The prestigious 2024 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences will be awarded in Hong Kong on November 12. Among the recipients is Peter Sarnak, General Director of the Advanced School in Mathematics at IIAS, recognized for his groundbreaking work on the arithmetic theory of thin groups and the affine sieve.

As the event approaches, Sarnak shared some insights about his journey and work in an interview for the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post: "The best advice I would give to young mathematicians is not to be disheartened by the polished mathematical solutions they encounter," Sarnak said. "You often only see the end of a long and messy process. Read the source of the idea because then you’ll understand how you might have been able to do it, too."

"To be honest, most of the problems that mathematicians attack, we never solve. Our steady state is to be frustrated," he added with a chuckle. "So if you are interested in having a high every few months, math is not the right field. It happens once in five or ten years. But when you do solve a problem, it’s a real high."

Reflecting on his work, Sarnak mentioned, "I’ve spent about ten years developing the arithmetic theory of thin groups and the affine sieve. It has been a collective effort involving many other people." He emphasized the collaborative nature of his achievements: "The question appealed to many experts in different areas, and so, when we finally came to a solution of this problem, it was based on many people’s efforts," he said, acknowledging his peers Alexander Gamburd and the late Jean Bourgain as crucial collaborators.

The IIAS community congratulates Peter Sarnak on this well-deserved recognition. His achievements and insights continue to inspire and shape the future of mathematical research.

Read the full article here: https://www.scmp.com/?module=masthead&pgtype=article