Dennis Gaitsgory Receives 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics

Congratulations to former Harvard math professor Dennis Gaitsgory, currently of the Max Planck Institute for Mathematic, for receiving the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics!

Gaitsgory won the prize for his central role in the proof of the geometric Langlands conjecture, a broad research program spanning several fields of mathematics that grew out of a series of conjectures proposing precise connections between seemingly disparate mathematical concepts. It has been described as the “grand unified theory of mathematics.” Gaitsgory dedicated most of the past 30 years to the geometric Langlands conjecture. In 2024, working alongside 8 colleagues, he published the full proof comprising over 800 pages spread over 5 papers. According to the Breakthrough Prize announcement, this is “a monumental advance, expected to have deep implications in other areas of mathematics, too, including number theory, algebraic geometry, and mathematical physics.”

Popularly known as the “Oscars® of Science,” the Breakthrough Prize was created to celebrate the wonders of our scientific age. This year’s list of winners honors scientists driving remarkable discoveries in gene editing, human diseases, the fundamental particles of the Universe, and its underlying mathematical principles.