The Fields Medal is often referred to as the mathematical equivalent of the Nobel Prize, but it is granted only every four years and is given, by tradition, to mathematicians under the age of 40, rather than to more senior scholars.

The Fields Medal originated from surplus funds raised by John Charles Fields (1863-1932), a professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto, as organizer and president of the 1924 International Congress of Mathematicians in Toronto. The Committee of the International Congress had $2,700 left after printing the conference proceedings and voted to set aside $2,500 for the establishment of two medals to be awarded at later congresses.

Following an endowment from Fields's estate, the proposed awards-contrary to his explicit request-became known as the Fields Medals. The first two Fields Medals were awarded in 1936. An anonymous donation allowed the number of prize medals to increase starting in 1966. Medalists also receive a small (currently $1,500) cash award.

To read the complete article, see:
Fields Medal mathematics award(https://www.britannica.com/science/Fields-Medal)

To read some fascinating stories about the 2022 winners, see:
In Times of Scarcity, War and Peace, a Ukrainian Finds the Magic in Math(https://www.quantamagazine.org/ukrainian-mathematician-maryna-viazovska-wins-fields-medal-20220705/)
He Dropped Out to Become a Poet. Now He's Won a Fields Medal.(https://www.quantamagazine.org/june-huh-high-school-dropout-wins-the-fields-medal-20220705/)
For His Sporting Approach to Math, a Fields Medal(https://www.quantamagazine.org/hugo-duminil-copin-wins-the-fields-medal-20220705/)
A Solver of the Hardest Easy Problems About Prime Numbers(https://www.quantamagazine.org/number-theorist-james-maynard-wins-the-fields-medal-20220705/)

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
RUSSIAN WINNER SNUBS FIELDS MEDAL(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n35a10.html)
QUIZ ANSWER: FIELDS MEDAL DESIGNER R. TAIT MCKENZIE(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n35a21.html)
STANFORD PROFESSOR AWARDED FIELDS MEDAL(https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n34a16.html)