A perfect score and gold medal at the 1995 International Mathematical Olympiad marked the emergence of Ovidiu Savin, a Romanian mathematician currently active in the field of partial differential equations. He has developed his research career through academic appointments and recognition for his investigations into complex geometric and analytical conjectures, contributing to the mathematical understanding of semilinear and infinity-Laplacian equations.
Academic Background
Savin began his formal studies as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, where he achieved recognition as a William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition fellow in 1997. He later advanced his education at the University of Texas at Austin, completing his Ph.D. in mathematics in 2003 under the supervision of Luis Caffarelli. This training established the basis for his subsequent research into regularity questions and global solutions.
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The core of Savin's research concerns partial differential equations, specifically addressing Ennio De Giorgi's conjecture regarding global solutions to semilinear equations. He successfully proved this conjecture for dimensions up to eight, a finding that remains a notable benchmark in the study of equation solutions. Additionally, he has produced findings on the boundary regularity of the Monge-Ampère equation and demonstrated gradient continuity for the infinity-Laplacian equation within two dimensions.
Career and Professional Recognition
Currently a professor of mathematics at Columbia University, Savin has been recognized by the mathematical community through various invitations and awards. He served as an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2006. In 2012, his body of work in the field of calculus of variations and related areas was further honored with the awarding of the Stampacchia Medal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1977
- Citizenship: Romania
- Undergraduate Education: University of Pittsburgh
- Doctoral Institution: University of Texas at Austin
- Current Employer: Columbia University
- 1995 Achievement: Gold medal and perfect score at the International Mathematical Olympiad
- 1997 Achievement: William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition fellow
- Award: Stampacchia Medal (2012)
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Savin's research?
His work centers on partial differential equations, specifically regularity questions and global solutions to semilinear, Monge-Ampère, and infinity-Laplacian equations.
Where does Savin teach?
He is currently a professor of mathematics at Columbia University.
Achievements
- Stampacchia Medal
- Held posts at Columbia University
- Fields: mathematics
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