Deputy Director, Banff International Research Station (BIRS)

The Banff International Research Station (BIRS) invites applications for the position of Deputy Director (DD). This is a key leadership role within BIRS, contributing to the strategic vision and operational management of one of the world’s premier mathematical research institutions.

About BIRS

BIRS is a globally recognized research institute that hosts and supports high-impact mathematical sciences programs, facilitating collaboration among researchers from across the world. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, BIRS provides a dynamic environment for advancing mathematical research.

Role and Responsibilities

The Deputy Director will work closely with the BIRS Director, BIRS Administrative and Programming Team to oversee the station’s scientific programming and strategic initiatives. Specific responsibilities include:

• Supporting the development and implementation of BIRS’s scientific programs.
• Assisting in the review and selection of program proposals.
• Liasing actively with funding agencies and in fundraising efforts.
• Engaging with researchers and institutional partners to foster collaboration.
• Representing BIRS in regional and national outreach efforts.
• Contributing to the operational and strategic planning of the institute.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• A strong research record in the mathematical sciences.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• A demonstrated commitment to fostering collaborative research environments.
• Experience with academic program administration or research leadership would be considered an asset.

Location and Term

• The position is open to candidates who are tenured faculty members at a major university in British Columbia (BC) or Alberta (AB), given the practical considerations for the role.
• The role will be an add-on to the candidate's responsibilities as a faculty member at their own institution. A compensation package will be negotiated. Applicants should be prepared to negotiate a teaching release with their academic institution.

Application Process

Applicants should submit a CV and a statement of interest and vision outlining their relevant experience and vision for the role. References are optional at the initial stages, but will be required for short listed candidates.

Applications are open until May 24, 2025, with a planned start date of September 1, 2025.

For inquiries or to submit an application, please contact [email protected].

The PIMS/BIRS Team Up! program provides opportunities for in-person collaboration to teams of mathematical scientists, targeting researchers whose research program may have been disproportionately affected by various obstacles like family obligations, professional isolation, access to funding, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes, but need not be limited to, women, gender-expansive, and minoritized groups, Indigenous scholars, individuals with visible/invisible challenges and early-career researchers with limited resources.

Successful applicants will receive lodging and meals (subject to availability) at either the Banff or Kelowna BIRS site, as well as reasonable reimbursement for travel expenses. A key goal of this program is for researchers with caregiving responsibilities to participate fully in its scientific activities. To this end, support may also be offered in the form of lodging and reimbursement of travel expenses for children accompanying the member, as well as lodging and travel expenses for a caregiver. Successful applicants of the TeamUp program who will be accompanied by children and/or a caregiver during their residency should submit their requests to PIMS ([email protected]) at least one month prior to the event.

Program Details and Eligibility

To participate in Team Up! Applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Groups of two to six mathematicians with partial results on an established project or a clear plan for a proposed project.
• Each member of the group must have a Ph.D. in mathematics or a related area or advanced graduate standing.
• At least one team member with a Ph.D. must be based at a PIMS Member or PIMS Affiliated institution.
• Each group must apply to be in residence at a designated BIRS venue (Banff or Kelowna) for two weeks.
• All members of the group must be in residence for the full duration of the visit.
• Applicants may only apply as a member of one research group.

Application Process

One person from each group should complete the application form linked below. That form will ask for details of your existing collaboration, including:

• A brief history of the collaboration
• The context, description, and goals of the research problems to be addressed
• Timeliness and novelty of the proposed research
• Partial results obtained (if any)
• A timeline for the project, describing how the group plans to pursue this project before, during and after the residence
• A selection of preferred (and impossible) dates for your residence

In addition to these project details, you will be asked to provide contact details for the members of the collaboration. All members will be contacted (automatically, by email) and asked to complete a second form to capture their demographic and biographical information. Specifically, we will be asking for:

• A statement summarizing the applicants' current challenges and their request for resources to address these.
• A list of all members on the research team, including home institution, citizenship, year of Ph.D., current position, as well as demographic details
• A brief biographical sketch for each of the team members
• The Anticipated impact of the proposed collaboration on the applicants' career
• Details of any existing support from PIMS or BIRS provided to the applicant.

Completion of the second survey by all members of your collaboration is required for the application to be considered complete.

Applications

We are currently accepting applications for residences in the period September 1, 2025-August 31, 2026. Complete applications (including demographic information for all collaboration members) must be received by April 15, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified early the following June. If you have any questions about this program or your application, please contact [email protected].

START APLICATION

Workshops at BIRS (Banff) in 2026

http://www.birs.ca/location/birs/2026/5-day-workshops

Workshops at CMO (Oaxaca) in 2026

http://www.birs.ca/location/CMO/2026/5-day-workshops

Workshops at IASM (Hangzhou) in 2026

http://www.birs.ca/location/iasm/2026/5-day-workshops

Workshops at IMAG (Granada) in 2026

http://www.birs.ca/location/imag/2026/5-day-workshops

Workshops at CMI (Chennai) in 2026

http://www.birs.ca/location/cmi/2026/5-day-workshops

A Global Initiative to Foster Mathematical Talent and Collaboration

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the OneMath World School, a first-of-its-kind global program designed to connect young mathematical talent with leading experts in emerging fields. This initiative brings together advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and early-career researchers from around the world to engage with established leaders to explore cutting-edge topics in areas of mathematics that demand a knowledge of both deep theory as well as exciting applications.

Program Overview

The OneMath World School will host two joint schools in 2026, each held simultaneously at two partnering institutes with opportunities for virtual interaction between participants. The program will focus on new and emerging areas where mathematical skills provide key insights, fostering collaboration and innovation across borders.

First Joint School by: Casa Matemática Oaxaca (CMO), Mexico, and Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), India

Theme: Topological Data Analysis and Applications

Timeline: January-February 2026 (exact dates to be announced) Capacity: 40 students per location, plus instructors

Second Joint School by : Brin Mathematics Research Centre (BMRC), USA, and Institute for Mathematics in Granada (IMAG), Spain

Theme: To be determined (related to the first school’s topic)

Timeline: Second and third weeks of June 2026

Infrastructural Support:

Banff International Research Station (BIRS) will provide support for participant invitations, scheduling, archiving of course materials, hosting virtual sessions, and facilitating social interactions.

Participating Institutes

The OneMath World School is a collaborative effort among the following globally recognized institutions:

Casa Matemática Oaxaca (CMO), Mexico

Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), India

Institute for Mathematics in Granada (IMAG), Spain

Brin Mathematics Research Centre (BMRC), USA

Intelligent Analytics (IA) at UBC-Okanagan, Canada

Banff International Research Station (BIRS), Canada

How to Participate

Applications for the OneMath World School will open soon. For more information, including eligibility criteria and registration details, please visit our [website].

This page provides updates on BIRS's financial support from NSF. These updates have important financial implications for all participants affiliated with a US institution planning to attend a program at BIRS Banff or UBCO. Please continue to monitor this page for the most current information available to BIRS.

January 29th, 2025 The NSF instructed BIRS to pause financial support for all NSF-funded activities, affecting all U.S.-based participants. Participants scheduled to attend workshops from January to June 2025 were notified of this directive.

February 2nd, 2025 A Temporary Restraining Order from a US Federal Court directed the NSF to reverse the funding freeze, allowing BIRS to reinstate its financial support for US-based participants.

Latest updates from the NSF may be found at: https://new.nsf.gov/executive-orders