Bao Chau Ngo

Frances and Rose Yuen Distinguished Serivce Professor of Mathematics. Proved a long-standing conjecture in mathematics known as the fundamental lemma for automorphic forms. In so doing, cleared the way for further progress in the theory of automorphic forms and in number theory as well, through the intermediary of Shimura varieties and their associated Galois representations. More specifically, the fundamental lemma is needed both to analyze the structure of packets of automorphic representations and to construct Galois representations associated to those packets. The importance of his work is by no means limited to the application just mentioned. Revealed hidden geometric structures standing behind the Arthur-Selberg trace formula, and these have changed the way that mathematicians view that part of the theory of automorphic forms. His ideas are already transforming current research in this area, a process that is sure to continue and even accelerate as the younger generation comes to grips with his papers. Fields Medal winner in 2010.