Adam Harper is a mathematician specialising in

number theory Number theory (or arithmetic or higher arithmetic in older usage) is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers and integer-valued functions. German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855) said, "Math ...

, particularly in analytic, combinatorial and

probabilistic Probability is the branch of mathematics concerning numerical descriptions of how likely an event is to occur, or how likely it is that a proposition is true. The probability of an event is a number between 0 and 1, where, roughly speaking, ...

number theory, and serving as Professor with

University of Warwick , mottoeng = Mind moves matter , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £7.0 million (2021) , budget = £698.2 million (202 ...

, England. Harper was awarded the

SASTRA Ramanujan Prize The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, founded by Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) located near Kumbakonam, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan's hometown, is awarded every year to a young mathematician judged to have done outstanding w ...

in 2019 "for several outstanding contributions to analytic and probabilistic number theory." This annual prize is awarded for outstanding contributions by individuals not exceeding the age of 32 in areas of mathematics influenced by

Srinivasa Ramanujan Srinivasa Ramanujan (; born Srinivasa Ramanujan Aiyangar, ; 22 December 188726 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician. Though he had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, ...

. The age limit has been set at 32 because Ramanujan died at the age of 32 years. "Harper's research, both individually and in collaboration, covers the theory of the Riemann zeta function, random multiplicative functions, S-unit equations,

smooth number In number theory, an ''n''-smooth (or ''n''-friable) number is an integer whose prime factors are all less than or equal to ''n''. For example, a 7-smooth number is a number whose every prime factor is at most 7, so 49 = 72 and 15750 = 2 × 32 × ...

s, the

large sieve The large sieve is a method (or family of methods and related ideas) in analytic number theory. It is a type of sieve where up to half of all residue classes of numbers are removed, as opposed to small sieves such as the Selberg sieve wherein o ...

, and the recent highly innovative "pretentious" approach to number theory. In establishing these results, he has shown mastery over probabilistic methods which he has used with remarkable effect in analytic number theory."

Academic career

Adam Harper was born in

Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and so ...

in the United Kingdom. He did a four year MMath Course at

Exeter College, Oxford (Let Exeter Flourish) , old_names = ''Stapeldon Hall'' , named_for = Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter , established = , sister_college = Emmanuel College, Cambridge , rector = Sir Richard Trainor ...

and won the Oxford Junior Mathematics Prize. He completed his PhD in 2012 at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

under the guidance of Professor Ben Green, and as a PhD student won the Smith Essay Prize. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow with Professor Andrew Granville at CRM Montréal during 2012–13, following which he was a Research Fellow at

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes f ...

during 2013–16. He returned to Montréal in 2018 as Simons CRM Visiting Professor. He is currently a Professor at the

University of Warwick , mottoeng = Mind moves matter , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £7.0 million (2021) , budget = £698.2 million (202 ...

Other awards

Adam Harper was awarded a

Whitehead Prize The Whitehead Prize is awarded yearly by the London Mathematical Society to multiple mathematicians working in the United Kingdom who are at an early stage of their career. The prize is named in memory of homotopy theory pioneer J. H. C. Whitehea ...

in 2020 for "his deep and important contributions to analytic number theory, and in particular for his work on the value distribution of the Riemann zeta function and random multiplicative functions using sophisticated ideas and techniques from

probability theory Probability theory is the branch of mathematics concerned with probability. Although there are several different probability interpretations, probability theory treats the concept in a rigorous mathematical manner by expressing it through a set o ...

References

Number theorists Recipients of the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{UK-mathematician-stub