Fields Medals 2022 | 08 Jul 2022

Why in News?

Recently, Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska along with other three mathematicians received the prestigious Fields Medals.

• Fields medal is often described as the Nobel Prize in mathematics.

What are the Key Highlights about Field Medal?

• About:
  • The Fields Medal is awarded every four years to one or more mathematicians under the age of 40.
  • Fields Medal is awarded at the International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU).
    • IMU is an international non-governmental and non-profit scientific organization.
      • The purpose of IMU is to promote international cooperation in mathematics.
  • Fields medal is awarded to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement.
  • The Fields Medal Committee is chosen by the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union and is normally chaired by the IMU President.
• History:
  • The 1924 ICM in Toronto adopted a resolution that at each conference, two gold medals would be awarded to recognise outstanding mathematical achievement.
  • The Canadian mathematician Prof J C Fields, who was secretary of the 1924 Congress, later donated funds to establish the medals, which were named in his honour.
  • In 1966, it was agreed that, in light of the great expansion of mathematical research, up to four medals could be awarded at each Congress.
  • It was first awarded in 1936.

What about the Indian-origin winners?

• Among the more than 60 mathematicians who have been awarded the Fields Medal since 1936, there are two of Indian origin:
  • Akshay Venkatesh of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton (2018)
  • Manjul Bhargava of the Department of Mathematics at Princeton University (2014).

Source: TH