Speakers and Performers
Hugo Duminil-Copin: Honoree
Hugo Duminil-Copin, Permanent Professor at IHES, is a mathematician specializing in probability theory. In 2022, he was awarded the Fields Medal, the highest honor in mathematics. Since December 7th, 2023, he is one of the twelve scientists forming the new Presidential Council created by Emmanuel Macron to advise him on the progress of science. Hugo Duminil-Copin uses mathematics to tackle problems in statistical physics. By using ideas from probability theory to study the critical behaviour of various models in statistical mechanics, he profoundly contributed to our understanding of critical phenomena. Hugo Duminil-Copin became a Permanent Professor at IHES in 2016, at the age of 31, and is also a Professor at the University of Geneva.
Kip Thorne: Honoree
Professor Kip Thorne is a Nobel Prize–winning theoretical physicist known for his groundbreaking work in gravitation and astrophysics, particularly on black holes and gravitational waves. Thorne earned his undergraduate degree at Caltech and completed his PhD under John Wheeler at Princeton, immersing himself in the study of general relativity. Returning to Caltech as a professor, he became a pioneer in the then-nascent field of relativistic astrophysics. He co-founded the LIGO project, which made history in 2015 with the first detection of gravitational waves—earning Thorne and collaborators Rainer Weiss and Barry Barish the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. A gifted communicator, Thorne served as executive producer and scientific advisor for the film Interstellar, and authored the companion book The Science of Interstellar, which explores the real physics behind the movie’s concepts.
Tracy Day and Brian Greene: Masters of Ceremonies
Tracy Day is the co-founder and CEO of the World Science Festival, where she oversees all the creative and programmatic offerings of the festival and producing original theatrical, musical and multimedia works at the intersection of science and art. She is a four-time National News Emmy award-winning journalist and has produced live and documentary programming for the nation’s preeminent television news divisions for over two decades. At ABC News she was producer for This Week with David Brinkley, editorial and field producer for Nightline and story editor for the news magazine, Day One. Ms. Day has produced documentaries, specials and live town meeting broadcasts for PBS, The Discovery Channel, CNN, Lifetime and CNBC. She produced on-location coverage of the fall of the Berlin Wall; Nelson Mandela’s release in South Africa; the Gulf War from Baghdad and Iran; and drug wars in Colombia. She is the recipient of four National News Emmys; a Clarion Award; a CINE Golden Eagle Award; and a Silver HUGO for Investigative Reporting.
Brian Greene is a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. Professor Greene is world-renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries in the field of superstring theory, including the co-discovery of mirror symmetry and the discovery of spatial topology change. He is the director of Columbia’s Center for Theoretical Physics. Professor Greene is known to the public through his New York Times bestselling books and numerous media appearances from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert to Charlie Rose. The Washington Post called him “the single best explainer of abstruse concepts in the world today.” Professor Greene has hosted two NOVA mini-series based on his books, receiving the George Foster Peabody award for “The Elegant Universe with Brian Greene.” Greene has had cameo roles in a number of Hollywood films including Frequency, Maze and The Last Mimzy and in 2008, with producer Tracy Day, co-founded the World Science Festival.
Caroline Robinson: Auctioneer
Caroline Robinson is the Lead Auctioneer at Bonhams. Previously an Associate Vice President, Jewelry Specialist and Auctioneer at Christie’s, Caroline was responsible for the development of the firm’s online platform, which she helped grow from $500k to $5 million+ sales. As a specialist, Caroline has worked on such landmark auctions as The Private Collection of Joan Rivers and The Private Collection of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan. As an auctioneer, Caroline has sold everything from multi-million-dollar contemporary paintings to space memorabilia and important celebrity sales, including The David Gilmour Guitar Collection and Barbara Walters: American Icon.
Caroline holds a B.A. in Art History from Colorado College and a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America. She shares her favorite jewels and a glimpse into her auctioneering life, via her Instagram page @thecarolineervin.
Special Guests
Marilyn Simons, Chair, Friends of IHES
Marilyn Simons holds a B.A. and a Ph.D. in Economics from SUNY, Stony Brook. In 1994, she co-founded the Simons Foundation together with her late husband, Jim Simons, and served as its President until June 2021. Both through the Simons Foundation and at a personal level, Marilyn Simons has supported programs promoting an increased diversity and improved equity in science and economics.
Emmanuel Ullmo, Director of IHES
Emmanuel Ullmo is a mathematician specializing in algebraic geometry and arithmetic. Before becoming the Director of IHES in 2013, he alternated positions at Université Paris-Saclay and abroad, including at IMPA in Brazil, Princeton University and Tsing-Hua University, China. He was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Beijing in 2002 and a member of the Institut Universitaire de France from 2003 to 2008. In 2006, he was awarded the Élie Cartan Prize of the French Academy of Sciences.
