The Abel Prize 2008 is shared between the American professor in mathematics, John Griggs Thompson at the University of Florida in Gainsville, and the French mathematician, Jacques Tits with the Collége de France in Paris.
27/03/2008 :: The prize is awarded the two academics “for their profound achievements in algebra and in particular for shaping modern group theory.”
“The achievements of John Thompson and of Jacques Tits are of extraordinary depth and influence. They complement each other and together form the backbone of modern group theory”, the Abel committee says.
John Griggs Thompson and Jacques Tits are awarded the Abel Prize for their contributions to what is known as group theory. Group theory is the “science of symmetries”, where one tries to understand the relation between reflections and rotations of a icosahedron, to reveal the secrets of Rubik’s cube or to control the symmetries among the solutions of the fifth degree equation, as done by Niels Henrik Abel.
Thompson and Tits have invented important new concepts and proved fundamental results in this field, and their names now appear prominently in the history of group theory.
Thompson revolutionised the theory of finite groups by proving extraordinarily deep theorems that laid the foundation for the complete classification of finite simple groups. Tits created a new and highly influential vision of groups as geometric objects.
The prize amount is 6 million NOK (about 750,000 Euro), and is awarded for outstanding scientific work in the field of mathematics. The main purpose of the prize is to boost the status of mathematics in society and to encourage an interest in mathematics in children and young people. The Abel Prize was first presented in 2003, in memory of the Norwegian mathematician, Nils Henrik Abel (1802–1829), who despite his short life left an enduring mathematical legacy.
The Abel Prize will be presented by His Majesty King Harald at the Abel Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo, May 20, 2008.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs