The universe did not make it easy. Less than a year into his term, the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In those early lockdown days, leaders had to make operational decisions swiftly and without an instruction manual. Now imagine you’re a busy research institute whose entire mandate is to provide the physical space and resources for international mathematical collaboration. 

Within weeks, the Institute’s programming had shifted entirely online with minimal disruptions to the calendar. No one knew whether the transition would work or what we would do if it failed. We didn’t have to wait long for an answer. Registration numbers doubled from the previous year and audiences in over 100 countries – many of whom would not have been able to attend otherwise – could participate and contribute.

This is just one example of the successful expansion carried out under Prof. Murty’s term. His desire to mobilize Fields’ research capabilities and strong network into a series of broad international initiatives is reflected in the legacy he leaves and the work that will continue at the Institute.

While this is not a full list of Prof. Murty’s contributions to Fields, here is a highlight reel of his activity over the past five years.

Pandemic Response and Creating Interdisciplinary Research Networks

One of Prof. Murty’s values is that mathematics has a responsibility to contribute to a better world. While he helped steer an institute online in 2020, he understood how math could help governments make more informed decisions around the public health response to pandemic measures. As co-chair of the Ontario Modelling Consensus Table and member of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Prof. Murty joined colleagues in providing interdisciplinary expertise to analyze and interpret emerging research and data to support a rapid response to urgent decisions. He translated this work into a separate initiative for Fields, the Mathematical Modelling of COVID-19 Task Force, which partnered with mathematical institutes across Canada to mobilize a network of infectious disease modellers. 

This initiative was so successful it eventually grew into Mathematics for Public Health (MfPH), a national network of infectious disease modellers and public health policymakers that can rapidly respond to public health emergencies. MfPH saw over 60 international experts come together to work on 14 projects in the public health space, while creating opportunities for early career researchers through the MfPH Next Generation program.  

Expansion beyond Core Programming

Fields Academy

Fields coordinates a number of training and outreach programs. Under the Academy umbrella, these activities have an organized place to thrive. Since establishing Fields Academy, the program has grown to include the Fields Shared Graduate Program, the Cybersecurity Training Program and houses the well-known Fields Undergraduate Summer Research Program (FUSRP). Prof. Murty also brought on math education expert, Dr. Pamela Brittain, to create K-12 programming. Her efforts include the successful Ask a Mathematician program, which brings the wonder of mathematics into the classrooms of thousands of Ontario elementary students, and the Elementary Educator Program, designed to help elementary teachers and teacher candidates boost their math skills and confidence.

Fields Multiplier

Multiplier creates collaborations between academia and industry to bring mathematics-based innovations to market. Based on Prof. Murty’s belief in the economic power of mathematics, Multiplier helps entrepreneurs develop products and solutions that are driven by mathematical insights. It achieves this by providing funding, hands-on support from a team of industry experts and facilitating academic partnerships that give businesses access to leading edge mathematical research. Multiplier currently has three operational projects. You can learn more about them here.

Fields MAGIC

In addition to Mathematics for Public Health, Prof. Murty’s vision includes the newly launched Centre for Sustainable Development. This centre includes a research network on Mathematics for Climate Change and future work on smart villages. His work in this area led to numerous speaking opportunities at conferences such as COP28 in Dubai and the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. 

Prof. Murty has also helped oversee the opening of a lab for Network Science headed by Prof. Lyle Muller and Prof. Ján Mináč of Western University. The lab will explore mathematical insights into how the finely tuned structure of a neural network can lead to individual computations and the generation of a coherent sentence as output.

Special Events 

Forward from the Fields Medal

Prof. Murty understood the importance of another legacy: our namesake John Charles Fields. He recognized the opportunity to celebrate the centenary of the 1924 International Congress of Mathematicians that Prof. Fields organized, and at the end of which he had the idea of creating what we today call the Fields Medal. 

Forward from the Fields Medal will take place August 12-17, 2024 and host a very distinguished collection of speakers including  6 Fields Medalists, 2 Abel Prize winners, 5 Wolf Prize winners, several MacArthur Fellows, as well as winners of the Breakthrough and New Horizons Prizes. 

In addition, there will be numerous cultural activities and opportunities to discuss where we may go from here as a collective of international mathematical researchers.

Strategic international partnerships

Along with Head of Strategy, Mallika Das, Prof. Murty made moves to expand Fields’ presence around the world.  We are currently exploring partnerships in Kenya, Spain, India, France and more. Details forthcoming as these partnerships formalize. 

Additional milestones

•Grants from all 3 federal councils.

•Renewal of Publications under the management of Prof. Clifton Cunningham.

•Increased diversity initiatives, including the creation of an EDI Committee, improved gender distribution in some of our programs and a summer school to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups working at advanced levels in mathematics and related sciences.

A fitting farewell

But don’t just take it from us! Prof. Murty’s colleagues have chimed in for a proper sendoff. We wish him the best of luck in his future plans and have no doubt we will see him soon.

While Prof. Murty's mathematical ingenuity is self-evident, it is his empathy towards others, as well as managing to remain calm and unhurried amidst multiple responsibilities, that makes him singularly unique!

Sanoli Gun, Elliott-Yui Distinguished Visitor (2024)

Kumar's legacy at the Fields Institute includes his leadership during the COVID-19 modelling rapid response, and in his role linking the mathematical modelling community to public health decision makers. His directorship has elevated the role of mathematics in building the academic-public-industrial collaboration, setting a strong foundation for growing the impact of the Institute, beyond both the mathematical sciences and the country.

Jianhong Wu, co-lead, COVID-19 Task Force and Mathematics for Public Health (MfPH); 

Kumar sees the potential in just about anything he comes across. Whether it’s people, or ideas or connections, Kumar has an uncanny way of putting them together in new and creative ways. Maybe that’s due to his mathematician’s mind. Over his tenure at Fields, I have seen this play out in many ways and he never hesitates to share the credit or acknowledge the skills of others in each successful outcome. Kumar is someone who truly understands the word “collaboration” and I am grateful to have been able to collaborate with him both at the University of Toronto and at Fields. I wish him all the best in his new endeavours. 

Pamela Brittain, Academic Coordinator, Fields Academy (K-12 Programs)

It has been a true privilege for me to work with Kumar over the last four years. I have learned an enormous amount from him about mathematics, philosophy, managing people, having a vision for the institute and working to make it a reality. Kumar, I trust that you will be nearby to help me navigate the next few months!

Deirdre Haskell, Interim Director, The Fields Institute  

I want to convey my thanks to Prof. Murty for his dedication, imagination and accomplishments as Director of the Institute over the past five years. Together with Deputy Director, Prof. Deirdre Haskell, he has materially improved the quality and productivity of the Institute’s staff and programs. Beyond that, Prof. Murty has brought a penetrating perspective to the Board’s development of a long-term strategy for the Institute, working closely with the Board’s Strategy Committee to invent and design initiatives that have borne fruit during his tenure and promise to be even more prolific in the future. In addition to expanding our famous Core Program of mathematics research and education, Prof. Murty refined, road-tested and rolled out MAGIC, Multiplier, Academy and a program of international relationships. The Institute and the Canadian mathematics community are better for these developments.

No reflection on Prof. Murty’s tenure would be complete without a mention of the crisis management so deftly and successfully handled by him and Prof. Haskell. They finessed the operational disruption threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic through a rapid redeployment of the Institute’s resources by redesigning activities and exploiting remote platforms. Indeed, new programs were added taking advantage of virtual connectivity, expanding the Institute’s reach and effectiveness despite the crisis. At home, by co-chairing the COVID Roundtable, Prof. Murty was instrumental in mobilizing the scientific community – including mathematical scientists – in charting the course of COVID public policy in real time.

Personally, I am grateful to Prof. Murty for his time and attention and for the benefits I have enjoyed from our relationship, both professional and personal. On the Board’s behalf, we wish Prof. Murty all the best in his future work and look forward to his continued relationship with the Institutes as one of its closest friends.

Philip Siller, Chair, The Fields Institute Board