358 



Page 2 R.D. Anderson 



Some computer related activities are experiencing much concern 

 with security issues and export licensing but currently these 

 activities have only peripheral concern with mathematics per se. 

 Such problems could well loom much larger in the future, however. 

 The enclosed appendix on Twentieth Century US mathematics prepared 

 by the Committee on Special Funds for ICM-86 represents a con- 

 sensus view of both history and current US status. There are some 

 who believe that a significant dimunition of past and current US 

 predominance is developing, particularly in the areas of mathematics 

 not related to computing. Research in such parts of mathematics 

 is a function of an individual's knowledge, understanding and 

 creativity. Thus if other countries, e.g. China, choose to emphasize 

 mathematical research^, which is relatively inexpensive^, then they can 

 and will produce important research. Historically, Poland's develop- 

 ment in mathematics in the first several decades of this century 

 were a result of a conscious decision to push mathematics and 

 very good judgment about which subfields to emphasize. 



As with many other scientific disciplines, in the past thirty 

 years there has been a large growth in specialty conferences, both 

 national and international. There are two major quadrennial 

 International Congresses, one in mathematics originating about 

 100 years ago and one in mathematics education first started in 

 the 1960's. 

 Graduate Students 



In the 10 year period from 197 3 to 198 3 the percent of non US 

 citizens receiving US doctorates in the mathematical sciences 

 (excluding computer science) doubled, going roughly from 20% to 40%. 



There is a widespread belief in the mathematical community that 

 we are not getting the same overall quality (and verve) of US graduate 



