°28/02/1954 – † 22/12/12
Jean Bourgain was one of the greatest mathematicians of his generation, born and raised in Ostend. As the son of two socially engaged doctors, he only blossomed late in school, but his exceptional talent quickly became apparent. At the age of 23, he obtained his doctorate at the VUB, and soon after followed international appointments at top institutions such as IHÉS in France, the University of Illinois, and finally the prestigious Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton – the place where Albert Einstein once worked.
Bourgain focused on fields including number theory, functional analysis, and partial differential equations. His innovative work was recognized worldwide and awarded with virtually all major scientific prizes, including the renowned Fields Medal in 1994 and later the Breakthrough Prize, also known as the “Nobel Prize of Silicon Valley“.
© Oostende
