresented groups.

Format of a Symposium Series

A symposium series consists of up to three weeklong meetings on one topic or a tightly connected group of topics. A symposium series is initially approved for one year and renewed for up to two more meetings if successful. If the first meeting in the series occurs in year N, then subsequent meetings would occur in years N+2 and N+4.

Each symposium in the series may have up to 23 participants, including its organizing committee (two to four leaders in a field). It will have a schedule that leaves sufficient time for collaborations and open-ended discussions, with up to four lectures per day over five days. In some areas, a tight focus on a new research development or a specific research problem would be appropriate; in others, a symposium might help set an agenda for the field. Please see previous Simons Symposia for reference.

Participation

Participation in a symposium is by invitation only. Participants are required to attend all events during the symposium. The Simons Foundation will issue invitations upon the recommendation of the organizers. The foundation will also make travel arrangements for all participants and will provide support at the conference site. All expenses, including travel, lodging and meals, will be covered by the foundation.

Criteria for Judging Proposals

Proposals for new series will be judged on the basis of the significance and timeliness of the topic, the appropriateness of the symposium format, the likelihood of interesting science being completed or sparked and the scientific quality of the organizing committee.

Eligibility

Institutional involvement and approval are not required for the application, and applicants from within or outside the United States are eligible.

Guest Policy

It is against Simons Foundation policy for guests, including spouses and family members, to accompany participants during the meeting week. Guests are welcome to join participants prior to or at the conclusion of the symposium at their own expense. The Simons Foundation will not cover expenses associated with such extensions and will not arrange accommodation or travel for guests.

How to Apply

Applications to organize individual symposium series that start in winter or spring of 2023 are due by October 5, 2021, and must be submitted via this form on the Simons Foundation website:
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/mathematics-physical-sciences/simons-symposia-application-form/

The application should be submitted by a member of the symposium’s organizing committee. Institutional involvement and approval are not required for this application.

On the form, please enter the requested information for the applicant, the symposium title, scientific abstract and applicable field.

Additionally, the following documents must be provided in a single PDF file in the order indicated below, to be uploaded on the form where indicated. All documents should be single spaced and in typeface no smaller than 10-point font. Margins must be at least half an inch in all directions. The PDF file should be labeled ApplicantLastName_FirstName.pdf.

• Description of Symposium Subject (three-page limit, plus up to one page for references): Attention should be paid to the timeliness of the subject and to the question of why the symposium format is appropriate. Careful justification should be provided for the number of symposia in the proposed series (from one to three).
• Organizing Committee: A list of the members of the organizing committee (up to four), including their institutions and contact information.
• Key Invitees: A list of key invitees and their institutions (total number of participants including the organizers should not exceed 23).
• Dissemination Plan (three-page limit): Must include some method of dissemination appropriate to the topic and the field.
• Curriculum Vitae (two-page limit): One is needed for each member of the organizing committee.

The organizing committees will be notified by December 31, 2021.