Chinese mathematicians win 2026 Fields Medal

On 23 July 2026 the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia announced four 2026 Fields Medal laureates: Hong Wang, Yu Deng, John Pardon and Jacob Tsimerman. Wang and Deng, both Chinese nationals under the age limit of 40, became the first Chinese scholars ever to receive the award and the first two Chinese laureates in a single cycle, marking the first time an Asian nation secured a double award and placing China among the five nations that have ever earned multiple medals in one edition. Wang, 35, a professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques and New York University, was honoured for a joint proof with Joshua Zahl of the three‑dimensional Kakeya conjecture, becoming the third woman to win the medal. Deng, 37, a University of Chicago professor, was recognised for solving Hilbert’s Sixth Problem and rigorously deriving the Boltzmann equation. Both studied initially at Peking University before graduate work abroad and each received CAD 15,000 alongside the gold medallion. Their achievements prompted extensive coverage in Chinese state media, Western outlets and social platforms, with remarks from international figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron. After the ceremony, Jacob Tsimerman announced he will join OpenAI’s safety team, linking the laureates’ achievements to emerging AI research.