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Fields Medals 2022

mathunion.org

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Re: Fields Medals 2022

#21

Post by ykonstant »

stainforth wrote: post #18
andrelaszlo wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this question distasteful, since it's asked with nothing more than a vague insinuation of Viazovska potentially not being "that good" as motivation. Here's the long citation: "A very long-standing problem in mathematics is to find the densest way to pack identical spheres in a given dimension. It has been known for some time that the hexagonal packing of circles is the densest packing in 2 dimensions, while in…

So what's so special about 8 and 24 dimensional space?

The short answer is that we don't really know; they are related to some of the most mysterious aspects of representation theory and number theory.

What we know is that these dimensions support lattice structures with exceptional symmetries. The intricate geometry of these symmetries interacts with number theory to provide spectral data (automorphic forms) that have very rare properties; this is the starting point for Maryna's investigations.

Okounkov's popular scientific exposition "The magic of 8 and 24", linked in the article, goes into considerable detail on the constructions.

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#22

Post by auggierose »

echelon wrote: post #3

I know the Nobel Prize has had its share of upsets, but has anyone ever been deserving of a Fields Medal but been over the age of 40?

Thomas Hales, for proving the Kepler Conjecture both in a traditional way, and in a completely formalised way.

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#23

Post by kryptiskt »

stainforth wrote: post #18
andrelaszlo wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this question distasteful, since it's asked with nothing more than a vague insinuation of Viazovska potentially not being "that good" as motivation. Here's the long citation: "A very long-standing problem in mathematics is to find the densest way to pack identical spheres in a given dimension. It has been known for some time that the hexagonal packing of circles is the densest packing in 2 dimensions, while in…

So what's so special about 8 and 24 dimensional space?

They contain extremely many symmetries. The Leech Lattice is certainly a uniquely symmetrical object.

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#24

Post by wanderingmind »

echelon wrote: post #3

I know the Nobel Prize has had its share of upsets, but has anyone ever been deserving of a Fields Medal but been over the age of 40?

This is the shortcoming Abel prize is trying to fulfill, more like a lifetime achievement and as others mentioned Andrew Wiles is one of the recipients of the prize

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#25

Post by paganel »

stncls wrote: post #16
paganel wrote: post #8

Quoted post unavailable.

No no no, she is legit, no doubt here. She was a star way before the current events. She solved a long-standing open problem in fundamental maths. This is the holy grail in maths research. The main resulting paper is single-author, so there is no doubt who did the work. She got her PhD from Bonn in 2013 and became a full prof at EPFL in 2018 (in EU this type of progression takes 10-20 years, and this is extremely imp…

Thank you for the answer, that's what I expected (as an answer, I mean).

And to respond to a HN-er above who was mentioning that he/she found my question "distasteful" and "insinuating", yes, the reality today is that lots of people involved on one side of the current conflict in Eastern Europe have been receiving prizes and media attention just because of their nationality at this present moment in history, not necessarily because of their actual work in their respective fields. Glad to see that the "judges" (I have no idea who gives up this award, or how) behind the Field Medals have steered clear of all that and have sticked to merit.

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#27

Post by avip »

nus07 wrote: post #19
rcpt wrote: post #4

38 year old math PhD checking in. Guess I missed my shot. Oh well.

You got a PhD in math. That alone makes you way smarter than me and the majority of the world population .

"Tie a donkey to a balcony in MIT and in 7y he has a PhD"

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#29

Post by majid_k »

paganel wrote: post #8

Quoted post unavailable.

Politics plays an important role in those awards, for example this year's awards were due to be presented at the ICM in Saint Petersburg, Russia but the ceremony was moved to Helsinki. But for this particular case, Maryna was on everyone's list and she has done exceptional work.

Re: Fields Medals 2022

#30

Post by elcapitan »

JacobiX wrote: post #28

One outstanding fact is the disproportionate number of fields medalist that went to the École normale supérieure in Paris !

> École normale supérieure in Paris

That's a really cool name as well, like "Standard Deluxe" or so.

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