Four gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad established Reid Barton as a prominent figure in competitive mathematics. Born in Arlington in 1983, he navigated an academic path that integrated elite computational programming with advanced theoretical research, eventually securing a doctorate in mathematics from Harvard University in 2019 under the supervision of Michael J. Hopkins.
Early Development and Programming Initiatives
Barton began academic studies early, taking classes in chemistry and physics at Tufts University during primary school. By the eighth grade, he collaborated with MIT scientist Charles E. Leiserson on the CilkChess project. His technical training extended to employment at Akamai Technologies, where he worked with Ramesh Sitaraman to build video performance measurement systems that transitioned into industry standards.
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Barton holds the distinction of being the first student to secure four gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad. In 2001, he achieved a perfect score in Washington, D.C., sharing the top rank with Gabriel Carroll, Xiao Liang, and Zhang Zhiqiang. His performance in the International Olympiad in Informatics was similarly notable, where he secured two gold medals and established a record margin of victory in 2001. Additionally, he participated in the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest as part of the MIT team, which achieved second and fifth place finishes.
Collegiate Achievement and Research
During his undergraduate years, Barton was named a Putnam Fellow four times between 2001 and 2004, ranking among the top five competitors in the William Lowell Putnam Competition. He contributed to MIT winning the team title in both 2003 and 2004. Upon completing his Ph.D., he conducted post-doctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include formalizing mathematics using the Lean software. In 2021, he joined the committee for the International Mathematical Olympiad Grand Challenge.
Academic Recognition
The American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America awarded Barton the Morgan Prize in 2004. This recognition followed his academic contributions to the study of packing densities. Beyond his research, he has served as an instructor for the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program, assisting high school students in preparing for international academic competitions.
Fast facts
- Born: 1983, Arlington
- Undergraduate Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Doctoral Institution: Harvard University
- Major Award: Morgan Prize (2004)
- IMO Gold Medals: 4
- Putnam Fellow: 4 times (2001–2004)
Questions readers ask
What is Reid Barton's current area of research?
He works on the formalization of mathematics using the Lean software.
Did he participate in programming competitions after his undergraduate studies?
Yes, he teamed with Tomek Czajka and John Dethridge to win the internet problem solving contest in 2015.
Achievements
- First person to win four IMO gold medals (1998-2001)
- Achieved a perfect Olympiad score
- Four-time Putnam Fellow
- Champion in international programming competition
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