"Mathematics is full of challenges, just like the challenges that Chinese has brought to me, but they are all extremely wonderful." On July 25, the seventh session of the "Pujiang Science Master Forum" was held in Xianghui Hall of Fudan University, 2006 Philippines Andrei Okunkov, winner of the Erz Prize and foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, mentioned "the unparalleled beauty of mathematics" many times in his speech.
[See the beauty of mathematics in Picasso's paintings]
Picasso created "Acrobat Standing on the Ball" in 1950. A teenager is standing on a ball practicing martial arts, and a man is sitting on a cube stool.
In Okunkov's eyes, this painting is full of mathematical beauty. Not only does it contain mathematical elements such as circles and cubes, but the ball under the boy's feet also has continuous symmetry. As long as it is slightly rotated, it can move from one equilibrium state to another. state, which means there will be constant symmetry transformations. This is exactly the category of "representation theory" that Okunkov focuses on.
Representation theory is an important branch of mathematics whose origins can be traced back to the 19th century. Today, the influence of representation theory goes far beyond mathematics itself. It has extensive applications in physics and chemistry, and especially plays a key role in quantum mechanics.
Okunkov accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from Liberation Daily and Shangguan News. Photographed by Huang Haihua
[Switched from majoring in economics to mathematics]
Okunkov was born in Moscow, Russia. He majored in economics in college and later switched to mathematics.
"I still like economics, but I found that mathematics is widely used in economics, and I can think more deeply in mathematics, so I turned to mathematics research." Okunkov said.
Okunkov's work is difficult to categorize because it bridges so many different areas of mathematics. His greatest talent, his collaborators say, is his ability to find connections between different studies.
"I will be 55 years old tomorrow (July 26). Although I am no longer young, I feel that my creativity has not changed much compared to before." Okunkov said, with the study of mathematics The problems became more and more complex, and his thinking expanded in depth, but one thing never changed, and that was the enjoyment of learning and thinking.
How does the work of mathematicians contribute to the development of artificial intelligence? In his view, artificial intelligence needs to be made more reliable and controllable. For example, artificial intelligence can predict whether it will rain tomorrow, but it cannot be accurate to a few minutes and seconds. This can be solved through mathematical measurement and calculation. He suggested that young people should not neglect classic subject knowledge while learning cutting-edge knowledge.
["Hot Family Man"]
Okunkov's schedule is relatively regular. After getting up at 5 or 6 o'clock every morning, he focuses on studying mathematics in the morning and attends mathematics seminars in the afternoon. "I will go no later than 19 o'clock at the latest. Walking or swimming, at least you won’t be dealing with math,” he said with a smile. Although his subconscious may still be thinking about math when he is relaxing, after experiencing high-intensity and consciously studying math during the day, it is very necessary to do it at night. Do something different.
In addition to mountain climbing, Okunkov is passionate about learning various languages. At the moment, he is working hard to learn Chinese. "Continuous learning is an important proposition in my life. Learning Chinese will undoubtedly open the door to a treasure house of knowledge and culture."
Okunkov is a "homely man", even in While he was busy defending his doctoral thesis, he was still taking care of his young children. There was no washing machine at home at that time, so he made his own diapers, washed them, baked them on the stove, and then folded them neatly. "It seems a bit funny, and I am a bit busy, but I really enjoy it. Because I can not only do the mathematical research I love, but also pour love into my family."
In his view, mathematics can solve life questions and understand the universe in a profound way. The world is so complex, and there are still many mathematical problems that need to be solved. "Maybe it will take a lifetime to solve a mathematical problem, maybe it will be solved next year, who knows?"
Wu Xinbao, vice chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the forum and expressed his gratitude to Okunkov. A commemorative certificate is awarded.
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