Two Peking University Alumni Awarded Fields Medals
Wang Hong and Deng Yu, former students of Peking University, have received the prestigious Fields Medal at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Philadelphia.
The 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), which commenced in Philadelphia on July 23, saw Wang Hong and Deng Yu, both alumni of Peking University (PKU), awarded the prestigious Fields Medals. These awards are considered one of the highest honors in mathematics.
The Fields Medal is awarded every four years by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) to mathematicians under the age of 40. This year's recipients include two alumni from the same graduating class at PKU, marking a historic achievement for the university.
Wang, currently a professor at IHES, was recognized partly for her work with Joshua Zahl, which resolved the Kakeya conjecture in three dimensions. She is the third woman and the first Chinese mathematician to receive the honor. Deng, now a professor at the University of Chicago, was acknowledged for his contributions to solving Hilbert's sixth problem, collaborating with colleagues to establish a rigorous link between microscopic particle dynamics and macroscopic kinetic and fluid equations.
Beyond the medals, a total of 14 researchers affiliated with PKU, including 10 alumni and 4 faculty members, are scheduled to present at the congress, underscoring the university's growing international prominence in mathematics.