On Monday September 24, 2001 The Banff Centre announced that it will be the home of a new international mathematical research facility, the Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS). Starting in 2003, BIRS will host thousands of top international scientists and researchers each year. They will gather at The Banff Centre for intense workshops, collaborative research efforts, and training sessions across the entire spectrum of pure and applied mathematical sciences.

This joint venture is spearheaded in Canada by the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) and in the US, by the Berkeley-based Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI). Another active participant in BIRS will be the Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems Network of Centres of Excellence (MITACS). Like The Banff Centre, the institutions involved in this initiative have demonstrated a commitment to bringing imaginative minds together in a fertile environment.

What this means for the Centre is that a new feature has been added to its already rich environment. The addition of BIRS to the Centre’s diverse offerings is directly in line with the mandates outlined in The Banff Centre’s Three Year Plan. Namely, to support creative excellence, foster innovative research opportunities, and encourage cross-disciplinary exploration and discovery.

The Centre is an ideal environment for this institute, and Mary Hofstetter, president and CEO, The Banff Centre, looks forward to seeing how this new element will inspire new collaborations with artists in the Centre’s programs. "What’s exciting about this opportunity is that BIRS is the first think tank of its kind in North America. It will bring together academics, students, and industrial scientists in an environment that will create lasting research partnerships. The presence of BIRS on our campus will enable The Banff Centre to enhance research capacity in a new frontier, and help develop the careers of young researchers both in North America and around the world," says Hofstetter. She adds that this is the first time that Canada and the US have collaborated on this type of facility.

To learn more about BIRS, please visit the Web site at: www.pims.math.ca/birs