MacTutor
The Fejes Tóth László Prize and Medal
The Fejes Tóth László Prize and Medal is awarded by the Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics, a research centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences dedicated to advancing mathematics in both theoretical and applied fields. László Fejes Tóth was the Institute's second director, who served in this role for 13 years from 1970 to 1983. The medal celebrates outstanding achievements in geometry and related disciplines, honouring the legacy of László Fejes Tóth, a pioneer in discrete and computational geometry. The prize and medal was established in 2023 and is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of geometry (interpreted in the broadest sense) on an international scale.
The Fejes Tóth László Prize and Medal has been awarded to:
2023: László Lovász
The first lecturer and recipient of the medal was László Lovász, Abel Prize and Wolf Prize Laureate, a member of Rényi Institute. László Lovász gave the Inaugural László Fejes Tóth lecture on 4 September 2023 on Graphs, polytopes and spectra.
2024: Endre Szemerédi
In recognition of his ground-breaking achievements in discrete geometry and additive number theory, the HUN-REN Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics awarded Endre Szemerédi the 2024 László Fejes Tóth Prize, along with its commemorative medal. Professor Szemerédi received the honour on 4 November in the Great Hall of the Institute. He is the second recipient of the prize; the first was László Lovász in 2023.
Endre Szemerédi holds the Sankt Stephans Orden, the highest state honour in Hungary. He is a recipient of the Abel, Steele, Schock, and Széchenyi Prizes, and serves as a professor, a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and Professor Emeritus of the HUN-REN Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics. Szemerédi established his international prominence during the 1970s and 1980s with his ground-breaking work on arithmetic progressions, combinatorics, geometry, and algorithm theory.
In 2012, he was awarded the Abel Prize "for his seminal contributions to discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science, which have significantly advanced additive number theory and ergodic theory." Discrete mathematics, the study of finite structures such as graphs, sequences, and geometric configurations, has been greatly influenced by his work, especially in the realm of computer science, where he was among the first to recognise its importance.
2025: Maryna Viazovska
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) mathematician Maryna Viazovska has been honoured with the Fejes Tóth László Prize and Medal by the Rényi Institute of Mathematics. The award recognises her ground-breaking contributions to discrete geometry and number theory, reinforcing her position as one of the leading mathematicians of our time.
Professor Viazovska heads the Chair of Number Theory at EPFL and is widely known for her solution to the sphere-packing problem in eight dimensions - a milestone in mathematics that had remained unsolved for centuries. This achievement earned her the Fields Medal in 2022, making her only the second woman in history to receive this highest honour in mathematics. Her work has reshaped the field, providing deep insights into high-dimensional spaces and influencing areas such as coding theory, optimisation, and mathematical physics.
At EPFL, Viazovska's team pushes the boundaries of number theory and discrete geometry, tackling fundamental questions with profound theoretical and practical implications.