Professor James Maynard Appointed New Regius Professor of Mathematics
Professor Maynard’s appointment as new Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford was approved by His Majesty The King on 1 July 2026. He will take up his new post in the Mathematical Institute in October 2026, and will also become a professorial fellow of Merton College.
This chair is one of three Regius Professorships of Mathematics in the United Kingdom, the others being at St Andrews and Warwick. The Oxford Regius chair was created in 2016 as part of the 90th birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. Professor Maynard succeeds the inaugural postholder, Professor Sir Andrew Wiles.
" I’m delighted to be appointed as the new Regius Professor of Mathematics. Oxford is a fantastic place to do maths, and I feel exceptionally privileged to have spent most of my career here. It sometimes feels like there are exciting ideas bubbling away and breakthroughs happening in every office of the department. " Professor James Maynard FRS
Professor Maynard is known for his influential work in analytic number theory, particularly on the distribution of prime numbers. For an accessible introduction to his research and an insight into what it takes to make new discoveries in a field that has been studied for millennia, one can watch the talk linked below. Professor Maynard's talk was delivered as part of St John’s Behind the Scenes series, founded by Dr Dr Séverine Toussaert (Fellow for Research), which explores how projects evolve, what challenges arise, and how leading researchers overcome them.
In July 2022, Professor Maynard was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal in recognition of his ‘spectacular contributions in analytic number theory’. To celebrate this remarkable achievement, St John's commissioned a portrait of Professor Maynard by the artist Benjamin Hope, which now hangs in the College Dining Hall. (Read more about the commission here.)
" Mathematics is a very special subject where pure abstract thought and logic, often driven by mere curiosity, can lead to breakthroughs improving so many aspects of modern life. I’m rather daunted to follow on from the incredible legacy of Andrew Wiles, but I hope this position can be testament to the ongoing importance and increasing role of mathematics in the world. " Professor James Maynard FRS
We are delighted to congratulate Professor Maynard on his new appointment and look forward to his future research as Regius Professor of Mathematics.