Leuven mathematician Stefaan Vaes wins “Belgian Nobel prize”

Mathematician Stefaan Vaes of the University of Leuven has won the prestigious Francqui Prize, referred to as the Belgian Nobel prize. The 39-year old scientist was rewarded for his research on the Von Neumann algebras, mathematical structures that originated out of quantum mechanics.

According to the jury, which included two Nobel prize winners, Vaes (pictured) has improved on all existing techniques in his research area and inspired an entire generation of young mathematicians across the world. The jury also praised Vaes for making maths more popular among the public and giving youngsters a better insight into its applications such as the search algorithms behind Google.

“The current research in maths is often very abstract, and the applications often follow decades after the research results,” Vaes said on hearing the news of his award. “Such research is driven by the curiosity to discover and understand new mathematical structures. With this prize, I hope to put the spotlight on mathematics and demonstrate how fascinating certain problems from algebra or geometry can be.”

The Francqui Prize, established in 1932, follows a three-year rotation of subjects: exact sciences, social sciences and biological or medical sciences. The prize is worth €250,000, and Vaes will receive it in an official ceremony on 9 June.