Dirac Medallist Yakov Sinai awarded the 2014 Abel Prize

Mathematician Yakov Sinai (Princeton University, USA, and Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences) is the recipient of the 2014 Abel Prize. The prize recognizes his "fundamental contributions to dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics".

Considered one of the most influential mathematicians of our times, Sinai has received numerous awards and recognitions, among them the 1992 Dirac Medal from ICTP, given for his outstanding contribution to Theoretical Physics and Mathematics through the development of ergodic theory and its applications to dynamical systems.

Sinai has been a frequent visitor to ICTP and has been a director of many dynamical systems workshops and activities held at ICTP. Stefano Luzzatto, research scientist in ICTP's Mathematics section, whose research interests include dynamical systems and ergodic theory, says that the Abel Prize to Sinai is absolutely well-deserved and Sinai has indeed been a "major architect of the most bridges connecting the world of deterministic (dynamical) systems with the world of probabilistic (stochastic) systems."  "I have had the pleasure of meeting him several times and he is an extremely gentle and unassuming person, very willing to engage in mathematical discussions and, as far as I have seen, a wonderful and inspiring supervisor to a large number of students throughout all these years," says Luzzatto.

More details about the Abel Prize and Sinai's biography are available on the Abel Prize webpage. Italian versions of the citation and biography are also available.