The Fields Medal

“Rise above oneself and grasp the world”

These are awarded every four years for advancement in the field of mathematics.  There is an age limit of 40 on the recipients.  It is a recognition of new thought and deeper understanding and an encouragement to continue and do more.  There is no resting on laurels.

No one does it for the money.  They never do.  The award is $15,000 Canadian.

The Obverse :

OLdTrout, Going Postal
Photo of the obverse of a Fields Medal made by Stefan Zachow for the International Mathematical Union (IMU), showing a bas relief of Archimedes
Stefan Zachow of the International Mathematical Union; retouched by King of Hearts [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Reverse :

OLdTrout, Going Postal
Stefan Zachow of the International Mathematical Union; retouched by King of Hearts [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Up to four medals may be awarded each time depending upon what has been achieved or recognised in the interim.

2018 is a Fields Medal year and the latest were awarded on 1st August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the following recipients :

Peter Scholze for Perfectoid Spaces: A Master of Numbers and Shapes Who Is Rewriting Arithmetic

Alessio Figalli for Optimal Transport: A Traveller Who Finds Stability in the Natural World

Akshay Ventatesh for L-functions: A Number Theorist Who Bridges Math and Time

Caucher Birkar for Algebraic Varieties: An Innovator Who Brings Order to an Infinitude of Equations
All articles are from Quanta Magazine.
 

© OldTrout 2018