February 5, 1999

U. of Chicago Bolsters Math Dept. With Russians; Yale's President to Advise Major League Baseball; Top Prison Official Wants to Head U. of North Dakota

By DAVID L. WHEELER, WELCH SUGGS, and JULIANNE BASINGER

Three mathematicians from the former Soviet Union plus one leading American mathematician equal a stellar recruiting year for the University of Chicago's mathematics department.

Its latest hire, Vladimir Drinfeld, the 1990 winner of the discipline's top prize, the Fields Medal, arrived last month. (The Fields Medals are awarded every four years to at least two but no more than four mathematicians, all of whom