At 37, mathematician Deng Yu experienced a surreal summer, having never truly left academia. In late July, he traveled to Philadelphia to receive the Fields Medal, marking the first time a mathematician of Chinese nationality has achieved this honor. Although the prize was once little known in China, the recognition of both Wang Hong and Deng Yu has thrust the award—and its two recipients—into the spotlight of Chinese-language internet discourse.

Deng's own summer break was brief, however. "I only took one week off to travel with my family. For the rest of the time, everything continued as usual—working, thinking, communicating with collaborators, and writing papers." On a weekend evening in August, Deng, now a tenured professor at the University of Chicago, connected with a reporter via video call. With a strict one-hour limit, he answered questions rapidly and concisely, though his eyes frequently darted to the system clock as the session neared its end. When discussing his love for anime and manga, he couldn't help but smile, noting that since winning the award, many people have sent him recommendations for related works.

Beyond receiving more recommendations from fans of his hobbies, winning the Fields Medal hasn't drastically altered his daily life. To a certain degree, Deng maintains a remarkably composed demeanor amidst external praise or criticism, rarely letting public opinion sway him—a quality of "relaxed resilience" that many anxious modern individuals aspire to achieve.

People often try to trace the developmental path of a genius, but the initial and most crucial influence may be a family's refusal to push too hard. "My family always emphasized that I should simply do what I love. Looking back, I never set explicit goals for myself. Whether it was winning the IMO gold medal in high school or achieving academic breakthroughs and the Fields Medal in recent years, I never held an obsessive need to achieve them." This foundational mindset, perhaps, has enabled him to find a field he genuinely loves and persist in it over the long term.

Discovering Artistic Joy Through Mathematics

Had he not pursued mathematics, Deng Yu might have become a science fiction writer. For him, there is no hierarchy between the humanities and sciences; he simply happens to love both deeply.

NBD: First, let's address a question from netizens. In your videos, people noticed anime figurines and a mug on your desk, with one popular comment joking, "This veteran anime fan proudly displays his assets." But you use two sheets of white paper as a mousepad, leading some to suspect your original mousepad was too flashy and you temporarily covered it up?

Deng Yu: (Laughs) Let me explain. First, I generally don't use a mousepad. In January, while at a conference in Shanghai, I visited an anime store and bought several items, including a mousepad, but it didn't feel right when I tried it. So, at that moment, I simply didn't have a mousepad. The paper was just there; there's no other reason.

NBD: When the committee informed you of the Fields Medal in January, you were reading a novel—was it also an anime-related one?

Deng Yu: Sort of. After receiving the news, I continued reading the novel, but since it's still being serialized, I'm currently waiting for updates.

NBD: Beyond anime, you also enjoy reading "Dream of the Red Chamber" and writing classical poetry. When did these interests begin?

Deng Yu: I first encountered anime culture during my undergraduate studies at MIT. I had more free time then and could browse a wide range of content. When I found good animations, I'd follow them. There was a creative writing forum I found interesting, and I even tried my hand at writing novels—all before 2015. As a student, I had more leisure time; later, I no longer had the time to write and became just a reader. I started reading classical poetry in middle school, but I only truly began composing classical-style poems during my undergraduate years. At that time, I had many emotions to express and questions to explore. Interestingly, I wasn't very interested in literature and art as a child. It was only after dedicating myself to mathematics in university that I gradually came to appreciate the joy found in literature and the arts.

Life's Direction Isn't a Planned Blueprint

Because they were classmates at Peking University's School of Mathematical Sciences, Deng Yu and Wang Hong are often compared. Wang Hong, who changed schools and majors three times and wasn't a standout undergraduate, evokes more empathy from the general public. Deng Yu, however, seems like the "chosen one" of the math world, yet he, too, gradually chose mathematics. A life's direction isn't something you plan; it's something you walk step by step.

NBD: Reading your 2017 poem, "Where to find traces? The original aspiration is lost, adrift," I sense a feeling of unfulfilled ambition. Is that accurate?

Deng Yu: Most of the time, it's when I feel a bit frustrated and have the urge to express myself that I put pen to paper to vent my inner turmoil. In 2017, I was doing postdoctoral research at New York University. My research wasn't progressing smoothly, I was dissatisfied with the results, and my faculty applications were repeatedly rejected. At that time, Wall Street extended an offer with a salary several times what academia could provide. That was the closest I came to giving up mathematics. Later, I received an assistant professor position at the University of Southern California, which allowed me to continue my mathematical research, so I stayed.

NBD: Many people struggle to find their niche and gradually lose their drive, becoming unhappy. How does one find a suitable research topic?

Deng Yu: Finding a topic that fits you is indeed crucial. But whether you encounter one is highly random. If you're lucky enough to find a suitable topic, you can proceed with research; if not, you must actively search. Whether a project can advance often depends on luck. At the time, I was actually working on another promising direction. If I hadn't discovered the research that led to this award, I might have continued along that path and perhaps achieved some results.

NBD: Randomness is a key perspective in your mathematical work. When facing the complex, disordered waves of the physical world, you introduce random initial conditions to observe how disorder evolves into stable macroscopic laws. Are the pivotal moments that change one's life also random? Or can one seize that randomness?

Deng Yu: Many things are indeed random; from an individual's perspective, many opportunities are unpredictable. The key is to try to reach out and grab them when they appear. If, after trying, you find the path suits you, you can continue. Often, it's best to let things happen naturally. Talent sets the lower bound, and effort raises the upper bound. Opportunity determines whether one truly reaches that upper limit.

NBD: So, your path to becoming a professional mathematician wasn't guided by a clear life plan, like setting a goal to win the Fields Medal before 40?

Deng Yu: Correct, I didn't have one. I occasionally had such thoughts; when participating in the IMO, I also considered whether I might pursue a career related to mathematics. Winning the IMO gold medal meant I was among the top contestants globally at that age. I vaguely felt I should continue on this path to live up to that "identity." But I never made a solemn decision at a specific moment to dedicate myself to mathematics. I just kept walking. From start to finish, I've been doing what I love, and the whole process has been natural.

NBD: Another Fields Medalist this year, Canadian mathematician Jakob Zimmermann, announced on the day of the award that he would join OpenAI to focus on AI safety research. AI companies are now recruiting mathematicians aggressively. Could you be tempted away? Do you use AI tools to assist your mathematical research?

Deng Yu: No AI company has approached me yet. I will certainly continue doing mathematics; the likelihood of leaving academia for industry is very low. The recent months have seen rapid iterations in AI technology, especially after GPT-5.4 was released in March. I also started using AI in March. I first build the overall proof framework and organize the complete line of reasoning, then use Codex to handle some of the detailed arguments. AI can accelerate the research process, help us handle more problems simultaneously, and push research to deeper levels. In the future, mathematicians and AI will collaborate, potentially speeding up the resolution of some long-standing mathematical problems. This is one of the few new developments in mathematics in centuries, and it's exciting.

"The Games I Lost Then Weren't Necessarily Winnable"

When people discuss Deng Yu, they tend to amplify his talent while overlooking his intense diligence and sustained effort. This year, his complete summer vacation was only one week, and it's common for him to spend hours on end in deep, mentally demanding work. The key breakthrough on Hilbert's sixth problem, achieved with his collaborators, is considered a major achievement leading to the Fields Medal. Every step of the derivation is both mentally and physically taxing. The paper, over a hundred pages, took a full four months to complete. "By the time the paper was published, I was too exhausted to feel excited."

NBD: In a previous interview, mathematician Lin Huaxin mentioned that scientific research inevitably requires sacrifice, and there are indeed researchers who haven't watched television in decades. You seem to balance research and personal life well. Is that an exception, or is it more common?

Deng Yu: Mathematicians are ordinary people with their own hobbies. Many of my colleagues enjoy hiking, music, or chess. But there's no denying that mathematical research is extremely time-consuming and energy-intensive. As I mentioned, after 2015, I hardly had free time to write novels, and even my time for reading manga was reduced. Finding a balance is something you have to do yourself; everyone's situation is different. I often immerse myself in a single problem for hours. If I encounter an unsolved problem, I'll keep working on it. But if I don't have a specific problem, I'll play games.

NBD: Is this focus innate or trained? Does it relate to your practice of Go?

Deng Yu: During my middle school years, there were few external distractions. I took up Go because it was very popular in the 1980s and 1990s. My first hobby was the violin, but I found I wasn't suited for it, so I switched to Go. I enjoyed playing and winning; I participated in many competitions with decent results, so I stuck with it. As for the violin, I barely remember it now.

NBD: In your award video, you mentioned you came close to becoming a professional Go player, and your narrow loss in the qualifying tournament still holds some regret. The video also showed a scene from your youth playing against Nie Weiping. Do you remember that?

Deng Yu: If I remember correctly, it was a simultaneous exhibition by Master Nie. There's another interesting anecdote: around 2000, Master Nie came to Shenzhen for an event. My teacher, Liu Huanian, a 6-dan professional, ran a Go academy there, and Master Nie logged on to play online at that academy. At the time, he used my online account. The opponents who played against that account didn't know they were actually facing Nie Weiping. In one afternoon, he raised my account from 4-dan to 7-dan, and I eventually had to create a new account. In the 2001 qualifying tournament, I lost three games. The first was against Ding Lie, a 6-dan, and I can't recall the names of the other two opponents. At the time, those two losses felt regrettable, but in hindsight, perhaps I wasn't really in a winning position. Unfortunately, the game records weren't preserved, so I can't review them now.

The Scarcity of Women in Mathematics Needs Addressing

The public likes to compare the vastly different paths of Wang Hong and Deng Yu, but few notice their shared crucial foundation: the full respect from their families. They both gained the right to make their own choices early on, with their families serving as a safety net rather than making life decisions for them.

NBD: Were decisions like studying Olympiad math in middle school or choosing a major in college entirely your own? When did your parents' influence begin to wane?

Deng Yu: My initial interest in mathematics came from my family. As a child, I'd think about math problems from popular science books. On weekend walks and hikes, we'd discuss math problems. In sixth grade, I solved a problem with my dad, which was very exciting. From pursuing competitive Go to later dedicating myself to mathematics, the major decisions were essentially mine. When I received IMO gold and was recommended for admission to Peking University, I had a disagreement with my family. They wanted me to choose the Yuanpei Program, taking general education courses first and deciding on a major in my sophomore year. But I wanted to enter the School of Mathematical Sciences directly. Ultimately, my family respected my choice. When I transferred to MIT after my sophomore year, I also discussed it with my family, weighing whether it was the better option. But looking back, whether I transferred as an undergraduate or pursued graduate studies abroad later, the final outcome wouldn't have been much different.

NBD: You mentioned starting Olympiad training in the second year of middle school. Now, there's a trend of industrializing and advancing Olympiad training, even starting in elementary school. What are your thoughts?

Deng Yu: I believe it's too early to have Olympiad training in elementary school. If a child is genuinely interested, it's fine to treat math as a hobby, but there's no need to set it as a hard goal in primary school. In high school, for students with genuine interest and talent, moderate dedication is acceptable. Olympiad math should not be a mandatory subject for elementary school students.

NBD: Wang Hong said upon receiving the Fields Medal, "I'm honored to be the third woman to win the Fields Medal in its 90-year history. I hope everyone finds the courage to bravely do what you love." Objectively, there are still very few women achieving top accomplishments in mathematics. How do you view this?

Deng Yu: Indeed, this situation persists. From my student days to now, there hasn't been a particularly significant improvement. We do need to make efforts to change it. When I was an undergraduate, I mentioned to others that I hoped to do something about this once I had a certain position. Now, I'm thinking about how I can contribute in my own way. This is a big topic, hard to fully address in a short time, but regardless, I believe this situation needs to be changed.

NBD: A female computer scientist told us that the low number of female researchers partly stems from the ingrained societal notion instilled from childhood—"girls aren't as good at math as boys." How do you respond to that?

Deng Yu: This idea is completely unfounded. In 2026, holding such a view is truly absurd. Don't be disturbed by such claims. What others think is their business; just focus on doing what you want to do.