Vladimir Drinfel’d

Vladimir Gershonovich Drinfel’d (born 1954) Ukrainian mathematician and mathematical physicist. Proposing the term “quantum group” (http://planetmath.org/QuantumGroups) Drinfel’d indicated the connection between quasi-triangular Hopf algebras and solutions of the quantum Yang-Baxter equations involving the R-matrix. Subsequently, quantum groups have become a field of thorough mathematical investigationand the construction of finite quantum groups from Hopf algebras or, more recently, from Hopf C*-algebrashas been carried out in detail via Fourier transformation as such finite groups are dual to certainHopf C*-algebras (http://planetmath.org/QuantumGroups). he also introduced the contruction of the quantum double leading laterto quantum supergroups and quantized enveloping superalgebras.Drinfel’d modules and Drinfel’d twists (http://planetmath.org/QuantumDouble) are named after him. He was awarded and accepted the Fields medal in 1990.