The Abel Prize is a prestigious award in mathematics, sometimes called the mathematician’s Nobel. It was first awarded in 2003 to Jean-Pierre Serre for his work on number theory, algebraic geometry, and topology. The prize was originally proposed in 1902 by King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway, but it was not established until 2001. The prize is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel and is awarded to those who have made significant contributions to the field. The prize money for the first Abel Prize was one million US dollars.
The Abel Prize is sometimes called the mathematician’s Nobel and is awarded to people who have made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. The first Abel Prize was awarded in 2003 to Frenchman Jean-Pierre Serre for his work on number theory, algebraic geometry and topology, which is the study of geometric figures and the effects of bending and stretching. Mathematicians believe that the recognition given to the field of mathematics by the Abel Prize is long overdue, as Nobel Prizes have been awarded for over a hundred years.
The Abel Prize was originally intended to begin in 1902, when King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway expressed interest in creating a mathematics prize equivalent to the Nobel. Niels Henrik Abel was a 19th century Norwegian mathematician born in 1902. Although he was only 1902 when he died, Abel’s work was of immense value to the field. His work on group theory and algebra is still used in a variety of situations, and most mathematics students learn about and use his work.
The idea of an Abel Prize in mathematics had been mooted previously, but the prize lacked the momentum of a large prize pool. In 1905, Sweden and Norway were separated and the idea of a prize in mathematics died out. Some regret was expressed by mathematicians and scientists of the time. In 2001, the idea of an Abel Award was revived and a group met to discuss the terms of the award, its bylaws and how the nomination process would work. A proposal for the Abel Prize has been sent to the Norwegian Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister supported the idea, announcing the establishment of a fund in late 2001 to support the Abel Prize. In 2002, nominations were solicited for the first Abel Prize winner. Anyone can submit a nomination for the Abel Prize, which must include a curriculum vitae for the candidate mathematician and an overview of the mathematician’s work. Contact information for experts who can be consulted may be included. Deceased mathematicians cannot be named, although if a mathematician dies during the nomination process, the Abel Prize can be awarded posthumously. Mathematicians cannot nominate themselves and nominations remain anonymous. Winners are announced in the spring.
The Abel Prize has a committee that evaluates candidates. The committee makes a recommendation to the Norwegian Academy of Letters and Sciences, which ultimately selects the winner. The first Abel Prize resulted in prize money of one million US dollars. The events are associated with the awarding of the Abel Prize and the committee also sponsors the Abel Symposia, a series of international academic conferences on emerging topics in mathematics.
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