Leading mathematics and computer science laureates to meet 200 outstanding young researchers in Heidelberg

This September 13-18, at the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), 200 young researchers in mathematics and computer science will spend a week of scientific exchange with the laureates of the disciplines’ most prestigious prizes: the Abel Prize, ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize in Computing, Fields Medal, the Nevanlinna Prize, as well as its continuation, the IMU Abacus Medal. Six of the nine recipients of the fields’ most prestigious prizes awarded in 2026 will be among the 21 laureates taking part. Below are a few highlights of the upcoming program of the HLF as well as a breakdown of how to cover this unique event.

21 distinguished laureates
The six prize recipients of this year include the 2026 Fields Medal and Abacus Medal laureates, as well as the recipients of the 2026 Abel Prize and the ACM A.M. Turing Award. Together, the 21 laureates offer the young researchers attending the HLF a rare opportunity to engage directly with pioneers who have shaped mathematics and computer science. Their lectures and panel discussions will be livestreamed on the HLF website and available afterwards on the HLF’s YouTube channel.

200 of the brightest young minds in their fields
The HLF provides 200 selected young mathematicians and computer scientists from all around the world the opportunity to engage and exchange ideas with a vast network of laureates and peers from diverse backgrounds, all brimming with enthusiasm. Learn more about their innovative research projects when 20 young researchers present their work in the ‘Next Gen Session’ and a further 30 showcase their cutting-edge projects as posters throughout the week.

Spanning the breadth of mathematics and computer science
The core of the HLF’s scientific program consists of a diverse range of long- and short-form lectures and talks by laureates of the most prestigious prizes in mathematics and computer science. This year will feature a joint lecture by Charles H. Bennett and Gilles Brassard, who together this year received the Turing Award for “their essential role in igniting and shaping the quantum revolution in computer science and in information and communications technology.” Two of this year’s Fields Medal recipients – Yu Deng and Jacob Tsimerman – will also be giving talks on “Critical Problems in Statistical Physics and PDEs” as well as “AI Safety and Mathematics,” respectively. Further lectures will be held by cryptographer Yael Tauman Kalai (ACM Prize in Computing - 2022), 2026 IMU Abacus Medal recipient Shayan Oveis Gharan, and noted mathematician Efim Zelmanov (Fields Medal - 1994), to name just a few.
The Lindau Lecture, held each year to signify the close bond between the HLF and the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, will be held by Brian P. Schmidt, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae." Schmidt will be discussing “The State of the Universe,” what we understand about the Cosmos, and what we may learn over the coming decades.
In an in-depth panel discussion on “AI in Mathematical Research,” experts from around the globe will unpack the implications of increased reasoning capabilities in AI models that are poised to reshape the discipline. Led by Tony Feng (UC Berkeley, Google DeepMind), the panel – consisting of Michael Harris (Columbia University), Ursula Martin (Emeritus Professor, University of Oxford), Geordie Williamson (University of Sydney), and Jacob Tsimerman (Fields Medal – 2026; University of Toronto) – will reflect on the consequences of rapidly evolving AI models, what possibilities may be unlocked, and what concerns might be raised.
This HLF also features the debut of its first ever “Un-Conference,” a participant-driven format where discussions focus on relevant, emerging topics shaped by participants’ interests and expertise, creating a programmatic bottom-up approach that allows for dynamic and free-flowing work groups.

A full overview of the scientific program can be found on the HLF website.

Interactive coverage
Broad coverage will be made available on the HLFF Blog, thanks to a team of bloggers who will report on various program points. You can follow the conversation and attendees’ experiences across various social media platforms by following #HLF26. The 13th HLF will also be accompanied by episodes of the HLFF Vlog, published on the HLF website and YouTube channel, featuring exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the program, speakers and attendees. Journalists will also have access to a repository of official photos taken at the HLF via its flickr page, to be used in coverage of the event.

Apply for accreditation
Journalists wishing to attend and cover the event in person can still apply for accreditation until September 9 via the HLF’s online registration tool. Please create an account via the option “Register as a Non-Travel Grant Journalist” and subsequently fill out and submit the accreditation application.

For more information, or if you have any questions regarding the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum, please contact: media@heidelberg-laureate-forum.org

Background
The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) annually organizes the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), which is an international networking event for mathematicians and computer scientists. The 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum will take place from September 13 to 18, 2026. The HLFF was established and is funded by the German foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung, which promotes natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science. The scientific partners of the HLF are the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and Heidelberg University. The HLF is strongly supported by the award-granting institutions the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the International Mathematical Union (IMU) and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA).

Press Inquiries
Nikolas A. Mariani
Nicole Schmitt
Communications
Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation
Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 33, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
media@heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
Telephone: +49 6221 533-384

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