The Abel Prize Award Ceremony May 21, 2013 The University Aula, Oslo Procession accompanied by the “Abel Fanfare” (Klaus Sandvik) Performed by musicians from The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces His Majesty King Harald V enters the University Aula Sicilienne (Gabriel Fauré) Aage Kvalbein, cello; Håvard Gimse, piano Opening speech by Professor Kirsti Strøm Bull President of The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters Cafetin de Buenos Aires (Mariano Mores), Så skimrande var aldri havet (Evert Taube) and Brazil (Ary Barroso). Cello Quartet: Aage Kvalbein, Jan Øyvind Grung Sture, Oda Dyrnes and Benedicte Årsland The Abel Committee’s Citation by Professor Ragni Piene Chair of the Abel Committee His Majesty King Harald V presents the Abel Prize to Pierre Deligne Acceptance speech by Abel Laureate Pierre Deligne Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 Aria (Cantilena) (Heitor Villa-Lobos) Eir Inderhaug, soprano; 8 celli: Aage Kvalbein, Jan Øyvind Grung Sture, Oda Dyrnes, Benedicte Årsland, Erlend Vestby, Tone Østby, Elisabeth Teigen and Kjersti Støylen His Majesty King Harald V leaves the University Aula Procession leaves The Prize Ceremony will be followed by a reception at Theatersalen, Hotel Continental. During the reception, Pierre Deligne will be interviewed by Tonje Steinsland. More info on page 13. mathématiques, in 1968. In 1972, Deligne received the doctorat d’État ès Sciences Professor Pierre Deligne Mathématiques from Université Paris-Sud 11. Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, USA Deligne went to the University of Brussels with the ambition of becoming a high- Abel Laureate 2013 school teacher, and of pursuing mathematics as a hobby for his own personal enjoyment. There, as a student of Jacques Tits, Deligne was pleased to discover “for seminal contributions to algebraic geometry and for their that, as he says, “one could earn one’s living by playing, i.e. by doing research in transformative impact on number theory, representation theory, and mathematics.” related fields” After a year at École normale supérieure in Paris as auditeur libre, Deligne was Pierre Deligne was born on 3 October 1944 in Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium. He concurrently a junior scientist at the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research is Professor Emeritus in the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced and a guest at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHÉS). Deligne was a Study in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Deligne came to Princeton in 1984 from Insti- visiting member at IHÉS from 1968-70, at which time he was appointed a perma- tut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHÉS) at Bures-sur-Yvette near Paris, France, nent member. where he was appointed its youngest ever permanent member in 1970. Concurrently, he was a Member (1972– 73, 1977) and Visitor (1981) in the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study. He was appointed to a faculty When Deligne was around 12 years of position there in 1984. age, he started to read his brother’s university math books and to demand Pierre Deligne is a research mathematician who has excelled in making connections explanations. His interest prompted a between various fields of mathematics. His research has led to several important high-school math teacher, J. Nijs, to discoveries. One of his most famous contributions was his proof of the Weil conjec- lend him several volumes of “Elements tures in 1973. This earned him both the Fields Medal (1978) and the Crafoord Prize of Mathematics” by Nicolas Bourbaki, (1988), the latter jointly with Alexandre Grothendieck. Deligne was awarded the the pseudonymous grey eminence Balzan Prize in 2004 and Wolf Prize in 2008. that called for a renovation of French mathematics. This was not the kind When Deligne was awarded the Fields Medal, David Mumford and John Tate, both of reading matter that one would at the Harvard Mathematics Department, wrote in Science magazine that “There are normally dream of offering a young few mathematical subjects that Deligne’s questions and comments do not clarify, boy, but for Deligne it became a life for he combines powerful technique, broad knowledge, daring imagination, and changing experience. From then on unfailing instinct for the key idea.” Photo: Valérie Touchant-Landais he never looked back. Although his father wanted him to become an engineer and to pursue a career that would afford him a good living, Deligne knew early on that he should do what he loved, and what he loved was mathematics. He studied mathematics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (University of Brussels) and received his Licence en mathématiques, the equivalent of a B.A., in 1966 and his Ph.D., Doctorat en 4 5 ics, this teacher loaned him some of his mathematical works. For Deligne, this proved to Professor Kirsti Strøm Bull be of pivotal importance. President of The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters A teacher played a crucial role in the development of Niels Henrik Abel as well. That is why we intend to emphasise the teacher’s important role in arousing and stimulating the inter- est of children and youth in mathematics by establishing a teacher’s prize in connection with the Abel Prize. This Prize is named after Abel’s teacher, Bernt Michael Holmboe. The Holmboe Prize will be awarded tomorrow at Niels Henrik Abel’s old school, Oslo Cathedral School. This year’s Prize-Winner is Anne-Mari Jensen. Your Majesty, Minister, Your Excellencies, Dear Prize Winner, honoured assembled guests, The Abel Board also supports several other initiatives to stimulate interest in mathematics On behalf of The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, I have the pleasure and among children and young people. honour of welcoming you all to the Abel Prize Award Ceremony for 2013. The Abel Prize was established by the Norwegian Government in 2002 in connection with the 200th an- Mathematical knowledge is absolutely necessary in order to deal with our age’s infrastruc- niversary of Niels Henrik Abel’s birth. The Abel Prize was first awarded in 2003 - ten years ture, buildings and communication systems, banking and insurance, the Internet, etc. ago. Today it is being awarded for the eleventh time. Mathematics plays an important role in modern society. Today’s society needs mathemati- cians. The Abel Prize is a prize for outstanding scientific work in mathematics. The Prize is a rec- ognition of scientific contributions of exceptional depth and significance for the discipline The Abel Prize also allows us to boost the fundamental importance of basic research in of mathematics. solving the challenges faced by society. In mathematics, we often find the clearest exam- ples that advanced solutions that are primarily a result of the desire to solve a theoretical Pierre Deligne is being awarded the Abel Prize “for seminal contributions to algebraic problem have had unintentional and unexpectedly great practical importance. geometry and for their transformative impact on number theory, representation theory, and related fields” to quote the Abel Committee’s explanation. Mathematics is a timeless, universal discipline, applied and developed throughout the world. A mathematical proof is true and can be appreciated in any culture or ideology. Deligne is a mathematician who has distinguished himself by finding connections between Mathematics links the past to the present. Even though mathematical research is in a pe- different fields of mathematics. His research has led to important discoveries. riod of rapid development, old ideas are not rejected as so often occurs in other branches of science. His discoveries have had enormous influence, and a number of mathematical concepts have been named after him. In just a short period of time, the Abel Prize has become one of the great international prizes in mathematics. With members from many different countries, who are nominated Like Niels Henrik Abel, Pierre Deligne had already made pioneering contributions to math- by the key international mathematics organisations, the Abel Committee deserves much ematics at a very young age. of the honour for the status that the Prize has attained. I would like to thank the Prize Committee, chaired by Professor Ragni Piene, for this important and demanding work. Pierre Deligne is best known for his impressive solution of the last of the Weil conjectures, a solution he presented before he had turned 30. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters would also like to thank the other key participants involved in the Prize and its associated events - the Abel Board, the Norwe- Stimulating the interest of children and young people in mathematics is an important gian Government and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, the Norwegian objective of the Abel Prize. Good, inspiring mathematics teachers play a very important Mathematics Council and the Norwegian mathematics community. role in this endeavour. Honoured guests, Abel Prize Winner Pierre Deligne, once again I wish you welcome to On many occasions, Pierre Deligne has emphasised the important effect that a mathemat- this year’s Abel Prize Ceremony. It is a great day for mathematics and for long-term basic ics teacher had on him when he was 14 years old. Noticing his keen interest in mathemat- research. 6 7 7 10 1 4 11 2 5 8 12 3 6 9 1. Endre Szemerédi receives the Abel Prize from H.M. King Harald V 7. Isadore M. Singer and Michael F. Atiyah receive the Abel Prize from H.M King Harald V 2. Mikhail Gromov and Minister Tora Aasland outside Akershus Castle at the Abel Banquet 8. Wreath-laying ceremony at the Abel Monument in Oslo 3. Lennart Carleson is received in audience by H.M. Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace 9. John Griggs Thompson and Jacques Tits 4. John Milnor interviewed by Tonje Steinsland at Gamle Logen 10. Srinivasa S.R. Varadhan gives his Abel Lecture at the University of Oslo 5.