Israeli mathematician wins Fields Medal

Elon Lindenstrauss is the first Israel to win the honor, which is considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics.

Mathematician Prof. Elon Lindenstrauss of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has won the prestigious Fields Medal for 2010, the first Israeli to win the honor. The Fields Medal is considered the Nobel Prize of mathematics.

Lindenstrauss, 40, won the Fields Medal for his work on numbers theory. The Fields Medal is awarded every four years to mathematicians under the age of 40, with the goal of encouraging them to make extraordinary achievements. Lindenstrauss will win a C$15,000 prize, a rather small amount in comparison with the $1 million Noble Prize awards.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Prof. Lindenstrauss honored the people and State of Israel: "This is a great achievement both for yourself and the State of Israel and we are proud of you."

Prof. Lindenstrauss told Prime Minister Netanyahu of the many temptations around the world for leading Israeli lecturers and of his desire to stay at the Hebrew University in spite of them.

Elon Lindenstrauss was born in Jerusalem in 1970 to Naomi and Yoram Lindenstrauss, a mathematician and winner of the Israel Prize for Mathematics. At 18, Elon Lindenstrauss represented Israel at the International Mathematics Olympics, where he won the Bronze Medal. His IDF service was spent at the Air Force Talpiot Program.

Elon Lindenstrauss has a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics, an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Mathematics all from the Hebrew University. He has been a Member at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, an assistant professor at Stanford University, and visiting member at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

The Fields Medal is awarded by Canada's Fields Institute, a center for mathematical research activity in Toronto.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 19, 2010

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010

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