Connes

by David F. Salisbury
Alain Connes, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mathematics, has been awarded one of France’s most noteworthy scientific awards: the annual Gold Medal of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).

Since its creation in 1954, the CNRS Gold Medal has been awarded each year to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the dynamism and influence of French research. It is a crowning reward to scientists whose work and career have earned them international acclaim. Previous recipients include well-known scientists from biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics and numerous other specialties.

In naming Connes – who is also a professor at the Collège de France and at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques – the 2004 Gold Medalist, the CNRS called him “one of the greatest mathematicians of our time.” Throughout his career, Connes has applied himself to solving mathematical problems arising from quantum physics and the theory of relativity. He revolutionized the theory of operator algebras and was a primary founder of a new branch of mathematics called noncommutative geometry. His work earned him the Fields Medal in 1982 and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences’ Crafoord Prize in 2001.

Connes has published more than 150 scientific articles. He has also published a book, Noncommutative Geometry, which has become the reference in its field. He has written two books on mathematical thought and has editorial responsibilities on numerous international mathematics journals.

Connes will conduct a mini-course on noncommutative geometry and number theory at Vanderbilt during the first two weeks of April 2005, along with Matilde Marcolli from the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

Posted 2/21/05