Einstein Lectures 2026 with mathematician Manjul Bhargava

The Einstein Lectures are a series of lectures in memory of the work of Albert Einstein, organized by the University of Bern and the Albert Einstein Society, which launched them in 2009. They take place on three consecutive evenings in the Aula of the University of Bern and are open to the public.

Each year, the Einstein Lectures bring an internationally outstanding scholar to Bern whose work has made fundamental contributions to areas connected with Albert Einstein’s scientific and intellectual legacy. The speakers come from physics/astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy, alternating in a three-year cycle.

This year’s lecture series explores the world of numbers and the surprising connections between mathematics, history, and culture. Fields Medallist Manjul Bhargava takes audiences on a three-evening journey from magical numbers and squares and mathematical ideas reaching back thousands of years to current questions in number theory and the connections between mathematics, poetry, and rhythm: from October 19 to 21, 2026, in the main building of the University of Bern.

Manjul Bhargava is one of the leading mathematicians of his generation. He is the R. Brandon Fradd Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University and one of the defining figures in modern number theory. His research has introduced fundamental new methods in the geometry of numbers and algebraic number theory, with major contributions to higher composition laws, the distribution of number fields, and elliptic curves. In 2014, he was awarded the Fields Medal for developing powerful new methods in the geometry of numbers and applying them to central problems in number theory — one of mathematics’ highest distinctions. 

Beyond his research, Bhargava has played a prominent role in shaping education in India: he was a member of the committee that developed India’s National Education Policy 2020 and continues to contribute at national level to the development of school curricula and teaching materials. Since February 2026, he has been the first President of the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) in New York, reflecting his exceptional commitment to making mathematics accessible to a broad public.