The 24th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) opened in
Beijing Tuesday.
This is the first time for China, a developing country, to host such congress.
The ICM, supported and assisted by International Mathematics Union (IMU), has a history of over 100 years. The first ICM was held in 1897 in Zurich, Switzerland. Since the 1900 ICM in Paris, it has been held every four years except during the two world wars.Now it has become the most authoritative academic meeting in its field, attracting mathematicians from all over the world.
The plenary lectures and the invited lectures given during the congress are often regarded as representing the most important achievements and developments in all fields of mathematics. The prestigious Fields Medal Prize is usually awarded at the opening ceremony of the ICM.
The 1998 IMU Membership Conference decided China would host the 24th ICM.
Wu Wenjun, a well-known Chinese mathematician, winner of the Chinese government's Top Science Prize, was appointed chairman of the nine-day congress.
Backgrounder: Fields Medal Prize
The Fields Medal Prize, regarded internationally as the most prestigious prize in the field of mathematics, is awarded to mathematicians under the age of 40.
France's Laurent Lafforgue and Russia's Vladimir Voevododsky became the latest winners of the prize, at the opening ceremony of the 2002 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in
Beijing Tuesday.
The prize, named in honor of Professor John Charles Fields, a Canadian mathematician, was formally established at the 1932 ICM and first awarded at the 1936 ICM.
On the face of the medal are the portrait of the Greek mathematician, Archimedes, and Latin inscriptions.
Backgrounder: Nevanlinna Prize
The Nevanlinna Prize is awarded for work in the mathematical aspects of information sciences. Like the Fields Medal Prize, it is given to one mathematician every four years at the International Congress of Mathematicians.
The prize, consisting of a gold medal and cash, was set up by the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union (IMU) in April 1981.
In April 1982, the IMU accepted a donation from the University of Helsinki, so the prize was named in honor of university president Rolf Nevanlinna, who was also president of the IMU.
Madhu Sudan from the United States won the Nevanlinna Prize for 2002 in
Beijing Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the 24th International Congress of Mathematicians.
Altogether six mathematicians have so far been awarded the prize.
