Dr. Henri Darmon named recipient of the 2026 Jeffery-Williams Prize

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is pleased to announce that Dr. Henri Darmon (McGill University) has been awarded the 2026 Jeffery-Williams Prize, in recognition of his important and sustained contributions to number theory and arithmetic geometry.

Dr. Henri Darmon received his B.Sc. in Mathematics and Computer Science from McGill University in 1987 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1991 under the supervision of Dr. Benedict Gross. After appointments at Princeton University, he returned to McGill, where he has spent the majority of his career and is currently a Distinguished James McGill Professor. Dr. Darmon is internationally recognized as one of the leading figures in modern number theory. Over a career spanning more than three decades, his work has reshaped the study of elliptic curves, L-functions, and arithmetic aspects of automorphic forms. His research combines deep theoretical insight with bold new ideas, opening avenues that continue to influence the field and inspire further breakthroughs.

“Henri has been recognized for many years as a world leader in number theory and arithmetic geometry, and his work has not only established deep results in these disciplines, but has also created a road map of conjectures and ideas that provides inspiration for the next generation.”

Dr. Darmon’s work is distinguished by his innovative use of p-adic methods, cohomological techniques, and Euler systems to tackle some of the most fundamental problems in mathematics, including aspects of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture. He is particularly known for introducing Stark-Heegner points, a groundbreaking construction that builds on classical methods and provides new tools for understanding rational points on elliptic curves.

Another major contribution is his development of a theory of real quadratic analogues of singular moduli, which extends ideas from complex multiplication into new and largely unexplored settings. These ideas have already generated significant activity worldwide and are expected to influence research in number theory for years to come.

In addition, Dr. Darmon has made important advances in the study of Euler systems, p-adic L-functions, and Diophantine equations, including work related to Fermat-type equations and generalizations of classical results. His research is notable not only for its depth and technical strength, but also for its unifying vision, bringing together diverse areas of mathematics in unexpected and productive ways.

Dr. Darmon has published extensively in the world’s leading mathematical journals, with over 90 research papers and thousands of citations, reflecting the exceptional impact of his work.

“It is no exaggeration to say that the history of Canadian number theory […] can be divided into the pre-Darmon and post-Darmon periods.”

In recognition of his achievements, Dr. Darmon has received numerous prestigious honours, including the Cole Prize of the American Mathematical Society (2017), the CRM-Fields-PIMS Prize (2017), the Coxeter-James Prize (1998), and the Ribenboim Prize (2002). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the Canadian Mathematical Society, and has held major fellowships such as the Killam and Steacie Fellowships.

Beyond his research, Dr. Darmon is widely admired for his mentorship and service to the mathematical community. He has supervised and collaborated with many students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to successful careers, and his influence extends across generations of mathematicians.

The Canadian Mathematical Society is proud to award the 2026 Jeffery-Williams Prize to Dr. Henri Darmon in recognition of his research achievements and his lasting contributions to number theory and arithmetic geometry, as well as his profound influence on the mathematical community in Canada and around the world.

About the Jeffery-Williams Prize
The Jeffery-Williams Prize was inaugurated to recognize mathematicians who have made outstanding contributions to mathematical research. The first award was presented in 1968 and is named after Ralph Jeffery and Lloyd Williams, who were two influential CMS Board members.

For more information, visit the Jeffery-Williams Prize page.

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)
The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics competitions that recognize outstanding student achievements. The CMS is a registered non-profit, charitable organization and depends on grants, funding, and generous donations from sponsors, benefactors and community members to be able to carry out its activities.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Susan Cooper (University of Manitoba) Chair, Research Committee Canadian Mathematical Committee chair-resc@cms.math.ca

or

Dr. Termeh Kousha Executive Director Canadian Mathematical Society tkousha@cms.math.ca