/ Medals and awards

Sylvester Medal

This medal is awarded for mathematical research.

  • Opening date

  • Closing date

  • Winners announcement

The award

The Sylvester Medal is awarded annually for outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics. The award was created in memory of the mathematician James Joseph Sylvester FRS (PDF), who was Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford in the 1880s. It was first awarded in 1901. The medal is of bronze, is now awarded annually and is accompanied by a gift of £2,000. 

Eligibility

The Sylvester medal is open to UK/Commonwealth/Republic of Ireland citizens or those who have been residents for three or more years. There are no restrictions on career stage and nominations will remain valid and shall be considered by the award selection committee throughout three nomination cycles. Teams or groups may now be nominated for this award.

Nominations are closed

Nominations will reopen in November 2024.

2024 winner

  • Professor Philip Maini FRS

    Professor Philip Maini FRS

    The Sylvester Medal 2024 is awarded to Professor Philip Maini FRS for his contributions to mathematical biology, especially the interdisciplinary modelling of biomedical phenomena and systems. Professor Maini would like to thank Professor James D Murray FRS and Professor Timothy J Pedley FRS for their contributions to this work.

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    Past winners

    • Miles Reid
      Awarded in 2023

      Professor Miles Reid FRS

      For his exceptionally creative research and fundamental insights into higher-dimensional algebraic geometry, in particular the minimal model program for 3-folds, and for untiring work for the community of algebraic geometers.
    • Professor D.R. Heath-Brown FRS
      Awarded in 2022

      Professor D.R. Heath-Brown FRS

      For his many important contributions to the study of prime numbers and solutions to equations in integers.
    • Frances Kirwan
      Awarded in 2021

      Professor Frances Kirwan DBE FRS

      For her research on quotients in algebraic geometry, including links with symplectic geometry and topology, which has had many applications.
    • Bryan Birch
      Awarded in 2020

      Professor Bryan Birch FRS

      His work has played a major role in driving the theory of elliptic curves, through the Birch-Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture and the theory of Heegner points.
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      Awarded in 2019

      Professor Peter Sarnak FRS

      For transformational contributions across number theory, combinatorics, analysis and geometry.
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      Awarded in 2018

      Dusa McDuff

      For leading the development of the new field of symplectic geometry and topology. Her outstanding work includes many fundamental theorems and she has been inspirational for generations of mathematicians.
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      Awarded in 2016

      Timothy Gowers

      For his groundbreaking results in the theory of Banach spaces, pure combinatorics, and additive number theory.
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      Awarded in 2014

      Ben Green

      For his famous result on primes in arithmetic progression, and his subsequent proofs of a number of spectacular theorems over the last five to ten years.
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      Awarded in 2012

      John Toland

      For his original theorems and remarkable discoveries in nonlinear partial differential equations, including applications to water waves.
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      Awarded in 2010

      Graeme Segal

      For his highly influential and elegant work on the development of topology, geometry and quantum field theory, bridging the gap between physics and pure mathematics.
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      Awarded in 2009

      John Ball

      For his seminal work in mechanics and nonlinear analysis and his encouragement of mathematical research in developing countries.
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      Awarded in 2006

      Peter Swinnerton-Dyer

      For his fundamental work in arithmetic geometry and his many contributions to the theory of ordinary differential equations.