'Raising the "Second Heo Jun" Within 20 Years'

Commemorating the Fields Medal in Mathematics
Huh Jun-yi Mathematics Problem Research Institute Opens at 2 PM on the 19th

On the 19th, the Heo Junyi Mathematical Challenges Research Institute was established to commemorate Professor Heo Junyi of Princeton University, who won the Fields Medal, known as the 'Nobel Prize' of mathematics, last year, and to nurture mathematical talents.

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT (right) met with Heo Jun-yi, the 2022 Fields Medal winner and professor at Princeton University, at 2 p.m. on the 19th in Hongneung, Seoul, to offer encouragement. Professor Heo is the first Korean ever to receive the Fields Medal, known as the Nobel Prize of mathematics.

On this day, the Ministry of Science and ICT held an opening ceremony at the Surim Foundation in Hongneung, Seoul, attended by Professor Heo, Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT, KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung, KAIST Chairman Kim Myung-ja, and others. Professor Heo was the first Korean to receive the Fields Medal last year. This award is recognized worldwide for its prestige, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of mathematics. The government took this opportunity to promote the establishment of the Heo Junyi Mathematical Challenges Research Institute. The plan is to solidify South Korea's position as an advanced country in mathematics and to play a pivotal role in the development of mathematics and the training of future scholars.

The institute is an expansion and reorganization of the existing Mathematical Challenges Research Center at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS). Kim Young-hoon, former professor of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Seoul National University and Heo’s undergraduate and master's advisor, will serve as the director of the institute.

At the opening ceremony, Director Kim announced the institute’s vision and strategic plans, aiming to produce Fields Medal recipients within 20 years. The institute will support researchers through the Heo Junyi Fellowship and expand their autonomy, while promoting interdisciplinary collaborative research and creating a conducive research environment. Additionally, to nurture future talents, the institute will engage in mentoring mathematically gifted students, supporting young mathematicians, and strengthening the foundation for cultivating mathematical talents. The institute will also enhance its international stature by attracting outstanding researchers from abroad and establishing a network of Fields Medal recipients.

During the ceremony, appointment certificates were awarded to young mathematicians selected for the Heo Junyi Fellowship, which will be implemented starting this year. The Heo Junyi Fellowship is modeled after the Clay Mathematics Institute Fellowship in the United States. It is a system that provides support for up to 10 years, allowing researchers to conduct their work freely with a long-term perspective, regardless of their affiliated institutions domestically or internationally. It offers 120 million KRW annually for 10 years (5+5 years) to young mathematicians under the age of 39.

Also, Professor Heo gave a special lecture titled “Sameness and Difference,” reflecting on his experience one year after receiving the Fields Medal.

Minister Lee Jong-ho said in his congratulatory remarks, “The Heo Junyi Mathematical Challenges Research Institute is a cradle of new challenges and innovations for the second growth of South Korea’s mathematics community and a symbolic space for future mathematicians. We will spare no support to ensure that scientific and technological talents, including young mathematicians, can grow without restraint.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.