IMAG is associated to the Banff International Research Station (BIRS) in hosting a series of research workshops part of the scientific program of BIRS. This association is one of the key actions undertaken by IMAG within the framework of the María de Maeztu Seal obtained by the institute.

RESEARCH WORKSHOPS

The pilot program will begin in 2023. It is planned that from 2024, IMAG will function as a center associated with BIRS, as those already existing in Oaxaca (Mexico), Hangzhou (China) and Kelowna (Canada). In this way, IMAG will be the first European center associated to BIRS, offering its excellent scientific programming with easy access to the European mathematical community, with the rich natural and cultural backdrop of Andalusia.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM FOR 2023

• May 7, 2023 to May 12, 2023
  • Title: Modern Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches for High-Dimensional Compound Spatial Extremes
  • Organizers: Soutir Bandyopadhyay (lead organizer, Colorado School of Mines, Applied Mathematics and Statistics), Raphaël Huser (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), Jorge Mateu (University Jaume I of Castellón), Gwladys Toulemonde ( (University of Montpellier), and Jenny Wadsworth (h (Lancaster University)
• May 21, 2023 to May 26, 2023
  • Title: Minimal Surfaces in Symmetric Spaces
  • Organizers: FranzPedit (lead organizer, University of Massachusetts at Amherst), Michael Wolf (Rice University, Georgia Tech), Francisco Martín (University of Granada), Rafael Montezuma (Federal University of Ceara), and Lynn Heller (Leibniz Universität Hannover)
• May 28, 2023 to June 02, 2023
  • Title: Nonlinear diffusion and nonlocal interaction models – entropies, complexity, and multi-scale structures
  • Organizers: Marco Di Francesco (lead organizer, University of L’Aquila), Matteo Bonforte (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and ICMAT), Mikaela Iacobelli (ETH Zurich), and Katy Craig (University of California, Santa Barbara)
• June 11, 2023 to June 16, 2023
  • Title: Geometric Inequalities, Convexity and Probability
  • Organizers: Alina Stancu (lead organizer, Concordia University), Shiri Artstein-Avidan (Tel Aviv University), Dario Cordero-Erausquin (Sorbonne Université), Max Fathi (Université de Paris), and Bo’az Klartag (Weizmann Institute of Science)

APPLYING FOR THE WORKSHOP

Applications for workshops within the BIRS-IMAG program are made in the general call for workshop proposals which is published annually by BIRS. If you wish your workshop to take place in Granada, you will be able to specify so in your application. However, note that due to the limited availability of the pilot program at IMAG, only a few workshops per year (four or five) will be run at IMAG, so BIRS might select your proposal but suggest you to run it at an alternative site.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Complete information on travelling to Granada and IMAG can be found here. We provide here a summary for the convenience of participants in BIRS-IMAG workshops.

How to arrive to Granada and IMAG:

• From Granada airport. The airport is 17 km from downtown. Correspondences between Granada and its airport can be done by taxi or bus. The cab fare is about 30-35€. There is a 3€ bus airport-downtown (line 245), with different stops. The nearest one to IMAG is the eighth stop, at “Avda. Constitucion Hotel Cóndor”, from where IMAG is just at 10 min of walking distance.
• From Málaga airport. The bus company Alsa has a service connecting directly the airport of Málaga with the city of Granada. From this airport, there are frequent connections (approx. one per hour). For more information, please visit the Alsa website. Another available connection is through the bus station in Málaga, from where one can find buses leaving to Granada each hour. These buses arrive at the bus station in Granada, from where one can take a taxi to downtown (about 10€) or a city bus (lines SN2 or SN5) in order to arrive to the institute (see here for a map of the city buses in Granada).
• By high speed train. There are daily connections to and from Granada, with Madrid and Barcelona. The train station in Granada is downtown, at 10 minutes of walking distance from IMAG.

LOCATION

INFORMATION FOR ORGANIZERS

Instructions and links to information for organizers are available here. BIRS-IMAG workshops are managed through the BIRS system, except details related to accommodation and facilities at IMAG.

Lodging: IMAG will offer accommodation and full board for 42 participants in your workshop. Accommodation and meals will be available at an external hotel at walking distance from IMAG. All participants should receive information by email regarding the procedure to reserve the dates of their visit.

We also ask organizers to prepare and upload the list of participants to the BIRS system as soon as possible, so that accommodation can be arranged. As soon as this is done, all participants should receive instructions to send their visit dates, and accommodation will then be reserved for them.

Facilities at IMAG: Workshops are held in the main conference room on the ground floor of the Institute, with a capacity for 84 people. This conference room has a projector, a computer, a videoconference system and a large sliding blackboard. You can also see a complete description of the facilities available at IMAG here.

Final report: After workshops have finished, organizers will be kindly asked to complete a short report on the main outcomes of the workshop. Details on this can be found here.

Equity, diversity and inclusion. IMAG, like BIRS, is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in all events. We have gathered some general suggestions for organizers here, and some resources on this are available at BIRS’s website

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS

The BIRS Program Committee recommends that organizers refer to the following list of considerations to help support an EDI-positive event:

• Consider planning ways to support and develop the careers of early-career researchers (ECR), so that they get the most out of the workshop. Examples of such ways could be, but need not be limited to, planning pre-workshop activities (such as virtual lectures or mini courses); hosting panel discussions on barriers in building careers; planning training opportunities; and providing mentorship opportunities.
• Consider including activities that ensure successful inclusion of mathematicians from under-represented or minoritized (URM) backgrounds. Examples of this could include ensuring widespread access to your event; showcasing URM scholars in leadership positions as role models; hosting discussion forums on systemic barriers in STEM faced by women and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) communities; and publicizing professional resources specific to these groups.
• Consider including networking and professional development opportunities for everyone.
• Consider ways to enrich the hybrid workshop experience to foster connection between virtual and on-site participants.
• Consider measuring the impact of your workshop using post-event surveys, group follow-on activities, etc.

The BIRS team would be glad to support these efforts. Let us know how we can help with the planning of your workshop!

More information on organizing an EDI-positive event can be found here.

INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS

IMAG will offer accommodation and full board for 42 participants in your workshop. Accommodation and meals will be available at an external hotel at walking distance from IMAG. All participants should receive information by email regarding the procedure to reserve the dates of their visit.

Workshops are held in the main conference room on the ground floor of the Institute, with a capacity for 84 people. This conference room has a projector, a computer, a videoconference system and a large sliding blackboard.

You can also see a complete description of the facilities available at IMAG here.

• Access for people with disabilities: IMAG is equipped with handicapped access, without architectural barriers, both for cars and wheelchairs. In case you need help, please contact us at imag(at)ugr.es, and (34) 958242794, 958242798.

Participation in the workshop

In addition to the invited participants, a limited number of observers (self-funded participants) may also attend the workshop. If you are interested in attending a IMAG workshop, please refer to the guideline below:

Please email the BIRS Program Coordinator, who will then submit your request to the organizers of the workshop you are interested in attending.

QUESTIONS?

For answers to the most common inquiries, please see the below links for frequently asked questions.

• Workshop Information
• Information for Organizers

Please note that while BIRS provides logistical support for the activities at IMAG, is not responsible for any aspect of its local operations. Participants assume responsibility for their own travel and well-being as is customary for conferences of this nature.