ICM 2026 Panel - IMU Panel: Committee on Publishing

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talks provide significant value by clearly framing the publication crisis as an evaluation problem, supported by concrete examples (e.g., high self-citation scores among highly cited researchers) and a thought experiment that illustrates perverse incentives. The argumentation is logical and persuasive, moving from diagnosis to actionable recommendations. The second talk effectively argues that AI hype endangers core mathematical values, referencing the Leiden Declaration as a community-driven solution. The speakers demonstrate deep expertise and offer nuanced views, such as acknowledging that some papers in journals often labeled predatory may contain valid results, thus avoiding oversimplification.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The speakers cite credible sources, including the Notices of the American Mathematical Society, the International Mathematical Union, Retraction Watch, and the Leiden Declaration. They also reference the Clarivate controversy and the Uppsala Code of Ethics. The evidence presented is consistent with known issues in academic publishing. The title is accurate: it is a panel discussion by the IMU Committee on Publishing, as stated. The content aligns with the title, focusing on publishing issues and recommendations.

The title accurately describes the panel discussion on publishing issues in mathematics.

8/10

The content is presented by members of the IMU Committee on Publishing, an authoritative body, and includes documented instances (Clarivate removal, citation cartels) and recommendations endorsed by the IMU. It is a well-structured expert discussion, but it is not primary research.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Presentation of the thought experiment: payment per paper and citation incentives.
• 08:00Discussion of Goodhart's law and Clarivate's removal of mathematics from the highly cited list in 2023.
• 16:00Overview of citation cartels, paper mills, and predatory journals as a shadow market.
• 24:00Recommendations for individuals, institutions, and policymakers to change evaluation systems.
• 30:00Second talk: Jim Portegies on AI and its impact on mathematics, introducing the Leiden Declaration.
• 40:00Discussion of the Leiden Declaration's content: values, threats, and recommendations, and its endorsements.

• Notices of the American Mathematical Society — Two papers on the diagnosis and handling of the publication crisis, published by the committee.
• International Mathematical Union (IMU) — Endorsing the recommendations presented in the first talk.
• International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) — Endorsing the recommendations alongside the IMU.
• Retraction Watch — A site that flags retracted papers and misconduct, mentioned as a resource.
• Clarivate — The organization that removed mathematics from its highly cited researchers list in 2023.
• Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics — A declaration calling for action on AI's impact on mathematics values, authored by 16 researchers including Jim Portegies.
• Uppsala Code of Ethics for Scientists — Mentioned as an inspiration for the Leiden Declaration.
• Nature editorial — Nature endorsed the Leiden Declaration and suggested other fields consider similar documents.

• International Mathematical Union (IMU) — Endorsement of the recommendations and the Leiden Declaration.
• International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) — Endorsement of the recommendations.