Four gold medals and one bronze medal awarded at the International Mathematical Olympiad between 1999 and 2003 established Christian Reiher as one of the most successful participants in the history of the competition. Born in Starnberg in 1984, the German mathematician maintains an active career in academia while focusing on problems in combinatorial theory.
Mathematical Olympiad Success
Reiher gained early recognition for his performance in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Over a five-year period starting in 1999, he consistently placed at the top of the field. His haul of four gold medals between 2000 and 2003, combined with his earlier bronze, secures his position among the most decorated participants in the history of the event.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Academic Training and Early Results
Following his secondary education, Reiher completed his Abitur and immediately addressed significant problems in additive combinatorics. He successfully proved Kemnitz's conjecture, a long-standing problem in the theory of zero-sums, which was later published in The Ramanujan Journal in 2007. He subsequently pursued formal higher education at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, where he earned his Diplom.
Doctoral Research and Professional Appointments
In February 2010, Reiher attained his Dr. rer. nat. degree from the University of Rostock. His doctoral dissertation, supervised by Hans-Dietrich Gronau, provided a proof demonstrating that every prime number possesses property B. Following his doctoral studies, he transitioned to the University of Hamburg, where he continues his work in mathematics.
Awards and Recognition
The international mathematical community acknowledged his contributions in 2017 when he was awarded the European Prize in Combinatorics. This recognition reflects his ongoing work in applied mathematics and his specific focus on the intersection of number theory and combinatorial structures.
Fast facts
- Born: 1984, Starnberg, Germany
- Education: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; University of Rostock
- Current Employer: University of Hamburg
- Notable Achievement: Proved Kemnitz's conjecture
- Awards: European Prize in Combinatorics (2017)
- Olympiad Medals: Four gold, one bronze (1999-2003)
Questions readers ask
What is Christian Reiher's most significant early proof?
He is recognized for proving Kemnitz's conjecture, which concerns lattice points in the plane and zero-sum theory.
Where did he earn his doctorate?
He received his Dr. rer. nat. from the University of Rostock in 2010 under the supervision of Hans-Dietrich Gronau.
Achievements
- European Prize in Combinatorics — 2017
- Held posts at University of Hamburg
- Fields: mathematics
.jpg)