Program

Overview

Scientific issues

With a budget of €50 million over 10 years, the Mathematics in interactions Research Programme (PEPR Maths-Vives) aims to foster and structure interactions between mathematics and other sciences around current challenges. Mathematics’ ability to provide a universal language for better understanding complex phenomena across a wide range of fields is an indispensable asset for scientific research. By providing theoretical insights and numerical methods through modelling, analysis and simulation, mathematics helps to tackle major scientific challenges.

Mathematics working in synergy with other sciences to address societal challenges.

Key areas and initiatives

The programme is organised around three thematic areas of research:

Living systems

To improve our understanding of the various dynamics of living systems at all scales.

Environment

To develop and analyse new models for environmental issues.

Society

To present original theoretical approaches to societal issues.

Initially, these themes will be addressed within ten targeted projects during the initial phase. Each project is co-led by a mathematician and an expert in the relevant field of application. This cross-disciplinary approach will enable the scientists to tackle their problems from a fresh perspective. Each team aims to propose, develop and analyse mathematical theories, models and tools to gain a better understanding of current challenges. The teams will be tasked with creating new tools or overcoming the limitations of existing solutions. These multidisciplinary collaborations will help to strengthen innovation and foster potential technological and societal transfer. This programme will enable the training of a new generation of mathematicians working at the interface with applied fields.

This programme also comprises three cross-cutting initiatives:

Dissemination

To disseminate research findings to society.

Training

To accelerate the transfer of knowledge.

Emergence

To support high-potential fundamental research projects in order to enrich the three thematic areas.

Details

Throughout the programme, calls for proposals will be issued with a view to fostering groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary projects that have the potential to advance our understanding of major societal issues and to encourage interaction between different thematic areas.

Context

The Mathematics in interactions Research Programme (PEPR Maths-Vives) was announced on 27 September 2023 by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It is funded as part of the France 2030 investment plan. It is one of the successful applicants in the third round of the call for exploratory Priority Research Programmes and Equipment (PEPR), assessed by an international panel. Priority Research Programmes and Equipment (PEPR) aim to establish or consolidate French leadership in scientific fields linked to technological, economic, societal, health or environmental transformation and considered a priority at national or European level. This large-scale PEPR aims to place France at the forefront of multidisciplinary research topics ranging from fundamental research to applications with a significant medium- and long-term societal impact. The State has entrusted the CNRS with the scientific leadership of the Maths-Vives PEPR, for which the ANR acts as the implementing body. The National Institute for Mathematical Sciences and their Interactions (Insmi) supports this programme in order to advance the discipline, maintain French excellence and prepare the mathematics of tomorrow – a source of new breakthroughs and future applications that we cannot yet imagine.