The Abel Prize

The Abel Prize is an international prize for outstanding scientific work in the field of mathematics, including mathematical aspects of computer science, mathematical physics, probability, numerical analysis and scientific computing, statistics, and also applications of mathematics in the sciences.

The prize recognizes contributions of extraordinary depth and influence to the mathematical sciences. Such work may have resolved fundamental problems, created powerful new techniques, introduced unifying principles or opened up major new fields of research. The intent is to award prizes over the course of time in a broad range of fields within the mathematical sciences.

In addition to honoring outstanding mathematicians, the Abel Prize shall contribute towards raising the status of mathematics in society and stimulating the interest of children and young people in mathematics. 

Endre Szemerédi received the 2012 Abel Prize from His Majesty King Harald. Photo: Erlend Aas/Scanpix

The Abel Prize Laureates:

2003: Jean-Pierre Serre,Collège de France, Paris, “for playing a key role in shaping the modern form of many parts of mathematics, including topology, algebraic geometry and number theory”

2004: Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, University of Edinburgh and Isadore M. Singer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  “for their discovery and proof of the index theorem, bringing together topology, geometry and analysis, and their outstanding role in building new bridges between mathematics and theoretical physics”

2005: Peter D. Lax, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University  “for his groundbreaking contributions to the theory and application of partial differential equations and to the computation of their solutions”

2006: Lennart Carleson, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden “for his profound and seminal contributions to harmonic analysis and the theory of smooth dynamical systems”

2007: Srinivasa S. R. Varadhan, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York "for his fundamental contributions to probability theory and in particular for creating a unified theory of large deviations"

2008: John Griggs Thompson, Graduate Research Professor, University of Florida and Jacques Tits, Professor Emeritus, Collège de France
"for their profound achievements in algebra and in particular for shaping modern group theory"

2009: Mikhail Leonidovich Gromov, Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, Bures-sur-Yvette, France «for his revolutionary contributions to geometry» 

2010: John Torrence Tate,University of Texas at Austin«for his vast and lasting impact on the theory of numbers»

2011: John Milnor, Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Stony Brook University, New York «for pioneering discoveries in topology, geometry and algebra»

2012: Endre Szemerédi, Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest «for his fundamental contributions to discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science, and in recognition of the profound and lasting impact of these contributions on additive number theory and ergodic theory»