NEW: Canadian Mathematical Society Congratulates Dr. Jacob Tsimerman on Receiving a 2026 Fields Medal
OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) proudly celebrates the awarding of one of four 2026 Fields Medals to Dr. Jacob Tsimerman, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Toronto. Widely regarded as the highest distinction in mathematics, the Fields Medal honours extraordinary mathematical achievement and exceptional promise for future discoveries. The award recognizes the extraordinary depth, originality and influence of Dr. Tsimerman’s research and represents a landmark achievement for the mathematical community in Canada.
Dr. Tsimerman’s accomplishment marks a milestone for mathematics in Canada. He is the first Canadian-educated mathematician to receive the Fields Medal while holding a faculty appointment at a Canadian university, underscoring Canada’s growing prominence as a global centre for mathematical research and excellence.
Born in 1988, Dr. Tsimerman studied mathematics at the University of Toronto before earning his doctorate from Princeton University in 2011 under the supervision of Professor Peter Sarnak. He subsequently held a Junior Fellowship in Harvard University’s Society of Fellows. He joined the University of Toronto faculty in 2014 and is now a full professor in its Department of Mathematics. Dr. Tsimerman’s research brings together transcendence theory, analytic number theory and arithmetic geometry. He is especially known for important work towards resolving the André-Oort and Griffiths conjectures—deep, long-standing problems concerning the interaction between arithmetic and geometric structures. His work has introduced powerful new techniques in functional transcendence and O-minimal geometry and has opened important new directions in modern number theory, which has garnered Dr. Tsimerman extensive national and international recognition. In 2019, the CMS awarded him the Coxeter-James Prize for exceptional contributions to mathematical research, and he has also received the 2022 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize, the 2023 Ostrowski Prize and the 2024 John L. Synge Award. In 2025, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Tsimerman’s superb mathematical talent was clear to me soon after he arrived in Princeton as a graduate student. It proved productive to challenge him directly with some well known problems that had resisted progress. Since then and in joint works with different authors, he has resolved a series of long-standing central problems in Diophantine Analysis and in Algebraic Geometry. He works very well collaboratively and is generous with his ideas. He is a problem-solver and also a theory builder of the very highest calibre. – Dr. Peter Sarnak, Princeton University
Dr. Tsimerman’s relationship with the CMS is both enduring and exceptional. After earning gold medals for Canada at the 2003 and 2004 International Mathematical Olympiads, he went on to support the Society’s mathematical competition programs over a 15-year period. He served on the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad Subcommittee from 2005 to 2008, and was IMO Team Leader for Canada in 2011–2012 and 2014–2015, as well as Past Team Leader thereafter. From 2015 to 2019, he chaired the CMS IMO Committee, and continued his leadership as IMO Co-Chair through October 2020. Dr. Tsimerman’s progression from Math Team Canada competitor to mentor and national program leader exemplifies his sustained commitment to developing the next generation of Canadian mathematical talent.
From an exceptional young competitor representing Canada on the international stage to a mentor and internationally-recognized research leader, Dr. Tsimerman’s career reflects the power of mathematical curiosity and the importance of investing in future generations. The CMS warmly congratulates him on this outstanding and historical achievement.
About the Fields Medal
First presented in 1936, the Fields Medal is awarded every four years by the International Mathematical Union at the International Congress of Mathematicians. It recognizes outstanding mathematical achievement and the potential for future contributions. Candidates must be under the age of 40 at the beginning of the year in which the medal is awarded. The medal was established through the vision and legacy of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, and its funding originated from a trust established at the University of Toronto. The 2026 medals are being presented during ICM 2026 in Philadelphia.
About the Canadian Mathematical Society
The Canadian Mathematical Society is Canada’s national organization for advancing mathematical discovery, learning and applications. Through research publications, scientific meetings, competitions, outreach programs, grants, prizes and educational initiatives, the CMS supports mathematical excellence and strengthens the mathematical community across Canada. The CMS is a registered non-profit charitable organization whose work is made possible through grants, sponsors, donors, partners and members of the community.
For more information, please contact:
| Dr. Javad Mashreghi (Université Laval) President Canadian Mathematical Society president@cms.math.ca | or | Dr. Termeh Kousha Chief Executive Officer Canadian Mathematical Society ceo@cms.math.ca |
