Professor James G. Arthur Winner of Wolf Prize in Science

Professor James G. Arthur Winner of Wolf Prize in Science - 2015
Our congratulations to Professor James Arthur, University Professor and Ted Mossman Chair,
for being awarded the 2015 Wolf Prize in Science.
The prize is given in six disciplines: agriculture, chemistry, math, medicine, physics and arts
(architecture, music, painting and sculpture). The Wolf Prizes in Physics and Chemistry are often
considered the most prestigious awards in those fields after the Nobel Prize. In Medicine, it is
considered just below the Nobel Prize and the Lasker Award.
In Math, before the creation of the Abel Prize, it was considered the equivalent of a Nobel Prize.
Since its inception in 1978, a total of 7 Canadians have won the prize in some field (including
Polanyi in Chemistry in 1982). I think Polanyi is the only previous U of T winner.
It is only the second time that any Canadian has won it (in Mathematics). The first Canadian (Robert
Langlands) never held a faculty position in Canada and has been at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton for almost all his career. So Jim is the first Canadian to win it who did his work in
Canada.
The Department applauds Jim for his achievements and leadership in research and training. This
kind of international award is a wonderful testament, not only to the efforts of a particular
researcher, but to the high standards of the Department of Mathematics as a whole.
The citation and complete announcement has been posted on the Wolf Foundation website:
http://www.wolffund.org.il/index.php?dir=site&page=winners&cs=807
Hearty congratulations to Professor Arthur on this tremendous achievement!