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Quick answer: The Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM) is a national research institute based at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, established in 2010 through major funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences. ICERM fosters collaborative research at the interface of mathematics and computation by hosting semester-long thematic programs, focused topical workshops, small collaborative research teams, and open scientific media archives.
What it is
The Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM) operates as one of the premier mathematical sciences research institutes supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. While traditional mathematics institutes focus primarily on theoretical abstraction, ICERM’s central objective is to expand the use of computational, experimental, and algorithmic methodologies across all mathematical disciplines. Research conducted through ICERM spans pure mathematics, applied mathematics, computer science, and data-intensive computational disciplines.
The institute provides physical and computational infrastructure for international cohorts of mathematicians, computer scientists, and domain specialists. Long-term visitors, postdoctoral scholars, and visiting faculty engage in collaborative research supported by specialized computational clusters, scientific visualization platforms, and structured lecture series.
Who runs it and what it covers
ICERM is hosted by Brown University and occupies dedicated research and conference facilities at 121 South Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The institute was founded in 2010 by Brown University mathematics faculty—including Jill Pipher (founding Director and lead PI), Jeffrey Brock, Jan Hesthaven, Jeffrey Hoffstein, and Bjorn Sandstede—supported by a foundational grant from the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences. Ongoing national institute operations are supported under NSF Award 2424556 ($9,779,996 across 2025–2030, with Brendan Hassett serving as Principal Investigator and Director), alongside supplementary funding from corporate and philanthropic partners such as the Simons Foundation.
Governance is directed by an executive leadership team comprising the Institute Director, Associate Directors, and a Board of Trustees, guided by an external Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) that evaluates program proposals for scientific merit and alignment with computational paradigms.
ICERM’s core program portfolio includes:
- Semester Programs: Flagship thematic programs lasting approximately four months that bring together 30 to 50 resident mathematicians, postdocs, and research fellows focused on a specific mathematical area with deep computational connections.
- Topical Workshops: Five-day intensive research workshops exploring targeted problems or emerging computational tools.
- Hot Topics Workshops: Rapid-response, short-notice workshops organized around urgent mathematical or scientific breakthroughs.
- Collaborate@ICERM: A focused mechanism enabling small research teams (3 to 6 researchers) to spend one to two intensive weeks at the institute to complete ongoing projects.
- Summer@ICERM: An undergraduate research program (Research Experiences for Undergraduates, REU) engaging students in rigorous computational mathematics projects.
- Graduate Training Workshops: Specialized instructional programs introducing graduate students to modern computational platforms and mathematical software libraries.
How to search or use it
Researchers interact with ICERM as applicants for visiting fellowships, workshop participants, program organizers, or consumers of open access research media. The standard workflow for utilizing ICERM resources proceeds through the following steps:
- Review Upcoming Programs: Navigate to the ICERM Programs portal (
icerm.brown.edu/programs) to examine scheduled semester themes, workshops, and application deadlines typically published 12 to 24 months in advance. - Access the Application Portal: Create an account or log in via the unified academic portal MathPrograms.org or ICERM’s participant portal (
app.icerm.brown.edu). - Submit Participant Applications: Complete the standardized application form for semester residency or workshop attendance, providing a curriculum vitae, publication list, research statement outlining computational interests, and references where required.
- Request Travel and Financial Support: Indicate funding requirements within the portal; ICERM allocates NSF-supported lodging, per diem, and travel stipends primarily targeted to early-career researchers and visiting scholars.
- Submit Program Proposals: To organize a new workshop or semester program, submit a formal proposal through the ICERM proposal portal detailing scientific rationale, computational components, proposed organizing committee, and prospective key speakers.
- Utilize Institute Computational Assets: During residency, researchers access ICERM’s local high-performance computing clusters, scientific visualization labs, and technical support staff who assist with mathematical software integration.
- Access Open Video Archives: Researchers globally can search and stream thousands of recorded lectures, workshop presentations, and instructional tutorials via the free ICERM Video Archive without requiring login credentials.
Strengths and limits
ICERM offers distinct advantages for the mathematical community while maintaining clear operational boundaries:
- Computational Specialization: Unlike purely theoretical institutes, ICERM prioritizes algorithmic implementations, experimental mathematics, and numerical verification, bridging theoretical proofs with computer exploration.
- Open Educational Resources: All conference talks and tutorial series are systematically recorded and made publicly available, enabling researchers worldwide to access cutting-edge seminars.
- Strong Early-Career Support: Robust financial allocations, dedicated postdoctoral cohorts, and Summer@ICERM undergraduate fellowships provide substantial mentorship pathways.
- Selective Capacity: Physical facilities at the Providence campus restrict residential cohort sizes, resulting in competitive acceptance rates for funded semester residencies.
- Scope Constraints: Programs must maintain a demonstrable link to computational or experimental methods; purely abstract research lacking algorithmic or computational relevance is redirected to other NSF institutes.
Alternatives
ICERM is part of a broader network of national and international mathematical institutes, each maintaining a distinct focus and geographic hub:
| Institute | Host Institution / Location | Primary Research Focus | Primary Funding Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICERM | Brown University (Providence, RI) | Computational and experimental mathematics | NSF DMS Award 2424556, Brown University |
| SLMath (formerly MSRI) | Berkeley, California | Broad pure and applied mathematical sciences | NSF DMS, institutional endowments |
| IPAM | UCLA (Los Angeles, CA) | Interactions between mathematics and applied sciences | NSF DMS, UCLA |
| AIM (American Institute of Mathematics) | Pasadena, California | Focused collaborative workshops and SQuaREs | NSF DMS, private foundations |
| IAS School of Mathematics | Princeton, New Jersey | Theoretical mathematics and fundamental research | Institute endowment, philanthropic grants |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ICERM?
ICERM stands for the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, an NSF-funded research institute based at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Who funds ICERM programs?
ICERM is primarily funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Mathematical Sciences, currently under Award 2424556, alongside support from Brown University and philanthropic research foundations.
How do researchers apply for ICERM programs?
Researchers apply for semester programs, workshops, and postdoctoral positions online through MathPrograms.org or directly through ICERM’s application portal at app.icerm.brown.edu.
Are ICERM lecture videos publicly accessible?
Yes. ICERM records nearly all workshop lectures and makes them freely accessible to the global research community through its online video archive.
What is Collaborate@ICERM?
Collaborate@ICERM is a focused program mechanism allowing small teams of 3 to 6 mathematicians to conduct intensive research collaborations at the institute for one to two weeks on specific computational mathematics problems.
Sources
- Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), “About the Institute”, https://icerm.brown.edu/about/, retrieved 8 November 2026.
- Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), “How to Propose a Program or Workshop”, https://icerm.brown.edu/proposals/, retrieved 8 November 2026.
- National Science Foundation, Award Abstract #2424556: “Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics”, https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2424556.json, retrieved 8 November 2026.
- National Science Foundation, Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS), “Mathematical Sciences Research Institutes”, https://www.nsf.gov/mps/dms/, retrieved 8 November 2026.
