Fields Medal 2022: Four mathematicians awarded Fields Medals including Ukraine's Maryna Viazovska

Fields Medals 2022: Four mathematicians have been awarded the prestigious Fields Medals including Ukraine's Maryna Viazovska at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland. This was informed by the International Mathematical Union jury on July 5, 2022. 

The four awardees of the prestigious prize include France's Hugo Duminil-Copin, US-based June Huh, Britain's James Maynard and Ukraine's Maryna Viazovska. 

Maryna Viazovska learned she had won a Fields Medal in late February, just a week after Russian tanks and war planes began their assault on Ukraine and Kyiv, her hometown. She has become the second woman in history to win the coveted prize.

#UPDATE Four mathematicians awarded prestigious Fields Medals, including Ukrainian Maryna Viazovska, the International Mathematical Union jury says.

French Hugo Duminil-Copin, US-based June Huh and British James Maynard were also awarded medals at a Helsinki ceremony pic.twitter.com/r3KJaZcEeg

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 5, 2022

Fields Medal 2022 Winners

1. Hugo Duminil-Copin (36 years)- Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques

2. June Huh (39 years) - Princeton University

3. James Maynard (35 years) - University of Oxford

4. Maryna Viazovska ( 37 years) - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

What is Fields Medal?

Fields medal is the highest honor for a mathematician. The medal is awarded every four years on the occasion of the International Congress of Mathematicians.

The Fields Medal is awarded to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement.

The Fields medal award comprises a gold medal (14 karat gold) bearing the profile of Archimedes and a cash amount.

The Fields medal and cash prizes are funded by a trust established by J.C.Fields at the University of Toronto.

Fields Medal Committee

The Fields Medal Committee, which is chosen by the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union, is normally chaired by the IMU President. 

While the name of the committee's chair is made public, the names of other members of the Committee remain anonymous until the award of the prize at the Congress. 

The committee is tasked with choosing at least two, with a strong preference for four Fields Medalists.

Fields Medal Eligibility

Besides outstanding mathematical achievement, the chosen candidate must be below 40 years before January 1st of the year the Field Medals are awarded. 

When were Fields medals first awarded?

The Fields Medals were first awarded in 1936 in Oslo, Norway. The Fields medals were conceieved by John Charles Fields, a Canadian mathematician.