Adams Prize Winners List (1850-2025)

Adams Prize Overview

The Adams Prize is a prestigious award in mathematics, primarily associated with the University of Cambridge in the UK. It is awarded annually by the Faculty of Mathematics at St John's College for distinguished research in mathematical sciences. The prize is named after mathematician John Couch Adams, known for his role in discovering the planet Neptune.

Adams Prize Facts

The Adams Prize was not awarded in the following years and topics:

• 2014: Pattern Formation in Physics and Biology.
• 1998: Pattern Formation.
• 1990: Differential Geometry.
• 1988: Elementary Particle Physics.
• 1938: The distributional properties of functions of statistical variables.
• 1905: Wave motion of finite amplitude and unchanging type, in deep water.
• 1903: The bearing on mathematical physics of recent progress in the theory of the representation of discontinuous quantity by series, with special consideration of the logical limitations of the processes involved.
• 1897: (1) The solution of the differential equation y'' + (1/x)y'+ [1+(n2/x2)]y = 0 may be written in the form y = AJn (ix) + BKn (ix), where A and B are arbitrary constants, i=√-1, Jn (x) denotes Bessel's function of the nth order, and Kn (ix) is a function of x which vanishes when x is infinite. (2) The subject selected for the Adams Prize Essay in 1897 is a discussion of the roots of the equation Kn (ix) = 0.
• 1889: On the Criterion of the Stability and Instability of the Motion of a Viscous Fluid.
• 1885: Investigate the laws governing the interaction of cyclones and anticyclones on the Earth's surface.
• 1879: The mutual disturbances of two planets when their mean motions are either exactly or very nearly commensurable.
• 1875: A Theory of the Reflection and Refraction of Light.
• 1873: A dissertation on the effect of the tides in altering the length of the day.
• 1869: On the determination of the orbit of a planet or comet from three observations.
• 1867: A new or improved method of finding by approximation the imaginary roots of a numerical equation of any degree.
• 1863: A dissertation on the phenomena of dark and bright lines in spectra.
• 1861: The Theory of the Physical Phenomena of the Great Comet of 1858.
• 1859: The theory of the mutual perturbations of two planets when their mean motions are accurately commensurate; especially in the case where the mean motions are in the ratio of 2 to 1.
• 1853: An investigation of the perturbations of the Moon in latitude produced by the actions of Venus, and particularly of the secular movement, and the inequalities of long period in the movement of the moon and node.

No candidates found for the following topics:

1. 1996: Number Theory and Arithmetical Algebraic Geometry.
2. 1994: Fluid Dynamics.
3. 1968: Differential Topology, including topological aspects of Differential Equations, Calculus of Variations and Nonlinear Analysis.
4. 1954: Cosmical Magnetism.
5. 1895: Discontinuous fluid motion in three dimensions.
6. 1891: The Motion of a Satellite about a Spheroidal Planet, and the Reaction on the Planet.
7. 1887: Ellipsoidal and Spheroidal Harmonic Analysis.
8. 1855: The theory of Biela's Double Comet.

Note: Prior to 2000, candidates were required to have a close connection to the University of Cambridge, and were also required to write a specially composed essay for the prize. This was widened to allow a candidate to be judged on their achievements in research.