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)
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Let’s not forget that DoD has opened an opportunity for a new field of Epistemology that could benefit through a similar analysis as provided in the subject solicitation. For example, Occam's Razor could be applied as a proof (perhaps one of many proofs) of the numerical value of achievements relative to DoD institutional goals listed in individual NSPS objectives. Let’s say someone has achieved a 94% success rate on a given objective, how does that relate to DoD and agency national goals so as to inform the pay pool panel to give a 3, 4 or 5 rating? Just because a numerical value exceeds an agencies P.A.R.T. goals does not demonstrate that a result has equivalent value in a format of 8,000 characters or less, is in the correct category, or proof that the senior managers in the pay pool have actual knowledge of the agency’s goals so as to be able to assess results. Such mathematical proof might be useful information for those of us filling out our self assessments, provided the pay pool doesn’t change the rules at the end of the assessment period. Or maybe it still wouldn’t help.
Socrates Posted Friday, September 26, 2008 4:38 PMYo, Socrates, don't use Occam's Razor - it only has one blade. Try a Mach 3 or a Fusion.
Penn Gillette Posted Monday, September 29, 2008 8:28 AM