Category:Definitions/Fields Medal

This category contains definitions related to Fields Medal.

The Fields Medal is the highest award of the International Mathematical Union, for "oustanding achievement in mathematics".

It is a gold medal, awarded once every $4$ years at its International Congress, using the funds remaining after the financing of the Congress in Toronto in $1924$.

It is awarded to no fewer than $2$ and no more than $4$ mathematicians, usually under $40$ years of age.

The medals stem from a bequest by John Charles Fields, who wanted to provide an award comparable to the Nobel Prize in stature.

It was his intention to stress the international nature of mathematics, and stated that there should not be attached to the medals:

the name of any country, institution or person.

The first Fields Medals were awarded in $1936$, but were interrupted because of the Second World War.

They were resumed in $1950$.

The award is administered by a Board of Trustees set up by the University of Toronto, and awarded by a committee of mathematicians appointed by the ICM.