BMS Prizes

Godeaux lecture

The BMS "Godeaux lecture prize" is named in honor of prolific Belgian mathematician Lucien Godeaux. The prize is awarded every year, upon proposal from a BMS board member, to a prominent belgian or international mathematician who is invited to give a talk at a conference in Belgium. 

These lectures honoring the memory of Lucien Godeaux are organized with the assets of the Belgian Center for Mathematical Studies which were transferred to the BMS after the dissolution of this Center. Lucien Godeaux (1887-1975) was one of the world's most prolific mathematicians (with more than 700 papers published) and took many initiatives to encourage young mathematicians to communicate their research. He was the founder of the Belgian Center for Mathematical Studies in 1949. The Godeaux lecture is aimed at a broad audience with interest in mathematics.

Previous recipients of the prize are: 

• 2024, Mirna Džamonja (CNRS, IRIF, Université de Paris, France)
• 2023, Sophie Grivaux (CNRS, Université de Lille, France)
• 2022, Tim Gowers (Collège de France, University of Cambridge, UK) 
• 2019, John Guaschi (Université de Caen Normandie, France)
• 2018, Laure-Saint Raymond (Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon, France)
• 2017, Davy Paindaveine (ULB, Belgium)
• 2016, Jean Van Schaftingen (UCLouvain, Belgium)
• 2012, Anna Vargas Rey (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain)
• 2010, Gilles Godefroid (Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu, France)
• 2009, Cédric Villani (Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon, France)
• 2007, Guido Vanden Berghe (UGent, Belgium)

Young Scholar Award

Starting in 2021, the BMS awards this prize to an outstanding early-career mathematician having a strong link with Belgium. The rules of the prize (updated september 2023) are available here. 

• 2023 Sam Mattheus (University of California, San Diego)
• 2022 Daniel Drimbe (FWO, KU Leuven) 
• 2021 Mitia Duerinckx (FNRS, ULB) 

Jacques Tits Chair

The BMS Jacques Tits Chair is a yearly prize established by the BMS board in 2023 in honor of the late Jacques Tits (1930-2021). The aim of the Jacques Tits chair is to attract an internationally recognized mathematician for a stay of one month at a Belgian university. The first prize will be awarded in the academic year 2024-25. The rules for the 2024 prize are available here.