WANG Guozhen, 40, chair professor at the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences, has recently been awarded the Shiing Shen Chern Mathematics Award for his outstanding achievements in homotopy theory within topology.
The Shiing Shen Chern Mathematics Award, one of the three mathematics awards of the Chinese Mathematical Society, recognizes exceptional young and middle-aged mathematicians. Previous Fudan mathematics faculty recipients include XIN Yuanlong, HONG Jiaxing, SHEN Weixiao, FU Jixiang, and LEI Zhen.
“I deeply admire Professor Chern. Many fundamental concepts we use today were first introduced by him,” Wang reflected.
In 2022, due to his work on stable homotopy groups of spheres, Wang and his collaborators were invited to deliver a 45-minute address at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), the world’s largest and most influential gathering in mathematics, often described as the Olympics of the mathematics community.
Computational Revolution in Topology
In 2004, Wang was admitted to Peking University’s School of Mathematical Sciences due to his outstanding performance at the Chinese Mathematics Olympiad. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees there before obtaining his Ph.D. degree from MIT in 2015.
After postdoctoral work at the University of Copenhagen (2015-2016) and the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences (2016-2018), which is located at Fudan’s Jiangwang Campus，he officially joined the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences as a research fellow in 2018 and was promoted to a chair professor in 2022.
Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences
“The academic atmosphere at the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences is exceptional. With minimal distractions from non-research matters, we have a purely dedicated research environment,” he noted.
Wang specializes in homotopy theory, a core branch of algebraic topology. He was drawn to topology’s unique “holistic perspective”—where breakthroughs depend not on local details but on global structure. During his Ph.D., he began tackling stable homotopy groups of spheres.
Since the mid-20th century, scholars had only computed up to the 59th stable homotopy group. Wang and his collaborators introduced the “motivic deformation method”, combining computer programming with abstract algebra to create unique problem-solving tools, achieving internationally leading progress.
His work addresses generalized versions of the famous Poincaré Conjecture, which was solved for three dimensions in 2002. “We want to explore higher dimensions”, Wang explains. While some researchers favor pure theoretical approaches, Wang’s team chose an “experimental” exploration—analyzing overall patterns through extensive specific calculations.
The award trophy won by WANG Guozhen and the commemorative photo
After years of struggling with C language programs that generated bugs, his team switched to F# language, which ran successfully. They eventually translated the program back to C for compatibility with high-performance servers, achieving what Wang calls a “tool revolution”. This breakthrough pushed calculations beyond the 60-dimensional barrier to the 90th dimension.
In late 2024, Wang and collaborators LIN Weinan and XU Zhouli solved the 126-dimensional Kervaire invariant problem, ending a decades-long mystery. They constructed an entirely new computational framework and database to achieve this, eliminating 105 possibilities.
Wisdom in Research and Mentorship
Wang’s office houses four computer monitors—each dedicated to different aspects of his research—and shelves filled with books covering various disciplines. He maintains a daily reading habit across diverse fields to stay inspired.
Commemoration for the Lecture at the Mathematical Journal Forum and the Outstanding Paper Prize
“Mathematical research is sparked by inspiration, which comes from talent and sometimes luck”, Wang believes that, in mathematical research, breadth of vision is essential: the richer one’s store of knowledge, the more likely fresh insights will surface. For years he has kept an intensive daily rhythm—papers in the morning, books at night; when tired, he turns to history or literature for a change of air.
WANG Guozhen giving a class to undergraduates
As a graduate supervisor to ten doctoral students, Wang values individual independence and creativity. When students become distressed after being stuck on a problem, he often turns to comfort them, “In mathematical research, failure is simply the norm.”
“The problems I wish to study are more than a lifetime’s work,” Wang smiled. Driven by an almost childlike curiosity, he will continue his exploration into the deeper mysteries of topology and homotopy theory with resolve and serenity.
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Writer: Edward Turdmat
Editor: WANG Mengqi, LI Yijie
