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Every four years, the math world’s preeminent awards are given to the finest minds of a generation. The young winners — all under 40 on the first day of the year — have reshaped mathematics and theoretical computer science. Here are their stories.

2026 Fields and Abacus Medals

Living Fully in the Math World Means Threading the Needle

By Natalie Wolchover

Focus, commitment, and insight resulted in a “once in a century” proof. Hong Wang is now the third woman to win a Fields Medal.

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2026 Fields and Abacus Medals

Sometimes Being First Means Seeing the End Before Anyone Else

By Kevin Hartnett

Determination and effort propelled Jacob Tsimerman to the top of the math world. But now that he’s won a Fields Medal, he worries that the field is in jeopardy.

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2026 Fields and Abacus Medals

The Quietest Mathematician Was Always Worth Listening To

By Konstantin Kakaes

John Pardon sees connections between different areas of math that others don’t. For that, he’s now been awarded a Fields Medal.

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2026 Fields and Abacus Medals

Amid Life’s Chaos, a Meticulous Mathematician Finds Stability

By Jordana Cepelewicz

Before he won a Fields Medal for his pioneering work balancing randomness and order, Yu Deng first had to achieve equilibrium in his own life.

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2026 Fields and Abacus Medals

A Master of the Traveling Salesperson Problem Finds His Own Path

By Ben Brubaker

Shayan Oveis Gharan has won the Abacus Medal for applying tools from across mathematics to computer science.

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