Contracting for Mathematical Genius

Every day the government issues contract solicitations for everything from financial management systems to jet engines. But it's not every day that a government organization seeks proposals "with the goal of dramatically revolutionizing mathematics."

But that's just what the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency did today with its solicitation for "innovative research proposals" in connection with its DARPA Mathematical Challenges. Those challenges include the following:

• "Develop a mathematical theory to build a functional model of the brain that is mathematically consistent and predictive rather than merely biologically inspired."
• "Settle the Riemann Hypothesis, the Holy Grail of number theory."
• "Capture and harness stochasticity in nature."
• "Extend our understanding of symmetries and action principles in biology along the lines of classical thermodynamics, to include important biological concepts such as robustness, modularity, evolvability and variability."

So how much can a mathematician make for successfully meeting one of these challenges? DARPA's not saying just yet. "The amount of resources made available ... will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds," the agency says.

(Hat tip: Danger Room)