Vietnam’s legendary maths genius Ngo Bao Chau to join University of Hong Kong

Mathematician Ngo Bao Chau, who made history in 2010 as the first Vietnamese recipient of the prestigious Fields Medal, will join the science faculty at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as a chair professor in June.Ngo, 53, currently distinguished service professor and chair of the University of Chicago’s mathematics department, is a pre-eminent figure in Vietnamese mathematics. HKU announced his new appointment last Thursday.Born in Hanoi in 1972, Ngo showed early brilliance, winning gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad in 1988 and 1989, before going on to become the youngest full professor in Vietnamese history.Ngo earned his PhD from Paris-Sud University in 1997 and held positions at a number of prestigious institutions, including the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.He has also served as scientific director of the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics.In 2009, Ngo earned global acclaim for his groundbreaking proof of the Langlands Programme, a grand unified theory of mathematics proposed in 1967 and described as “one of mathematics’ most ambitious theoretical frameworks,” according to the HKU website.08:30Why are more Chinese scientists leaving the US to return to China?Why are more Chinese scientists leaving the US to return to China?