Don Zagier

Don Zagier is a distinguished mathematician holding positions as Scientific Member and former Director at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Bonn. He has been a Professor at the University of Bonn, University of Maryland, Kyushu University, University of Utrecht, and Collège de France. His work bridges number theory, algebraic geometry, topology, and mathematical physics. Born in 1951, he studied at MIT (1966–1968), earned a D.Phil. from Oxford (1971), and completed his habilitation at Bonn (1975). He has held roles in the Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) Theoretische Mathematik, served as ICTP Distinguished Staff Associate since 2014, and is an Honorary Member of the London Mathematical Society (2019).

Research interests include modular forms, zeta functions, quantum invariants, and algebraic geometry. Notable works include studies on the Birch-Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, polylogarithms, and the theory of Jacobi forms. His contributions span over 200 publications, including foundational texts like Zetafunktionen und quadratische Körper (1981) and co-edited volumes on modular forms.

His awards include the Carus Prize (1984), Frank Nelson Cole Prize (1987), and Karl Georg Christian von Staudt Prize (2001). Research trends in his articles focus on modular forms, knot theory, quantum topology, and the interplay between number theory and geometry. Grants and collaborations are extensive, though specifics remain unspecified. He leads research at the MPI and contributes to global mathematical communities through educational initiatives and editorial roles in journals like Communications in Number Theory and Physics.