Fields Medal

Fields Medals are given every four years to the most distinguished mathematicians age 40 or under. In the absence of a Nobel Prize in mathematics, they are regarded as the highest professional honor a mathematician can attain. Canadian mathematician J. C. Fields donated funds establishing the medals and they were first awarded in 1936.

Field Medalists

  • man smiling

    Ngô Bao Châu

    Professor, Mathematics Department, 2010

  • okounkov smiling

    Andrei Okounkov

    L.E. Dickson Instructor, Mathematics Department, 1996–99

  • Lions face

    Pierre-Louis Lions

    Visiting Professor, 2014–present

  • Zelmanov face

    Efim Zelmanov

    Mathematics Department, 1994–95

  • Thompson face

    John Griggs Thompson

    PhD, Mathematics, 1959 Mathematics Department, 1962–68

  • Hörmander face

    Lars Hörmander

    Visitor, Mathematics Department, Winter and Spring Quarters, 1956

  • Cohen smiling

    Paul Joseph Cohen

    PhD, Mathematics, 1958

  • Smale face

    Stephen Smale

    Instructor, Department of Mathematics, 1956–58 Professor, Department of Mathematics and TTI, 2004–present

  • Drinfeld face

    Vladimir Drinfeld

    Harry Pratt Judson Distinguished Service Professor in Mathematics, 1999–present

  • fefferman face

    Charles Louis Fefferman

    Mathematics Department, 1970–73