Four Princetonians Win 2026 Fields Medals

In July, three Princeton alumni and one former lecturer were awarded the Fields Medal, one of the highest honors in the field of mathematics. The International Mathematical Union recognizes several young mathematicians under the age of 40 every four years for “outstanding mathematical achievement in existing work and the promise of a future achievement,” according to a release from the organization. Each winner receives $15,000 in Canadian dollars (approximately $10,600 USD) and a gold medal.

Yu Deng *15, a professor at the University of Chicago, whose work on several equations, including solving the Boltzmann equation, was cited.

John Pardon ’11, a professor at Stony Brook University and valedictorian of his Princeton class, was recognized in part for his research in symplectic geometry.

Jacob Tsimerman *11, a professor at the University of Toronto whose work on the André-Oort conjecture was among the reasons he was honored.

Hong Wang, a professor at New York University and the Institute for Advanced Scientific Studies in France and a former lecturer in Princton’s math department, was awarded in part for her work on the Kakeya conjecture. She is the third woman ever to win the Fields Medal.