All Abel Prize Winners Till Date (2003-2024)

Abel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards given for outstanding contributions to mathematics, often considered as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics.

Niels Henrik Abel Memorial Fund, established on 1 January 2002, awards the Abel Prize for outstanding scientific work in the field of mathematics.

The Abel prize winners get 7.5 million Norwegian kroner (about 850,000 US Dollars) and were awarded for the first time on 3 June 2003.

The last Abel Prize award was in 2024, and it was awarded to Michel Talagrand for his groundbreaking contributions to probability theory and functional analysis, with outstanding applications in mathematical physics and statistics.

List of Abel Prize Winners

Following mathematicians have received this award since 2003:

YearWinner(s)Award Reason
2003Jean Pierre SerreKey role in shaping modern mathematics, including topology, algebraic geometry, and number theory
2004Sir Michael Atiyah & Isadore SingerDiscovery and proof of the index theorem, connecting topology, geometry, analysis, and theoretical physics
2005Peter D. LaxGroundbreaking contributions to the theory and application of partial differential equations
2006Lennart CarlesonProfound contributions to harmonic analysis and the theory of smooth dynamical systems
2007Srinivasa S. R. VaradhanFundamental contributions to probability theory, creating a unified theory of large deviation
2008John Griggs Thompson & Jacques TitsProfound achievements in algebra, shaping modern group theory
2009Mikhail Leonidovich GromovRevolutionary contributions to geometry
2010John Torrence TateVast and lasting impact on the theory of numbers
2011John MilnorPioneering discoveries in topology, geometry, and algebra
2012Endre SzemerédiFundamental contributions to discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science, impacting additive number theory and ergodic theory
2013Pierre DeligneSeminal contributions to algebraic geometry, transformative impact on number theory, representation theory, and related fields
2014Yakov SinoiFundamental contributions to dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics
2015John F. Nash Jr. & Louis NirenbergContributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations and geometric analysis
2016Andrew WilesProof of Fermat's Last Theorem, opening a new era in number theory
2017Yves MeyerPivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets
2018Robert LanglandsVisionary program connecting representation theory to number theory
2019Karen UhlenbeckPioneering achievements in geometric partial differential equations, gauge theory, integrable systems, and impact on analysis, geometry, and mathematical physics
2020Hillel Furstenberg & Gregory MargulisPioneering use of methods from probability and dynamics in group theory, number theory, and combinatorics
2021László Lovász & Avi WigdersonFoundational contributions to theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics
2022Dennis Parnell SullivanKey contributions in developing rational homotopy theory, a subfield of algebraic topology
2023Luis CaffarelliSeminal contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear partial differential equations
2024Michel TalagrandGroundbreaking contributions to probability theory and functional analysis, with outstanding applications in mathematical physics and statistics.

Let's see these one by one:

Jean Pierre Serre

Abel Prize, 2003

Jean Pierre Serre for playing a key role in shaping the modern form of many parts of mathematics, including topology, algebraic geometry and number theory.

image 1

Abel Prize, 2004

Sir Michael Atiyah & Isadore Singer for their discovery and proof of the index theorem, bringing together topology, geometry and analysis, and their outstanding role in building new bridges between mathematics and theoretical physics.

image

Abel Prize, 2005

Peter D. Lax for his groundbreaking contributions to the theory and application of partial differential equations and to the computation of their solutions.

Carleson

Abel Prize, 2006

Lennart Carleson for his profound and seminal contributions to harmonic analysis and the theory of smooth dynamical systems.

image 1

Abel Prize, 2007

Srinivasa S. R. Varadhan for his fundamental contributions to probability theory and in particular for creating a unified theory of large deviation.

Note: First Indian to win Abel Prize.

image 2

Abel Prize, 2008

John Griggs Thompson & Jacques Tits for their profound achievements in algebra and in particular for shaping modern group theory.

image 3

Abel Prize, 2009

Mikhail Leonidovich Gromov for his revolutionary contributions to geometry.

image 4

Abel Prize, 2010

John Torrence Tate for his vast and lasting impact on the theory of numbers.

image 5

Abel Prize, 2011

John Milnor for pioneering discoveries in topology, geometry, and algebra.

endre Szemeredi1

Abel Prize, 2012

Endre Szemerédi for his fundamental contributions to discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science, and in recognition of the profound and lasting impact of these contributions on additive number theory and ergodic theory.

image 6

Abel Prize, 2013

Pierre Deligne for seminal contributions to algebraic geometry and for his transformative impact on number theory, representation theory, and related fields.

Yakov Sinoi Photo

Abel Prize, 2014

Yakov Sinoi for his fundamental contributions to dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.

Screen Shot 2022 01 04 at 9.48.02 PM

Abel Prize, 2015

John F. Nash Jr. and Louis Nirenberg for striking and seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations and its applications to geometric analysis.

Andrew Wiles1 3

Abel Prize, 2016

Andrew Wiles for his stunning proof of Fermat's Last Theorem by way of the modularity conjecture for semistable elliptic curves, opening a new era in number theory.

695px Yves Meyer Conservatoire National Des Arts Et Métiers Philippe Binant Archives

Abel Prize, 2017

Yves Meyer for his pivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets.

800px Langlands2

Abel Prize, 2018

Robert Langlands for his visionary program connecting representation theory to number theory.

Uhlenbeck Karen 1982

Abel Prize, 2019

Karen Uhlenbeck for her pioneering achievements in geometric partial differential equations, gauge theory and integrable systems, and for the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics.

Note: First female Abel Prize winner.

Hillel Furstenberg and Gregory Margulis

Abel Prize, 2020

Hillel Furstenberg and Gregory Margulis for pioneering the use of methods from probability and dynamics in group theory, number theory and combinatorics.

László Lovász and Avi Wigderson

Abel Prize, 2021

László Lovász and Avi Wigderson for their foundational contributions to theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics, and their leading role in shaping them into central fields of modern mathematics.

vbk dennis p. sullivan

Abel Prize, 2022

Dennis Parnell Sullivan for his key contributions in developing a new way of understanding rational homotopy theory, a subfield of algebraic topology.

luis caffarelli

Abel Prize, 2023

Luis Caffarelli for seminal contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear partial differential equations.

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Abel Prize, 2024

Michel Talagrand for his groundbreaking contributions to probability theory and functional analysis, with outstanding applications in mathematical physics and statistics.