project of both our nations, led by the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences in Vancouver, British Columbia, and MSRI, which I've already mentioned, located in Berkeley, California. I cannot resist quoting the director of the Pacific Institute, Nassif Ghoussoub; he said that the Banff center will enable visitors to ``live, eat and breathe mathematics.'' (I have to say that sounds like a very nourishing diet--talk about ``brain food!'') Our NSF contribution joins Canadian support that will be described by our Canadian partners today. The NSF award will help support the travel and living expenses of participants in the research station's programs, especially those from the U.S. I should emphasize that our Canadian colleagues and funding agencies have taken the lead in bringing the Banff center into being. This activity underscores how international cooperation adds up to more than what any nation could accomplish alone. Every important question of science and engineering is under study by researchers in nations around the world. The mathematical and statistical communities of the United States are at the forefront in engaging their counterparts abroad. International connections in mathematics are important throughout a career in science. In June of this year, NSF helped to support the International Mathematical Olympiad, a competition that brought talented young people from more than eighty countries to Washington, D.C. for the annual event that was first held in Romania in 1959. It was a rare privilege for us to host the Olympiad in the U.S. However, every year, NSF hosts