On Monday, January 13th 2025, the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Bucharest hosted the event „Talking about Mathematics and Literature: Remembering Solomon Marcus”, honoring the renowned Professor Solomon Marcus. The seminar, held in the „Gheorghe Țițeica” Amphiteatre at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, was organized under the patronage of the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO, and marked the debut of a series of events dedicated to celebrating Solomon Marcus’s memory.
The meeting brought together members of the academic community, including students, professors, and researchers, as well as others interested in the legacy of this remarkable individual. The seminar is part of the University of Bucharest’s ongoing commemorations of key figures who have significantly contributed to the institution’s academic heritage.
Among the speakers were Professor Marian Preda, PhD, Rector of the University of Bucharest, Professor Lucian Ciolan, PhD, Vice-Rector for Development Projects, Lifelong Learning, and Educational Infrastructure, Professor Carmen Chifiriuc, PhD, UB Vice-Rect Research, and Associate Professor Constantin Vică, PhD, UB Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Public Relations.
Also attending were Professor Cătălin Gherghe, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at UB, as well as close collaborators and partners of Solomon Marcus, including Engineer Ionel Urdea Marcus, Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Metrology at the National Institute of Metrology, and Professor Gabriel Istrate, PhD, a faculty member at the West University of Timișoara.
The National Commission of Romania for UNESCO was represented by Madlen Șerban, PhD Secretary-General of the Commission and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at UB, Codrin Tăut, PhD, Expert in the Culture Subcommittee of the Commission, and Gabriela Gabor, Expert in the Education Subcommittee.
A particularly remarkable moment of the event was the personal recollections shared by the guests, with a special contribution from writer and Professor Bogdan Suceavă, a faculty member at California State University, Fullerton, USA. He shared memories from his correspondence with Solomon Marcus, spanning from 1989 to 2015, discussing topics such as mathematics, literature, and the role of science in society.
The seminar was moderated by Professor Liviu P. Dinu, PhD, faculty member at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science and Director of the Human Language Technologies Research Center at UB.
„Solomon Marcus is a prime example of a personality whose memory we must preserve, not just for young students, but also for those of middle age who may have heard of him but never met him personally. This year, which holds many significant meanings, including the commemoration of Solomon Marcus, one of the important lecture halls at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Bucharest will be named after him. Individuals like him helped shape the University of Bucharest, establishing key departments, faculties, courses, and research centers,” said Professor Marian Preda, PhD.
The event ended with a special poetic moment, as the poem „Decât o-nchipuire” („Just an Illusion”), written by Solomon Marcus, was recited, highlighting the artistic facet of the scholar’s personality.
More information about the event
The seminar „Talking about Mathematics and Literature: Remembering Solomon Marcus” is part of a series of events organized in 2025 under UNESCO’s patronage to mark the centenary of Solomon Marcus. The series will feature internationally renowned guests, including Oliviero Stock, member of the Scientific and Technological Research Center at the Trento Cultural Institute in Italy , Professor Andrea Sgarro, PhD, faculty member at the University of Trieste in Italy, Professor Rada Mihalcea, PhD, a researcher and faculty member at the University of Michigan, USA, and Professor Carlos Martin Vide, PhD, faculty member at Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, Spain.
The goal of these meetings is to highlight the exceptional contributions of Professor Marcus in fields such as mathematical linguistics, natural language processing, and academic humanism.
For more details about the inaugural event in the series dedicated to Solomon Marcus, click here.
SECŢIUNE ACCESIBILIZATĂ PENTRU PERSOANELE CU DIZABILITĂŢI DE VEDERE
Postări asemănătoare:
“Factuality Challenges in the Era of Large Language Models” conference at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Bucharest
Romanian pupils with gold and silver medals at the International Olympiad, coordinated by Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe, teaching staff at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Bucharest
“I decided I wanted to work in this field despite being told programming was for ‘boys’” interview with Ioana Marussi, graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Bucharest
The Romanian pupils who received gold, silver and bronze medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad, coordinated by associate professor Cătălin-Liviu Gherghe, dean of the UB Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
