‘Nobel Prize’ of mathematics awarded to U of T professor Jacob Tsimerman

Jacob Tsimerman, a professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto, has won the Fields Medal, a high-profile international award often described as the “Nobel Prize for mathematics.”

The prestigious award is handed out every four years to mathematicians under the age of 40 and recognizes extraordinary research achievement and the promise of future discoveries.

“It was just a huge thrill; we’re so proud of Professor Tsimerman,” said Stephen Wright, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science at U of T. “This really recognizes the pinnacle of intellectual accomplishment in mathematics. Not just that, but the promise of future contributions as well. It’s a thrill for Canada, for the university, and for our Faculty of Arts and Science.”

Established in 1932, Tsimerman is the first scholar based at a Canadian institute and only the second Canadian ever to receive the award.

The U of T is home to the Fields Institute, a world-renowned centre that advances mathematical research in Canada.

“It originated in Canada, the Fields Medal is named after a University of Toronto professor John Charles Fields, so it’s good that its finally being awarded to a person who did most of his work in Canada,” said Kumar Murty, a professor of mathematics.

Tsimerman was honoured in part for proving the André-Oort conjecture, a problem that has challenged mathematicians for decades.

Tsimerman’s win is a huge inspiration to young Canadian students.

“It’s kind of encouraging for people doing research; it tells us don’t give up,” said PhD student Ziyi Liu, who was on hand at the U of T to watch the announcement.

“I feel so hopeful and so proud, very patriotic,” added high school student Emir Kardos. “I don’t feel like I’m going to win a Fields Medal, but it just feels like an honour to be witnessing this.”

This is the latest honour in Tsimerman’s career, which includes election as a Fellow to both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Canada, the Ostrowski Prize and the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize.

Tsimerman began his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the U of T at the age of 16, graduating two years later. He earned his PhD from Princeton in 2011 and then went on to become the youngest person to be appointed a full professor in the U of T math department.