Two Peking University alumni receive Fields Medal

Peking University (PKU) alumni Wang Hong and Deng Yu have been awarded the Fields Medal, one of the highest honors in mathematics. The awards were announced on July 23, 2026, at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) held in Philadelphia, USA.

Wang and Deng, who graduated in the same year of 2007, are among the four mathematicians worldwide to receive the medal this year. The Fields Medal is awarded every four years by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) to mathematicians under the age of 40, recognizing their past achievements and future potential.

The award marks a historic moment for PKU, as it is the first time two alumni from the same graduating class have received the medal in the same year. Wang is also noted as the third woman and the first Chinese woman to receive the honor. Her work on the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture is highly regarded, and she is currently an associate professor at IHES.

Deng has made significant contributions to solving Hilbert's sixth problem and holds a professorship at the University of Chicago. The co-recipient's success underscores PKU's rising international prominence in mathematical research.