Professor Charles Fefferman, from Princeton University, was the guest speaker of the Mathematics Symposium held at Técnico on January 30 at Abreu Faro amphitheatre. The event was attended by students, researchers and faculty from the different departments of Universidade de Lisboa, who were very interested to hear the winner of a Fields Medal, which is an award equivalent to the Nobel Prize in mathematics.

Professor Charles Fefferman made a very practical presentation in a colloquial but rigorous language. The mathematician stressed “the pleasure of being in Lisbon for the first time and being able to share this moment with you”. For over one hour the professor shared and captivated the audience by showing the latest results of the Whitney extension theorem. “Algorithms are closely related to a refinement theorem that we are about to discuss,” said the mathematician before giving the wide audience a more detailed explanation.