Andrew Wiles is being recognized with the award for his 1994 work proving Fermat's Last Theorem
PRINCETON - Andrew Wiles, a mathematician and professor emeritus at Princeton University was awarded Norway's Abel Prize for his proof of Fermat's Last Theorem, the university announced Wednesday.
The Abel Prize, given out by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, is considered one of the top prizes in mathematics in the world.
Wiles is being recognized for his work in 1994 proving Fermat's Last Theorem, one of the oldest unsolved problems in the history of mathematics, according to the Abel Prize's website. It was first brought forth by a French mathematician in 1637, according to Princeton University.
The professor - and former chair of Princeton University's mathematics department - told the Academy of Science and Letters that he had discovered the theorem when he was only 10 years old and ever since, he had been determined to solve it, the Abel website said.
Wiles graduated from Oxford University and received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University before he took a job at Princeton in 1982. He was made professor emeritus in 2012 and went on to become the Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford University, according to the Princeton University Website.
He has also received the Shaw Prize and was knighted by the Queen of England.
The academy will hold a ceremony and award Wiles the honor in Oslo, Norway in May.
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