2026 Fields and Abacus Medals | Quanta Magazine Quanta Homepage Physics Mathematics Biology Computer Science Topics Archive Special Issues Podcasts Videos Qualia Essays Multimedia Q&As Explainers About Quanta Search Search for: Search Search Newsletter Get the latest news delivered to your inbox. Email Subscribe Recent newsletters Follow Quanta Facebook Youtube Instagram RSS An editorially independent publication supported by the Simons Foundation. Type search term(s) and press enter What are you looking for? Search Popular Searches Mathematics Physics Black Holes Evolution Quanta Homepage Login Log out Change password Saved articles Saved Articles Create a reading list by clicking the Read Later icon next to the articles you wish to save. See all saved articles Facebook Copied! Copy link Email Pocket Reddit Ycombinator Fields and Abacus Medals 2026 p]:text-0lg [&>p]:font-normal [&>p]:leading-7-5 l-:[&>p]:text-1xl l-:[&>p]:leading-8-5 [&>p:first-child]:mt-0 [&>p:last-child]:mb-0'> 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. GO TO ARTICLE 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. GO TO ARTICLE 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. GO TO ARTICLE 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. GO TO ARTICLE 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. GO TO ARTICLE Quanta Homepage Facebook Youtube Instagram About Quanta Archive Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy AI Editorial Policy All Rights Reserved © 2026 An editorially independent publication supported by the Simons Foundation. Simons Foundation Close Log in to Quanta Use your social network Facebook Connect with Facebook Connect with Google or email password Remember me Forgot your password ? Don't have an account yet? Sign up Close Forgot your password? We’ll email you instructions to reset your password email Close Change your password Enter your new password Password Retype new password Close Sign Up First Name Last Name Email Password Retype Password Creating an account means you accept Quanta Magazine's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
