VietNamNet Bridge – The Paris-South XI University held an award ceremony to honour its Professor Ngo Bao Chau, who was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal this year.

Professor Ngo Bao Chau. (Photo: Vietnam+)
In his opening speech, the university's chairman Guy Couarraze, said Chau served as a valuable link in promoting French-Vietnamese co-operation in tertiary education and scientific study, manifested through a co-operation project between Paris XI University and the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology.

The university chairman highlighted Chau's passion for scientific research and his love of Viet Nam – where he was born.

Minister of Education and Research Valeria Pecresse affirmed Chau's Fields Medal was a noble award for Viet Nam and an honour for France's mathematical studies, especially the Paris XI University.

She expressed her pleasure with Chau's decision to create a scientific research bridge between Asia, Europe and America, affirming that Chau's talent was recognised through his professorship in Viet Nam, France and the US.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Le Kinh Tai said the country would create all possible conditions for Prof Chau to make further contributions to the development of Vietnamese mathematical research.

About 6,000 Vietnamese students and researchers are studying in France, he added.

Prof Chau said his time spent studying and researching at the university marked a milestone in his scientific career and he shared his belief that the institution would continue fostering more talented mathematicians.

Chau was awarded the 2010 Fields Medal for his proof of the fundamental lemma in the theory of automorphic forms, by introducing new algebrogeometric methods, at the 26th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in India in August.

Chau, born in 1972 in Ha Noi, studied at the Paris VI University and then completed his PhD Degree at the Paris XI University under the supervision of Gerard Laumon.

He took up a new appointment at the University of Chicago in September.

Along with Laumon, Chau was awarded the Clay research award in 2004 and in 2007, he was awarded the Sophie Germain prize and the Oberwolfach prize.

In 2009, his evidence proving the Langland's fundamental lemma was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most outstanding scientific discoveries of the year.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News