Terence Tao Is Back! Math Sanctuary IPAM Gets a Narrow 5-Year Lifeline, But Funding Is Pitiful
Terence Tao & IPAM: From Funding Crisis to Temporary Survival
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Editor's Note
The math genius has finally received his research lifeline! Terence Tao announced that IPAM has secured five-year funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) — enough to survive for now, albeit with a sharp funding cut. Additional fundraising will be required for normal operations.
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NSF Grants IPAM Five More Years
Fields Medal winner Terence Tao revealed that starting in 2025, the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM) will receive five years of NSF support.
- This marks a renewal of IPAM’s lifespan, avoiding permanent closure.
- Funding, however, is significantly smaller than in the previous term.
In recent months, IPAM faced near-shutdown after funding was halted, surviving only via donations and emergency funds. Tao noted:
> “As expected, this round of funding is much smaller… Further fundraising is needed for normal operations.”
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Background on IPAM
Founded in 2000, IPAM has:
- Inspired breakthroughs leading to Fields and Abel prizes.
- Served as one of just six NSF-funded research institutes.
- Spearheaded innovations like compressed sensing technology.
- Supported interdisciplinary collaboration and young mathematicians.
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U.S. Research Funding Cuts
Recently, the NSF implemented deep budget reductions:
- Many fields saw project funding slashed.
- University scholarships and grants were severely reduced.
Now, IPAM’s 2025–2030 funding will cover only minimum survival needs.
> Official IPAM Statement:
> “With this investment, IPAM will continue promoting innovation in mathematics and its applications… A mission aligned with NSF’s priorities.”
Still, additional fundraising is critical.
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Terence Tao Speaks Out Against Cuts
Back in February, Tao:
- Launched a public petition opposing funding cuts.
- Urged widespread support.
Consequences across academia:
- Universities like Penn rescinded graduate offers.
- Projects were halted; personnel lost.
- AI pioneer Yann LeCun warned of long-term damage to U.S. scientific leadership.
Wall Street Journal (May 2024) reported: NSF’s basic research budget has been cut by 50%, with no sign of recovery in 2025.
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Funding Blow Hits UCLA & Tao Personally
By August, reductions reached UCLA — Tao’s home institution:
- Tao revealed his personal funding was cut off.
- He delayed receiving summer pay to support graduate students.
- IPAM could operate for only a few more months without intervention.
Tao’s urgent post on Home of the Brave:
> “I’m an award-winning mathematician, and Trump just slashed my research funding!”
He described his lifelong ties to U.S. science:
- Sesame Street taught him to count.
- Carl Sagan’s Cosmos inspired his love for the universe.
- American Mathematical Society publications deepened his passion.
Career path:
- Graduated in Australia.
- Fulbright Fellowship to Princeton.
- Postdoc at UCLA — teaching, mentoring, and researching for 25 years.
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Tao's Warning
He cautioned that cutting research budgets will:
- Weaken U.S. scientific leadership.
- Drive talent abroad.
- Erode the STEM ecosystem that nurtured top scholars.
Nevertheless, as Tao wrote recently:
> “At least now we can maintain IPAM’s minimal level of activity — something uncertain only months ago.”
IPAM lives on, but barely.
Reference:
https://mathstodon.xyz/@tao/115647410588824674
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This crisis underscores a hard truth: when foundational research funding collapses, even the most accomplished scientists must divert time to survival efforts — time that could have advanced discovery.
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