On 18th April, Oxford Professor Sir John Ball delivered a special lecture titled “The Story of Perelman and the Poincaré Conjecture” at SCIE.
Mr Mathew Thomas, Head of the Mathematics Faculty, gave some inspiring introductory words, likening Mathematics to a walk in a forest where there are no obvious routes, but maybe multiple routes or even dead-ends; Mathematics is an exploration of the unknown. As an explorer of the unknown Mr Thomas was then able to introduce our honoured guest.
Professor Ball is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Oxford and a towering figure in the field of Mathematics.
Throughout his accomplished career, he has held numerous distinguished positions: he served as Vice-Chairman of the Mathematical Institute at Oxford, was a member of the Fields Medal Committee of the International Mathematical Union, and even went on to become the Chair of the Committee — a rare and prestigious honor.
In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the advancement of Mathematics, Professor Ball was also knighted in 2006.
During the talk, Professor Ball shared not only the mathematical significance of the Poincaré Conjecture — a century-old problem that baffled mathematicians — but also the human story behind its solution.
For the benefit of the audience, Professor Ball provided context on the nature of the Poincaré Conjecture itself. Proposed in 1904 by the French mathematician Henri Poincaré, the conjecture concerns the topology of three-dimensional spaces. In essence, it asks:
Is every simply connected, closed three-dimensional manifold topologically equivalent to a three-dimensional sphere?
Although this sounds simple, it was an extremely difficult problem. The conjecture was finally solved by the Russian Mathematician Grigori Perelman in the early 2000s, using a technique called Ricci flow with topological surgery, originally introduced by Richard Hamilton.
Perelman’s proof not only resolved one of the most famous open problems in mathematics but also earned him an offer of the Fields Medal and the Millennium Prize (worth $1,000,000), both of which he declined, a gesture that left a profound impression on the entire mathematical community.
Professor Ball recounted his remarkable journey to St. Petersburg, where he personally sought out the brilliant but elusive mathematician Grigori Perelman.
Despite the global acclaim and the offer of the Fields Medal — the highest honor in mathematics — Perelman remained steadfast in his decision when Professor Ball visited him.
Professor Ball’s lecture provided a rare and inspiring glimpse into the human side of mathematical discovery — a narrative where personal integrity, intellectual brilliance, and historical milestones intertwine.
Hands immediately shot into the air and many students asked insightful and thought-provoking questions, reflecting that they had been listening in rapt attention, and each of these drew a fascinating response from the professor.
We are deeply grateful to Professor Ball for sharing his insights and experiences, making this a truly memorable occasion for every eager young mind at SCIE.
- Article / Math Department
- Pictures / Admissions
