Atle Selberg

Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest analytic number theorists, Norwegian mathematician Atle Selberg was appointed Professor in the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study in 1951, transitioning to Professor Emeritus in 1987.

Throughout a career spanning more than six decades, Selberg made significant contributions to modular forms, Riemann and other zeta functions, analytic number theory, sieve methods, discrete groups, and trace formula. The impact of his work is evident from the many mathematical terms that bear his name: the Selberg Trace Formula, the Selberg Sieve, the Selberg Integral, the Selberg Class, the Rankin-Selberg L-Function, the Selberg Eigenvalue Conjecture, and the Selberg Zeta Function.

Fields Medalist, 1950