Mathematician recognized with the highest prize in mathematics for resolving a long-standing problem in harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory—the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture

New York University Professor Hong Wang has been awarded a Fields Medal, the highest honor in the field of mathematics, the International Mathematical Union announced in Philadelphia today.

Wang, Silver Professor of Mathematics at NYU’s Courant Institute School of Mathematics, Computing, and Data Scienceopens in a new tab, was recognized for resolving a decades-old problem in harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory, the Kakeya conjecture in three dimensions, which tells how small a set can be while still containing a unit length needle in every direction. Read more about the mathematical breakthrough in this storyopens in a new tab.

“Moments like this never belong to just one person. They are the culmination of years of chance encounters and unexpected questions that steer you in the right direction. I have been so lucky to work alongside brilliant colleagues at every stage of my career, and this honor is theirs as much as it is mine. I am so grateful to the IMU for this award and so excited for what is to come,” said Hong Wang, Silver Professor of Mathematics at NYU.

.....

 

 

Continue Reading