John Friedlander

Appointed a University Professor in 2002 Professor Friedlander is widely recognized as an international leader in one of the purest branches of mathematics – analytic number theory, and a leader in the theory of prime numbers and L-functions. The exploration of prime numbers is among the oldest endeavours in pure and abstract knowledge and new insights are generally achieved only after decades, or even centuries, of research.

Professor Friedlander's talents were recognized early and many of his earlier results are now tools of the trade for scientists working in this area. However, in a discipline in which it is commonly accepted that people do their best work while they are still young, one of the startling aspects of Professor Friedlander's career is that he grows deeper and more prolific with age. In work done with Henryk Iwaniec, he proved that infinitely many prime numbers can be obtained as the sum of a square and fourth power. This work reached a large audience through wide media coverage of the receipt of the leading international award in number theory, the Cole Prize in Number Theory, by Professor Iwaniec. Professor Friedlander's collaboration with, and contribution to, the work of Professor Iwaniec is recognized in the citation for the Cole Prize, which states that "In particular, the prize is awarded for his paper (with J. Friedlander)", and quotes other joint work with Professor Friedlander. Professor Friedlander has published over 90 research papers, many in the most prestigious mathematical journals, and he sustains an extremely busy schedule of lectures at conferences, workshops, colloquia and external seminars, including a lecture at the International Congress of Mathematics, one of the most distinguished accolades in international mathematics.

Professor Friedlander has been a member of the University of Toronto since 1977 and has served the University very well through a record of civic commitment that included the Chairmanship of the Department of Mathematics. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Physical Sciences in the University of Toronto at Scarborough and the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of Arts and Science. In addition, Professor Friedlander has had several visiting appointments at Princeton and Berkeley. He is a dedicated teacher of undergraduates and supervisor of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and has mentored young mathematicians of promise and accomplishments.