- Speaker
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Peter Sarnak, Ph.D.Eugene Higgins Professor of Mathematics, Princeton University
The 2026 lecture series in mathematics and computer science is “Randomness.” Beyond being a source of uncertainty, randomness can also be a powerful tool for discovery. Topics will include random walks and surfaces, randomized algorithms, harmonic and Fourier analysis, and the geometry of complex systems. These lectures will also highlight surprising applications — from shuffling cards to fair voting — and advances in analysis and number theory, illustrating how randomness drives both fundamental insights and practical outcomes.
2026 Lecture Series Themes
Biology – Folding the Future: The Structural Biology Revolution
Mathematics and Computer Science – Randomness
Neuroscience and Autism Science – Brain and Body: Communication and Connection
Presidential Lectures are a series of free public colloquia spotlighting groundbreaking research across four themes: neuroscience and autism science, physics, biology, and mathematics and computer science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are designed to foster discussion and drive discovery within the New York City research community. We invite those interested in these topics to join us for this weekly lecture series.
In this Presidential Lecture, Peter Sarnak will highlight the apparent dichotomy between structure and randomness in number theory through a series of examples. He will show how models for randomness can be both unexpected and revealing and why identifying and establishing random features is often the central challenge in the field.
About the Speaker
Sarnak is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University and the Gopal Prasad Professor of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study. A leading figure in analytic number theory, his work explores deep connections between number theory, randomness and mathematical physics. Sarnak has played a central role in advancing the study of L-functions, arithmetical quantum chaos and random matrix theory. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of numerous honors, including the Wolf Prize in Mathematics, the Sylvester Medal of the Royal Society and the 2024 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences.