Two Peking University Alumni Awarded Fields Medals

Mathematicians Hong Wang and Yu Deng, both alumni of Peking University (PKU), have been awarded the 2026 Fields Medals. The awards were presented on July 23 in Philadelphia, USA, during the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) 2026.

The Fields Medal, awarded every four years by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) to mathematicians under 40, is one of the highest honors in the field. Wang and Deng are two of the four recipients for 2026.

These accolades are historic for PKU, as it is the first time two alumni from the same graduating class – 2007 – have received the medal in the same year. Furthermore, Wang is the third woman and the first Chinese national to ever receive this award.

Wang is recognized for her work in solving the three-dimensional Kakea conjecture and currently serves as a professor at Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES). Deng has made significant breakthroughs in solving Hilbert's sixth problem and is a professor at the University of Chicago.

PKU also had a strong representation at ICM 2026, with a total of 14 alumni and faculty members invited to speak at the congress, underscoring the university's growing international influence in mathematics.