Jayadev Athreya, is professor at the University of Washington. He is an active researcher with an extra skill in experimental math (founder and director of Washington experimental Mathematical Lab, founder and director of the Illinois geometry lab). He currently is member of two different departments in his university, the department of mathematics and the department of comparative history of ideas. His research domain includes dynamical systems as random walks, Teichmüller geodesic flows, billiards; number theory as diophantine approximations and he has published about 40 articles in mathematical journals. He was the lead organizer of a semester on Holomorphic Differentials in Mathematics and Physics in fall 2019. Jayadev has obtained several NSF grants and has a very good international visibility.

The local project holder is Nicolas Bédaride, Maître de conférence at Université Aix-Marseille. Nicolas published 22 articles on symbolic dynamics and billiards. He is co-directing one Ph.D. thesis at the moment and is highly experienced in the organization of international conferences, in particular with the CIRM.