Louis Nirenberg and John Nash have been awarded the 2015 Abel Prize "for striking and seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations and its applications to geometric analysis." The award -- widely considered the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in Mathematics -- will be presented by King Harald of Norway in Oslo on May 19, 2015.

The full Abel Prize citation discusses the importance of partial differential equations, and the huge impact Nirenberg and Nash have had on the field: "Their breakthroughs have developed into versatile and robust techniques, which have become essential tools for the study of nonlinear partial differential equations. Their impact can be felt in all branches of the theory, from fundamental existence results to the qualitative study of solutions, both in smooth and non-smooth settings." It continues with considerable detail about their specific mathematical contributions. For the citation and additional information, including biographical sketches, see the Abel Prize website.  The NYU Press Release is here.

A video interview with Professor Nirenberg's reflections on his mathematical life and career can be found on the Simons Foundation's Science Lives website. Other web resources include an interview with Allyn Jackson published in the 2002 Notices of the American Mathematical Society and the site associated with Professor Nirenberg's 2010 Chern Medal.

With this award, the Courant faculty now boasts four Abel Laureates; the other three are Peter Lax (2005), S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan (2007), and Mikhail Gromov (2009). No other university has so many Abel laureates.