Duke’s Ingrid Daubechies Receives 2026 World Laureates Foundation Prize

Professor Ingrid Daubechies, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emerita of Mathematics at Duke University and one of the earliest members of the Rhodes Information Initiative at Duke (Rhodes iiD), has been awarded the 2026 World Laureates Foundation (WLF) Prize in Computer Science or Mathematics. The award was announced September 10 in Shanghai as part of the 2026 World Laureates Foundation Prize, which recognizes leading scientists from around the world for contributions that advance science and technology.

Daubechies was recognized for her major contributions to applied harmonic analysis, wavelet theory and image compression, as well as for her leadership in the international mathematics community. Her pioneering work on wavelets transformed the mathematical foundations of digital image and signal processing, with applications ranging from image compression and communications to medical imaging and other data-intensive technologies.

The recognition adds to a remarkable list of honors for Daubechies, including the Wolf Prize in Mathematics and the U.S. National Medal of Science. She was also the first woman to serve as president of the International Mathematical Union, from 2011 to 2014.

At Duke, Daubechies has been closely associated with the interdisciplinary data-science community fostered by Rhodes iiD. The initiative, established in 2013, brings together researchers across disciplines to advance computational research and education in data science. Daubechies has contributed to this culture of interdisciplinary work through research connecting mathematics with areas including image analysis, engineering, biology and the study of art.

The WLF Prize is particularly significant because it places Daubechies’ foundational mathematical work in the context of modern scientific and technological challenges. Established in Shanghai in 2021, the international prize seeks to recognize eminent researchers whose work advances global science and technology and contributes to long-term societal progress. Daubechies’ selection underscores the continuing influence of mathematical ideas developed decades ago on today’s rapidly evolving fields of data science, computing and artificial intelligence.