International Women in Mathematics Day

Colloque des sciences mathématiques du Québec

Almut Burchard (University of Toronto)

Date: 8 May 2026 at 3:30 pm
Lieu: Hybride – CRM, Salle / Room 6214, Pavillon André Aisenstadt

Title: Symmetry-breaking in geometric capacitor problems

Abstract: How does the shape of a body determine its capacity? Classical results say that balls _minimize_ the Newton capacity among bodies of given volume, but _maximize_ it among bodies of given diameter. While  the lower bound on capacity in  terms of volume is a cornerstone  of potential theory,  the upper bound in terms of diameter (proved by Szego in 1930) was largely relegated to a footnote. Recently isodiametric shape optimization for Riesz capacities has become interesting in the context of aggregation problems with pair interactions  of attractive-repulsive type. In this talk I will discuss situations where the capacity-maximizer is not a ball. When does symmetry-breaking occur, and what are good candidates for non-radial maximizers?

International Women in Math Day – Film Projection and Panel Discussion

Organizers:  Concordia AWM Chapter, Galia Dafni and Alina Stancu
Location : Cinema De Sève, Concordia University
Date : Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Time : 6:30pm to 10pm (doors open at 6pm)
Sponsor : Centre de recherches mathématiques (CRM)

Join us in celebrating International Women in Mathematics Day, May 12, with a film projection followed by a panel discussion.

Screening of the film Le Théorème de Marguerite (in French with English subtitles). This 2023 French fiction film, written and directed by Anna Novion and starring Ella Rumpf, portrays the experiences of a brilliant woman graduate student in mathematics, touching on many aspects of what it means to be a mathematician. The mathematician Ariane Mézard (Sorbonne) served as a consultant for the film, and the research depicted centers on Goldbach’s conjecture, a classical problem in number theory.

Panel discussion following the film.  The panel will feature women mathematicians from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of their careers. The discussion will focus on collaboration, a central theme of the movie and an important aspect of career development, particularly relevant to women and individuals from underrepresented groups in mathematics. The following faculty members are confirmed to participate in the panel: Linan Chen (McGill), Lucile Devin (ULCO, France, visiting the IRL CRM-CNRS), Nadia Lafrenière (Concordia), and Patricia Sorya (U. Ottawa, 2025 Carl Herz prize recipient).