Abstract: We arrive to math and science out of curiosity, in search of beauty and understanding. Over time we discover that they are tremendously powerful tools. The potential success and applicability of our scientific project sometimes confronts us with ethical questions that we cannot ignore. In a profoundly unequal society, who has access to the discoveries and technologies that may result? Who benefits and who is harmed? What role do we play in building a more just and equitable society? For me, these questions became especially relevant when a research project in "pure" mathematics (CAT(0) geometry) found unexpected applications (robotic motion planning). I will discuss this project, and how it has shaped my thinking about and acting on the relevant societal questions.

Abstract: In response to calls to boycott the 2022 International Congress of Mathematicians, the International Mathematical Union Executive Committee issued a statement "oppos[ing] all boycotts of scientific events and all attempts to link scientific activities to political and societal issues." To the contrary, the history of the ICMs and IMU has fundamentally been about the inextricable links between mathematics and politics. I will survey how "attempts to link scientific activities to political and societal issues" have been central to the ICMs and IMU from their origins, with a special focus on the 1950 ICM and the subsequent re-founding of the IMU. I will conclude by considering the legacy of mathematicians entanglement with international and global politics and its implications today.