Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Modena to host the 25th Conference of the Italian Society for the History of Mathematics

The Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia is organising and hosting the 25th Conference of the Italian Society for the History of Mathematics (SISM). The event, which will take place from 5 to 7 November 2026 in the Ruffini and Vitali lecture rooms of the Mathematics Building (via Campi 213/b) in Modena, will bring together Italian and international scholars to explore two key themes in the history of mathematics: sixteenth-century algebra and the development of mathematics in the nineteenth century, through the work of Rafael Bombelli and Bernhard Riemann.

The chosen themes are linked to two major anniversaries in 2026: the 500th anniversary of Bombelli’s birth (1526–1572) and the 200th anniversary of Riemann’s birth (1826–1866). The first theme also draws on Modena’s scientific and university tradition, with particular reference to the mathematician Paolo Ruffini and the city’s contribution to the history of mathematical studies.

The opening day, Thursday 5 November, will feature plenary lectures delivered by four internationally renowned scholars. Veronica Gavagna of the University of Florence will discuss Bombelli and his Algebra, focusing on the author's own words: “I have resolved to bring it into perfect order” («Mi son posto nell’animo di volere a perfetto ordine ridurla»). David E. Rowe of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz will reconstruct Riemann’s formative years in Göttingen and Berlin, from 1846 to 1854. Étienne Ghys of the École normale supérieure de Lyon will explore the relationship between Riemann and France through two manuscripts and two intellectual journeys, while Andrea Del Centina of the University of Ferrara will focus on the mathematician’s contribution to the theory of algebraic curves.

The discussions on sixteenth-century mathematics will provide an opportunity to examine a decisive period in the development of algebra. First published in 1572, Bombelli’s work represents a fundamental milestone in the systematisation of knowledge concerning the solution of cubic and quartic equations, as well as in the innovative treatment of quantities now known as imaginary numbers. Its historical and scientific significance is also at the heart of an ongoing project to produce a new critical historical edition of Algebra.

The presentations devoted to Riemann will examine the German mathematician’s education, the cultural context in which his ideas developed and the influence of scholars such as Carl Friedrich Gauss. Discussions will also focus on the legacy of his research across different branches of mathematics, subsequent developments in Riemannian thought and the reception of his work in Italy, including its impact on real and complex analysis, differential geometry and mathematical physics.

The programme will also include a session commemorating the first SISM Conference, which was held in Modena in 2001, with contributions from Franca Cattelani Degani, Luigi Pepe and Clara Silvia Roero. The Ruffini Archive digitisation project will also be presented, alongside a guided tour of the scientific collections at the Estense Library.

On the occasion of the conference, the Laboratory of Mathematical Machines, part of Unimore’s University Museum System and Botanical Garden (via Camatta 15), will be open to visitors on Thursday 5 November (9.00 am–12.00 pm) and Saturday 7 November (3.00–7.00 pm). The exhibition Machines, Mechanics and Mathematics will be open to the public, with free admission and no booking required.

Further information is available at: http://www.mmlab.unimore.it/

The Scientific Committee comprises Michela Eleuteri, Alessandra Fiocca (Chair), Enrico Rogora and Elena Scalambro. The Organising Committee comprises Arrigo Bonisoli, Michela Eleuteri (Chair), Sergio Polidoro, Federica Sani, Andrea Sacchetti and Valentina Zanni.

The full programme and further information about the conference are available on the Italian Society for the History of Mathematics website:

https://www.sism.unito.it/xxv-congresso-sism.

Recordings will also be available on the SISM YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@S.I.S.M/playlists

 

 

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng