📈 Fields Medal for Mathematics by Nations (1936-2022)
The Fields Medal is awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians under 40 years of age every four years during the International Congress of Mathematicians. Its purpose is to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement in existing work and the potential for future contributions, providing support and acknowledgment to younger researchers who have made significant contributions. Regarded as one of the highest honors in mathematics, it is often likened to the Nobel Prize in Mathematics.
The Fields Medal Committee is chosen by the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union and is normally chaired by the IMU President. The medals and cash prizes are funded by a trust established by J. C. Fields
at the University of Toronto.
The medal was first awarded in 1936 to Finnish mathematician Lars Ahlfors and American mathematician Jesse Douglas. In 2014, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first female Fields Medalist. To date, 64 individuals have received the Fields Medal.
The distribution of Fields Medal awards among different nationalities is noteworthy. American mathematicians have received 15 awards (21.4% of the total), followed by French recipients with 13 awards (18.6%), and British and Russian recipients with 8 awards each (11.4% each). Japanese mathematicians have received three awards, while Australian, Belgian, German, Iranian, Italian, and Ukrainian mathematicians have each been awarded twice. Additionally, mathematicians from Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, India, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and Vietnam have each received one medal. It's important to acknowledge that individuals with multiple nationalities are counted separately for each nationality they hold.
The United States has played a predominant role in attracting young mathematicians, as evidenced by the distribution of Fields Medals. While 13 recipients were born in the United States, mathematicians affiliated with U.S. universities and institutions at the time of the award have received a total of 29 medals (45.3% of the total). It's worth mentioning that three non-German recipients were born in Germany.