Abel prize 2006

MathematicalPhysicist

who do you think are respectable candidates for this year?

arildno

Since the Abel prize is relatively new, and the committe behind it wishes to establish a high, sought-after reputation, I expect that the trend from the last awards will continue:

Find a hoary, old mathematician whose achievements are indisputable and who is deserving of a few extra millions.

MathematicalPhysicist

well, i believe that the poor are in need for the extra millions and not some old mathematical geezer.
but that's my opinion, although be it radical.

arildno

I (almost) agree with you..

JasonRox

I think they should look at the young guns.

arildno

Why should the Abel Prize try to compete with the Fields medal?

There's more than enough room for two prizes in math targeting slightly different groups.

Lisa!

*sigh* mathematicians are poor too! They deserve to have alot more than they do.

matt grime

One is dedicated to young(ish) researchers who produce a 'few' results of exceptional quality, ie they answer something big.

The Abel prize rewards those who have influenced the field of mathematics through a career of distinguished research. JP Serre and Atiyah/Singer got the first two I seem to recall.

It seems quite reasonable to make this distinction.

MathematicalPhysicist

matt, you can look at mathdaily.com, in order to relook of abel lauretees (i think this is how you write (-: ).

and lisa, it depends, if the mathematician has good social connections with fellow mathematicians then he will get a steady (upper class) income, but if his social skills are poor then so his success. (look at history and see what i mean, or otherwise search at mactutor for a biography for some poor mathematician).

anyway, you need to pick correctly who are your mates & foes.