Vietnamese mathematician wins Fields Medal

Indian President Pratibha Patil (L) presents Professor Ngô Bảo Châu (R) with the Fields Medal at the 26th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Hyderabad City, India, August 19, 2010

The Fields medal, described as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics for the prestige it carries, is presented to the best mathematicians at the International Congress of Mathematicians hosted by the International Mathematical Union every four years.

Prof. Châu was acknowledged for his excellent achievements in mathematics, especially after he proved the fundamental lemma proposed by Robert Langlands and Diana Shelstad – a result which was selected by Time Magazine as one of the Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of 2009.

After Japan, Việt Nam was the second Asian nation to have won the prestigious medal.

Upon hearing the good news, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng sent a letter of congratulations to Prof. Châu.

The Government chief stressed that the medal is a great honor for the professor himself and his family. At the same time, it is also a pride of the Vietnamese nation and an inspiration for Vietnamese young scientists.

The PM took the occasion to highly appreciate Prof. Châu for delivering math lectures in Việt Nam and contributing to the country’s mathematics.

“I believe that, with great potential and strong will of Vietnamese young scientists, with the assistance from their predecessors, including such talented people like you, our Vietnamese nation will give birth to more and more talents who serve the country and bring honor to the nation,” wrote PM Dũng in his letter.

The 38-year-old professor has won many awards in Việt Nam and abroad. He is currently working at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, the US.

By Hồng Vân