For the first time, two individuals from China have received the esteemed Fields Medal in mathematics, a victory celebrated throughout China as a significant step in the nation’s efforts to solidify its position as a leader in science and technology.
On Thursday, Wang Hong and Deng Yu were announced as two of the four recipients of this prestigious award, which is presented every four years by the International Mathematical Union to exceptional mathematicians under the age of 40. The other two laureates for this year are from Canada and the United States.
At 35 years old, Wang is only the third woman to achieve this honor in the award’s 90-year history.
Social media in China has erupted with joy over their accomplishment, with the two most prominent trending topics on Weibo discussing this achievement, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of mathematics.”
Various state media outlets and news platforms were filled with stories about Wang and Deng and the implications of their success for the nation, despite both pursuing their academic paths abroad after attending Peking University, a leading research institution located in Beijing.
“This represents a pivotal moment for Chinese mathematics,” remarked one social media user whose comment garnered thousands of engagements. “It embodies the aspirations of countless generations of Chinese mathematicians: to transform China into a hub of mathematical excellence!”
Additional comments recognized Wang’s achievement as a significant advancement for women in STEM, with one user stating it serves as “a strong rebuttal to the outdated notion that boys outperform girls in mathematics.”
Raised in Guilin, southern China, Wang is currently a professor at New York University and the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques in France and was recognized for her contributions to solving a long-standing issue in harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory.
Deng, aged 37, is a professor at the University of Chicago and hails from Shenzhen, a well-known technology center, where he earned recognition for his advancements in partial differential equations.
The overwhelming pride and enthusiasm surrounding this achievement highlight the significance of academic accomplishments in China, where elite scientists often attain fame, and students participate in one of the toughest and most competitive college entrance examinations globally.
This also reflects China’s long-standing ambition to occupy a prestigious position in modern scientific and technological advancements, a goal that has led to significant investments from Beijing aimed at attracting top talent to its universities and supporting pioneering research.
Leaders in China perceive the establishment of the nation as a significant player not only in advanced technology but also at the forefront of both basic and theoretical sciences as part of a broader national revitalization initiative.
A commentary in state media on Friday echoed this sentiment, stating that “for a considerable period, a perception has existed in Western academic circles: China excels in applied and competitive mathematics, yet it lacks original breakthroughs in advanced fundamental theories.”
“The achievements of Wang Hong and Deng Yu have finally addressed this gap, establishing a new benchmark for Chinese mathematics and effectively challenging existing biases,” it further stated.
‘Hope they will return’
Chinese state media highlighted that Deng and Wang are the first citizens of China to receive this award.
Although another scientist of Chinese origin, Shing-Tung Yau, won the award in 1982, he did not possess Chinese citizenship at that time. Mathematician Terence Tao, who was born in Australia and is of Chinese descent, also received the honor in 2006.
In a recent interview with a media outlet associated with the Chinese state, Yau, now teaching at Tsinghua University in Beijing, described the awards received by Wang and Deng as fulfilling long-held dreams within the Chinese mathematics community, expressing hope that they would return to China for teaching.
“We sincerely hope they will come back, as this is vital for China,” he remarked, adding his aspiration for the future where “scholars trained solely in China will also have the opportunity to win the Fields Medal.”
China has faced challenges with its talented individuals emigrating to institutions in the United States and other countries, leading to ongoing efforts to combat the phenomenon known as “brain drain” as domestic institutions gain recognition and prestige.
Both Deng and Wang completed their higher education abroad. Deng transferred from Peking University to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as an undergraduate and later earned his doctorate from Princeton University in 2015.
Wang, an alumna of Peking University, pursued her master’s degree in France before obtaining her PhD from MIT in 2019. French President Emmanuel Macron personally congratulated Wang on her accolade.
Wang attributed her success to the “brilliant colleagues” she encountered throughout her career, as shared by NYU following the announcement of her award.
“Achievements like this are never the result of one person. They represent the culmination of years of serendipitous meetings and unexpected inquiries that guide you in the right direction,” she stated.
When asked in an interview with the Chinese media outlet National Business Daily released on Thursday about the increasing recognition of young Chinese mathematicians internationally, Deng attributed this to an “accumulation of knowledge and experience.”
“Indeed, Chinese mathematicians have accomplished a considerable amount of excellent work in recent years, so it’s only natural that some would eventually gain widespread recognition,” he remarked.
USdaily’s Joyce Jiang contributed to this report.
