Stony Brook University has announced that Professor John Pardon has been named a co-recipient of the New Horizons in Mathematics Prize. This award recognizes early-career researchers who have made significant contributions to their fields and includes a monetary award of $100,000.
Professor Pardon was honored for his research in geometry and topology, with a focus on symplectic geometry and pseudo-holomorphic curves, which are smooth surfaces within manifolds. His work spans various areas and has produced effective algebraic tools for computing symplectic invariants, leading to numerous applications.
The Breakthrough Prize, sometimes called the "Oscars of Science," celebrates notable contributions to science. It was founded by Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Julia and Yuri Milner, and Anne Wojcicki. The prize recognizes impactful discoveries in diverse scientific fields.
According to Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost, "That John has received this honor so early in his career is a testament of course to his own commitment to unraveling some of the mysteries of geometry and to the incredible research that is going on at the Simons Center and in the math department in the College of Arts and Sciences." Lejuez praised Pardon's work, noting its reflection on the stature of Stony Brook University. "John is an exemplary of what makes Stony Brook the state’s top public university and a flagship. I sincerely congratulate him on his Breakthrough Prize."
Luis Alvarez-Gaume, director of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, commented on Pardon's achievements, saying, "John Pardon has produced a broad spectrum of outstanding results in various areas of geometry and topology including as an undergraduate and PhD student." Alvarez-Gaume highlighted Pardon's significant recent work, noting his successful proof of a conjecture related to complex three-dimensional manifolds, including Calabi–Yau threefolds.
Stony Brook University is recognized as New York's flagship public university, part of the State University of New York system. It is known for its research initiatives and academic programs across scientific disciplines, with a mission to deliver high-quality education and foster economic growth and innovation. The university holds a prominent position in the nation's academic landscape, underscored by its membership in the Association of American Universities.