Fields Medal

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Award for outstanding contributions in mathematics

Fields Medal

The obverse of the Fields Medal

The Fields Medal is a prestigious award given to mathematicians under 40 years of age in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of mathematics. It is often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics" due to its high prestige and the significant impact it has on the careers of its recipients.

History

The Fields Medal was first awarded in 1936 and has been awarded every four years since 1950. The award was conceived by the Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, who also funded the award and established the criteria for its selection.

Criteria and Selection

The Fields Medal is awarded by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) based on the recommendations of a committee of distinguished mathematicians. The recipients must be under 40 years of age on January 1 of the year in which the medal is awarded. This age limit is intended to recognize the contributions of younger mathematicians and to encourage further achievements in their careers.

Medal Design

The medal features a portrait of the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes on the obverse, along with the inscription (in Latin) "Transire suum pectus mundoque potiri," which translates to "To transcend one's spirit and to take hold of the world." The reverse side of the medal bears the inscription "Congregati ex toto orbe mathematici ob scripta insignia tribuere," meaning "The mathematicians having congregated from the whole world awarded (this medal) because of outstanding writings."

Notable Recipients

Some of the most notable recipients of the Fields Medal include:

• Jean-Pierre Serre (1954)
• Alexander Grothendieck (1966)
• Enrico Bombieri (1974)
• Grigori Perelman (2006) (declined the award)
• Maryam Mirzakhani (2014) - the first woman to receive the Fields Medal

Impact

The Fields Medal has a significant impact on the careers of its recipients, often leading to increased recognition and opportunities within the mathematical community. It also serves to highlight the importance of mathematical research and its contributions to various fields, including physics, computer science, and engineering.

Related Pages

• International Mathematical Union
• John Charles Fields
• Mathematics
• Nobel Prize
• Archimedes
• Maryam Mirzakhani

See Also

• Abel Prize
• Clay Millennium Prizes
• Wolf Prize in Mathematics

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