The CRM celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018 and 2019. To mark this milestone, the CRM has prepared a diversified and intensive scientific program that already has a major impact on research in the mathematical sciences. The 50th anniversary program includes one thematic semester and 13 month-long periods of concentration on topics of great interest and a number of other activities of shorter duration. The Simons CRM Scholar-in-Residence program is an important component of this programming.