Israeli mathematician awarded prestigious Fields Medal with 3 others in India ceremony

Israeli, 3 others win important math prize

JERUSALEM — A world mathematics body says it has awarded the prestigious Fields Medal to Elon Lindenstrauss of Hebrew University of Jerusalem and three others.

They received the award Thursday at the International Congress of Mathematics in Hyderabad, India, according to the ICM website.

It said other recipients were Cedric Vilani and Ngo Bau Chau from Paris and Stanislav Smirnov from Geneva.

The Fields Medal is awarded every four years to outstanding mathematicians up to age 40. Hebrew University said Lindenstrauss was the first Israeli to win it.

The ICM said Lindenstrauss was chosen for his work in ergodic theory. Recognizing its obscure nature, the mathematician told Israel Radio, “I will be very surprised if people will find a use for it in the foreseeable future.”