Peking University Alumni Claim Historic Double Fields Medal Win

The International Mathematical Union selected Wang and Deng among four global recipients, highlighting their contributions to analysis and fluid dynamics. Wang, a tenured professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, becomes the third woman and the first Chinese woman to receive the award. She earned the recognition for her work alongside Joshua Zahl in resolving the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture, a problem that has remained a central challenge in geometry for decades.

Deng, currently a professor at the University of Chicago, achieved his breakthrough by addressing Hilbert’s sixth problem. In collaboration with Ma Xiao and Zaher Hani, he established a mathematical link between microscopic particle dynamics and macroscopic fluid equations, effectively solving a puzzle posed over a century ago. Beyond these individual accolades, Peking University solidified its academic influence at the Philadelphia congress with 14 representatives—comprising 10 alumni and 4 faculty members—invited to speak at the event.