Ingrid Daubechies Wins 2023 Wolf Prize in Mathematics

Ingrid Daubechies, 1999 Member in the School of Mathematics, has won the 2023 Wolf Prize “for work in wavelet theory and applied harmonic analysis.” 

Specifically, Daubechies is noted by the Wolf Foundation for her discovery of wavelets that have transformed image and signal processing. This research has had a major impact on image compression, medical imaging, remote sensing, and digital photography. Additionally, Daubechies has made contributions to diverse fields such as art and evolutionary biology with her development of harmonic analysis. 

Daubechies is also recognized for her role as the first woman to be president of the International Mathematical Union, where she advocated for equal opportunities in science and math education, especially in developing countries.

The Wolf Foundation has awarded the Wolf Prize since 1978. The prestigious award carries with it a monetary award of $100,000. Since its inception, approximately 345 scientists and artists from around the world have been honored. Daubechies joins a group of laureates including numerous scholars from the Institute: Freeman Dyson, Paul Erdős, Robert Langlands, Peter Sarnak, and André Weil, to name just a few. 

Honorees are formally presented the prize during a ceremony at the Knesset (Israel's Parliament), in Jerusalem.