2026 Hamilton Lecture: The mysteries of prime numbers

The Royal Irish Academy is pleased to announce that the 2026 Hamilton Lecture will be delivered by Fields Medallist Professor James Maynard. About the lecture Prime numbers are some of the most fascinating objects in mathematics. On the one hand they are basic and fundamental and are vital for modern internet security. On the other hand, they remain mysterious and poorly understood - despite being studied for thousands of years! In this year’s Hamilton Lecture, Professor James Maynard, will explain why prime numbers are vital, both in pure mathematics and in the real world, and how current mathematics is able to make progress on some of the key questions which have occupied mathematicians going back to the ancient Greeks. About the speaker James Maynard is Professor of Number Theory at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford. He was an undergraduate in Cambridge, did his DPhil in Oxford, and has done postdoctoral work in Montreal, Berkeley, Princeton and Oxford before joining the faculty at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford. Professor Maynard was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal in 2022, the highest honour a young mathematician can attain and especially hard to win as the medals are only awarded every four years to mathematicians under the age of forty. James's main research interest is in analytic number theory, particularly the distribution of prime numbers. In his research he uses a blend of ideas from analysis, combinatorics and algebra to try to answer old questions in number theory. The Royal Irish Academy's Hamilton Day activities are kindly sponsored by Ibec and supported by our media partner The Irish Times. Eolas faoi Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann Is cumann léannta neamhspleách, uile-oileáin é Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1785. Tacaíonn an tAcadamh le scoláireacht agus taighde sna heolaíochtaí, sna daonnachtaí agus sna heolaíochtaí sóisialta. Tá tuairim is 680 comhalta tofa ann agus 80 ball foirne, agus déanann siad ionadaíocht ar son na hÉireann go hidirnáisiúnta, cuireann siad comhairle shaineolach ar fáil don rialtas, déanann siad taighde, déanann siad deontais taighde a riaradh, eagraíonn siad comhdhálacha agus léachtaí poiblí, cuireann siad leabhair agus irisí acadúla i gcló, agus déanann siad cúram de leabharlann taighde. Riachtanais rochtana An bhfuil riachtanais rochtana de chineál ar bith agat? An bhféadfaimis cuidiú leat tairbhe iomlán a bhaint as an imeacht? Bí i dteagmháil, roimh ré, le hoifigeach rochtana an Acadaimh, [email protected] Léigh ár gCód Iompair maidir le hImeachtaí agus ár Data Protection Policies. About the Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA), established in 1785, is an all-island, independent learned society and academic body that champions research by supporting and promoting scholarship in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Its elected membership of approximately 680 individuals and 80 staff represent Ireland internationally, provide expert advice to government, carry out research, administer research grants, organise conferences and public lectures, publish academic books and journals, and maintain a research. Access requirements Have you got any access requirements that we can assist you with, so that you can fully engage with our event? Please let us know by contacting our access officer in advance of the event by email: [email protected] Read our Events Code of Conduct and our Data Protection Policies. Supported by: