Vietnamese mathematician Ngo Bao Chau, who won the maths world's version of a Nobel Prize, the Fields Medal, speaks to Tuoi Tre.
Now that you have the proof of a 30-year-old mathematical conundrum known as the Fundamental Lemma, what is your next job?
Science is infinite, and maths is not an exception. The Fundamental Lemma is just one mission accomplished, and I will continue a lot of work ahead…
Would your work and life change after you were awarded the Fields Medal?
It made no differences to me. I will go to work at the University of Chicago, but this plan has been announced before I was given the Fields Medal.
But my work will never be the same. The prize has given me fame to do more, helping me to fulfill my plans such as helping the Vietnamese youths to pursuit their career in maths and support the maths sector.
I also believe the prize will encourage Vietnamese talented youths to get to know maths in the near future.
So the prize will give you both glory and responsibility?
Yes it will. I think I should be more responsible for contributing to the maths in general and maths sector in Vietnam in particular. I will join my co-workers at the maths institutes and other universities to help boost the maths development.
What are your specific plans in Vietnam?
My top priority is to join the building of and managing the Institute for Advanced Maths Studies in Vietnam. The purposes are to establish student exchange programs and research groups and to attract more maths students.
On the other hand, I will continue my teaching for maths master training courses at the Hanoi Pedagogy University and my research at the Maths Institute.
Will you keep the Vietnamese nationality after being claimed the world’s top mathematician and moving to work in the US?
I will keep the Vietnamese nationality and I will always do. Earlier this year I became a naturalized French citizen, but I will always be a Vietnamese national no matter where I am.
Who would you give the glory of this prize to?
I want to give the glory to Vietnamese youths and I wish it would give them more strength to study, to desire, and to strive for victory, not only in their career of maths and other sciences but also in their lives. I wish Vietnam will win world prizes in other fields someday.
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