Bruno de Mendonça Braga

Mathematics

Bruno de Mendonça Braga is a cosmopolitan mathematician from Rio de Janeiro whose career has taken him to Acre, Paraná, the United States, and Canada. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He then earned two doctorates in mathematics, one from Kent State University and the other from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Currently a researcher at the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Bruno focuses on a fundamental question: How efficiently can mathematical phenomena be described? Drawing from metamathematics, he investigates which definitions can be deemed “optimal.”

Outside of mathematics, Bruno enjoys Rio’s vibrant bar scene with his wife. However, these outings are infrequent as he and his wife now dedicate much of their time to changing diapers and caring for their young daughter.

Open Calls

Science Call 8

Projects

How efficiently can mathematical phenomena be described?
Science / Mathematics

This metamathematical project applies mathematical techniques to investigate mathematics itself. The central aim is to evaluate the “optimality” of various mathematical definitions, beginning with the challenge of formally defining “optimal.” Descriptive set theory, a branch of logic focused on the definability and classification of mathematical objects, offers a rigorous framework for this endeavor. One question the project explores concerns coordinate systems, which are foundational to analysis. The research seeks criteria for efficiently determining which spaces admit such structures. Beyond its academic contributions, the project addresses educational concerns. Mathematics is often seen as intimidating or overly complex. By eliminating unnecessary complications, such as redundant quantification over abstract entities, the project aims to clarify mathematical concepts and make them more accessible.

Amount invested

Grant Serrapilheira: R$ 350.000,00 (R$ 250.000,00 + R$ 100.000,00 optional bonuses aimed at the integration and training of individuals from underrepresented groups in science.)

Institutions

  • Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada