How China turned a cement factory into a haven for mathematicians

Even as the bombs fall in Ukraine, precisely following trajectories defined by equations, Ukrainian and Russian mathematicians, among others, gather in sunlit rooms beside tranquil Yanqi Lake in an industrial estate north of China’s capital.

Here, at the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (Bimsa), they debate string theory over coffee, co-author papers on quantum fields and lose themselves in problems that stretch across centuries while some of their countries engage in conflict.

In less than five years, Bimsa has proved a magnet for global talent, attracting Fields medallists, quantum physicists and others from 25 countries.

All are united by a passion for mathematics and eager to advance their scientific careers, doing so from a campus that was once the site of a cement factory, nestled at the foot of a mountain within view of the Great Wall of China.

Funded by Beijing’s municipal government and Tsinghua University, Bimsa hosts more than 200 full-time researchers – of whom about a third hail from outside China.

Once the site of a cement factory, Bimsa’s campus is located in an industrial estate north of Beijing. Photo: Handout

Most professors are supported by grants, according to Bimsa’s website, with annual salaries ranging between 700,000 yuan (US$98,000) and 3.5 million yuan.

South China Morning Post