On October 18, nearly a hundred mathematicians gathered at bwtech@UMBC South for the “Finite Element Circus.” “The circus,” as it is affectionately known by attendees, brings together a global group of mathematicians with research interests in the finite element method (FEM), a numerical technique for solving complex differential equations with its roots in engineering. FEM can be used to solve problems related to structural stress, heat transfer, fluid flow, and more.
In some ways, the circus is a typical academic conference: It’s packed with talks presenting fresh research results. But it is also so much more.
For example, at each circus, attendees add to the multi-volume “Finite Element Circus Book,” a handwritten booklet with a list of talk titles, signatures of attendees, yearbook-style comments, and even humorous math-themed poems penned for the occasion. Posters celebrate each circus—some hand-drawn—and researchers who run over their allotted speaking time get a friendly ribbing from the “ringmaster,” who keeps things running smoothly.
Conceived by three mathematicians at a shopping center in Hyattsville, Maryland in 1970, at a time when the finite element method (FEM) was gaining momentum among mathematicians, the circus was first hosted later that year at the University of Maryland, College Park. Since then, it has grown into a tradition among FEM researchers and has been hosted at a range of institutions up and down the East Coast, including at UMBC in 1989, 2006, 2017, and 2024. Inspired by the East Coast circus, there is now also a Finite Element Rodeo held in Texas.
The finite element family
Andrei Draganescu, associate professor of mathematics, organized the UMBC circuses in 2017 and 2024 after attending regularly since 2011. His two Ph.D. advisors at the University of Chicago, Todd Dupont and Ridgway Scott, were among the first generation of circus attendees.
“So we are part of the history,” Draganescu says. “The circus really brings people together. It’s great that UMBC is part of the circuit.”
Manil Suri, professor of mathematics at UMBC, organized the 1989 circus. One of his Ph.D. advisors, Ivo Babuska, was a circus founder and served as the ringmaster for many years. Well known for his wit and high expectations, he kept the talks on schedule and encouraged younger mathematicians. Suri remembers giving one of his earliest research talks at the 1989 circus.
“Fortunately, my talk went well—one of many I’d give in the years to come,” Suri remembers. “The camaraderie was amazing, and after being an organizer, I truly felt I’d been initiated into the finite element family.”
![a pen drawing of a large circus tent, with "THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN AT BALTIMORE" and "The finite element circus FE [star icon] NOVEMBER 10 - 11 '89, UMBC"](https://umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/circus-poster.png)
Like going fishing
After attending a couple of times, Draganescu quickly realized that “this was a fairly stable and very friendly crowd, and the meeting was small enough (50 to 100 people) that you had a chance to meet and talk to everybody. And then you could see them again in six months if you wanted to,” he says.
“One should not neglect the social aspect of this conference series, where you get to interact with people outside your immediate circle. We are certainly not math-creating machines, but normal people who thrive professionally and personally on these connections,” Draganescu adds. “I made a number of good friends through these conferences, and working together on some math problem with them is for us like going fishing together or playing together in a band is for others.”
For FEM researchers and colleagues in adjacent fields, the Finite Element Circus is a semiannual anchor point. It’s an opportunity to share research, strengthen personal connections, integrate new researchers into the family, and just have fun. There’s no tightrope or clowns, but if you’re into solving equations, it just might be the “greatest show on Earth.”
