Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi hosts famous mathematician

Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has hosted famous mathematician, Professor Cedric Villani, on the margin of the closing ceremony of the Golden Age of Arab Sciences Exhibition, in the presence of Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC). Prof. Villani spoke about applied mathematics and the role of Arabs in developing mathematics. He also presented some of his research work in analysis, probabilities, statistics, statistical mechanics and differential geometry, touching on his participation in a chapter of research on optimising transportation at the Berkley Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI). Prof. Eric Fouache, Vice Chancellor of Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, said that the exhibition had succeeded in motivating youth in the U.A.E. to be more innovative and participate in shaping a better future. He reiterated that the U.A.E. is well equipped to reach a leading position in modern sciences and technological innovations, given the long history of innovations recorded in Islamic history, as well as the great renaissance the U.A.E. is witnessing at present. Villani highlighted the role of Arab and Muslim scientists in developing mathematics and bringing it to its current state. He said that the ninth and tenth centuries are considered to be the Golden Age for Muslim mathematicians, to whom the world owes much for preserving the ancient world's scientific heritage and expanding it, in addition to their own innovations, of which the world was in dire need at the time. He pointed to the contributions of many Arab and Muslim scientists in developing mathematics, including Abu Hassan al Nissawi and Abu al Haytham in geometry, Al Khawarizmi, the most famous mathematician and astronomer of his age, and others who excelled in analytical geometry, algebra and trigonometry.