What we all knew was pretty much inevitable has just happened: Grigory Perelman has declined the Millennium Prize. The modern-day hermit mathematician, who a few years ago provided a proof to the geometrization conjecture, of which the Poincare conjecture is a special case, has thus far refused to accept any prizes or awards for his work. Instead, one of the greatest mathematical minds of our time prefers to live in an apartment with his mother in St. Petersburg. Thus far he’s turned down the Fields Medal, an award from the European Mathematical Society, and now the Millennium prize money.

By all indications, the man seems to prefer solitude, and to simply work for the sake of solving problems. But really, who can blame him for shunning the limelight? The way the world responded to his proof was positive, but internal politics marred his work. Shing-Tung Yau and two of his students at some point began making claims about gaps in his work. It’s understandable that an adviser would try to get his students in on what Science declared to be the most important discovery of 2006, but to stake such claims is taking a grand contribution and burying it in politics.

I believe that the world needs more Perelmans, people willing to contribute and be satisfied that their work is complete and excellent. While I do not understand why he declines so many opportunities at financial gain, I do appreciate the fact that he refuses to accept accolades when his work is reward enough.

Edit: Well, call me an idiot for trusting a news source, but the Clay Institute’s website in no way mention’s Perelman’s receiving or declining said prize. I apologize for this — in the future I’ll be a bit more vigilant in the hunt for correct material.