G ´ e rard Rauzy (1938 - 2010) Christian Mauduit (1958 - 2019) Grands math ´ e maticiens et bons fol ˆ a tres S ´ e bastien FERENCZI Au moins sera de moy memoire Telle qu’il est d’ung bon folastre (Fran ¸ c ois Villon). folˆ atrer = to frolick 1
ǫ =Galien 2
Disclaimer This is not un expos ´ e ` a l’am ´ e ricaine. 3
Beginnings CM attended Ecole des Mines de St-Etienne and enjoyed graph theory and arithmetics. During a dinner at Etienne: - Go to Luminy, ask for Momo, I am the dean! 4
How did they meet? CM - > Dipl ˆ o me d’Etudes Approfondies en Math ´ e matiques : Logique et Alg ` e bre, 1981, not with GR. Then? ” Very early CM had a taste for number theory, he liked its simple statements and conjectures. He appreciated GR’s quietness, demureness, and pedagogical talents ” . 5
PhDs of CM with GR Doctorat de 3- ` e me cycle de Math ´ e matiques : ” Automates finis et ´ e quir ´ e partition modulo un ” , 1984. Doctorat de Math ´ e matiques : ” R ´ e partition modulo un des suites automatiques ” , 1986. GR wanted it to be a Doctorat d’Etat Habilitation ` a Diriger des Recherches : ” Substitutions et ensembles normaux ” , Universit ´ e Aix- Marseille II, 1989. 6
A special bond CM and GR always used vous between them and tu with anybody else. Going from the seminar in St Charles to Le Pharo for some politicking: race between CM and GR’s cars in the streets (SF not amused). Politically: left of the left of the left. 7
GR and Teichm ¨ u ller Simultaneous approximation of several real numbers - > The Rauzy induction on interval exchages (1979) - > The Rauzy - Veech cocycle - > Teichm ¨ u ller geometry. But Un expos ´ e de Veech, c’est vite chiant (GR). 8
GR and arithmetics Repartition modulo 1 , normal numbers and sets. Propri ´ e t ´ e s statistiques des suites arithm ´ e tiques, PUF, 1976. 9
Creation of an Institute in Luminy Laboratoire de Math ´ e matiques Discr ` e tes (1992) (then IML, now I2M). SF, CM, GR 10
Hiring of Bernard Host Skillful handling of the hiring committee by CM and GR. Hiring of Pierre Arnoux Meeting him at the airport, forcing their way through a complete blockade by lorry drivers. No problem with the committee, no other candidate made it to the interview.
A trip to Alger (1989) GR (at the airport): I have a news for you: I shall not go, I forgot my passport. CM: no problem, call your wife, she can bring it if she drives fast - and first look in your car. (passport found in car) CM (emerging from a shrieking crowd, many people loaded with car tyres): I have our boarding cards. SF (mode ” ¸ c a va rater patron ” ): these are for Annaba, we are going to Alger. CM (re-emerging from the same crowd): the flight to Alger had just been closed, I convinced them to re-open it. 11
How to return from Alger - Have fake plane tickets emitted by CM’s aunt’s travel agency. - Have GR transform the fake bookings into real ones through high-level connections dating from the Algeria independence war. - Explain a Swiss mathematician how it works. 12
Two innovative taechers Outstanding teachers who did not like the routine of teaching ” service ” . GR’s solution: the Rauzy reduction. Minimize the number of hours actually taught, by various means including: oops, sorry, I forgot, I made lectures of 3 hours instead of 4. CM’s solution: pedagogy and vulgarization. Replace some courses by workshops with schoolchildren. Also, make the last lectures after the final examination. 13
End of the glory days The coup I call La conjuration des imb ´ e ciles (A confederacy of dunces) (1994) Administrative mistakes - > GR accused of loose day-to-day management. SF and CM choose this time to go to a conference in Hawa ¨ ı . GR politely persuaded to leave the direction of his team to a more honest man. Then GR lost interest successively in politics, mathematics, life; CM went off to new adventures, often based on samba. BUT THE INSTITUTE IS ALIVE AND WELL and (at this moment) ruled by the next generation in the Rauzy-Mauduit line of descent. 14
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