Vincent Lafforgue
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Institut Fourier, Université Grenoble-Alpes
2019 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics
For ground breaking contributions to several areas of mathematics, in particular to the Langlands program in the function field case.
Comments
I thank my parents. I thank my teachers and colleagues, and in particular Jean-Benoit Bost and Alain Genestier. The work for which I receive this prize would never have existed without them. I thank the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, my employer in France. The CNRS gave me a permanent position and a great freedom, which allowed me to study the Langlands program, far from my mathematical starting-point. I wish all researchers could work in such ideal conditions. Unfortunately, many young researchers have precarious employment and it is more difficult for them to develop long term. projects. Many of them give up their research due to lack of employment, even though research is more necessary than ever for our society. It is even vitally needed because of the ecological crisis. And research takes time, while time is running out for our planet.
