Chinese Mathematicians Win Fields Medals in Historic First

In a landmark achievement for Chinese science, mathematicians Wang Hong (王虹) and Deng Yu (邓宇) have become the first Chinese citizens to win the prestigious Fields Medal, often described as mathematics’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize. The announcement was made on July 23 at the opening ceremony of the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to Caixin Global. Wang Hong is only the third woman in the 90-year history of the award to receive the honor, following Maryam Mirzakhani (2014) and Maryna Viazovska (2022).

Context and Significance

The Fields Medal, established in 1936, is awarded every four years by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) to between two and four mathematicians under the age of 40, in recognition of outstanding mathematical achievements and promise for future work. Before this year, only two ethnically Chinese mathematicians had won the medal: Shing-Tung Yau (1982), who is Chinese-American, and Terence Tao (2006), who is Chinese-Australian-American.

As Nature reported, Wang and Deng were among four recipients this year, alongside American John Pardon of Stony Brook University and Canadian Jacob Tsimerman of the University of Toronto. All four winners work in North America, but Deng and Wang were born and raised in China.

Wang Hong: Solving the Kakeya Conjecture

Wang Hong, a professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHES) in France and the Courant Institute at New York University, was recognized for her contributions to harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory. In February 2025, she and her collaborator published a 127-page paper proving the Kakeya Conjecture, a problem that had plagued the mathematical community for over a century.

Speaking to Xinhua after receiving the award, Wang reflected on her journey. “Success lies in persistence,” she said. “When luck is not on your side, persist a little longer, and over time good luck may come.” She also shared her appreciation for mathematics’ intrinsic beauty: “So perhaps one day I hope it will be useful, but even if it’s not useful, I think it is still very beautiful.” These remarks were reported by Xinhua.

Originally from Guilin, Guangxi, Wang entered Peking University in 2007 in Earth and Space Sciences before transferring to mathematics in her second year. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Paris-Saclay University and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Deng Yu: Cracking Hilbert’s Sixth Problem

Deng Yu, 37, a professor at the University of Chicago, was recognized for his groundbreaking work in partial differential equations (PDEs). He achieved a crucial breakthrough on Hilbert’s Sixth Problem, which had perplexed the mathematical community for 125 years. Deng completed the key proof demonstrating the transition from microscopic particle systems to the Boltzmann equation for the first time.

“It’s a great honor to have my name listed after all those great mathematicians I’ve been always admiring,” Deng said at a press conference after the ceremony, as reported by SCIO/Xinhua. “It’s a really important recognition of myself, of my work, my work with collaborators, and the field of PDEs.”

Describing his research in simple terms, Deng explained: “Roughly speaking, what I have been doing with collaborators is basically to connect the microscopic description of things, of the universe to the macroscopic description.”

Deng hails from Shenzhen, Guangdong. He won an International Mathematical Olympiad gold medal in high school, studied at Peking University, transferred to MIT, and earned his PhD from Princeton University.

A Shared Educational Foundation

Both mathematicians completed their undergraduate education in China before pursuing graduate studies abroad. Remarkably, Wang and Deng were classmates who entered Peking University’s School of Mathematical Sciences in 2007, as Yicai Global noted. This marks the first time in history that the award has been given to two young mathematicians from the same country and grade.

Fields Medal laureate Efim Zelmanov highlighted the significance of their Chinese educational roots: “The essential part of both laureates’ education was completed in China. Their remarkable achievement is a powerful recognition of China’s fundamental and rapidly growing role in the world of mathematics.”

Implications for China’s Scientific Rise

China has invested heavily in basic sciences through its 14th Five-Year Plan, establishing 13 National Centers for Applied Mathematics. The success of Wang and Deng reflects the payoff of these investments. Shing-Tung Yau, the first Chinese winner of the Fields Medal and chairman of the International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians, told Yicai Global in January that “China will become a mathematical powerhouse in the next five to 10 years.”

Earlier this year, both Wang and Deng won gold medals at the 10th International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians, foreshadowing their historic achievement at the international level.

What’s Next

The awarding of the Fields Medal to two Chinese citizens marks a watershed moment for mathematics in China and globally. As Chinese researchers continue to make inroads in fundamental science, the international mathematical community will be watching closely to see whether this momentum translates into sustained leadership. For Wang and Deng, the recognition opens new doors — and inspires a generation of young mathematicians in China and beyond to pursue the beauty of abstract discovery.

Advising young mathematicians, Deng encouraged them to “follow the direction you are passionate about, and immerse yourself in exploration” — a fitting credo for two researchers who have already reshaped the mathematical landscape before turning 40.