Lagrange Prize – Fondazione CRT 2026 awarded to Dashun Wang
Date of the event:
On 3 November 2026 Dashun Wang, a professor at Northwestern University, receives in Turin the Lagrange Prize – Fondazione CRT 2026, the leading international award dedicated to the science of complex systems and data. The prize was established and is supported by Fondazione CRT and coordinated by the ISI Foundation [1].
The laureate and his field of study
Dashun Wang trained as a physicist: during his doctorate he chose to apply to groups and people the methods used to study atoms and molecules, a path that led him to computational social science and, eventually, to turning those same tools to the study of science itself [1]. His work has helped define the so-called «science of science», a field that uses large amounts of data and tools from complexity science to analyse how ideas arise and spread, drawing on the examination of millions of scientific papers, patents, software products, grants and career paths [1]. According to his analyses, scientific progress depends not only on individual talent but also on collaboration, the organisation of research groups, and funding systems [1].
«Hot streaks»
Together with his research group, Wang has identified and studied so-called «hot streaks», periods in a career when the most successful work is concentrated, looking not only at scientists but also at artists and film directors [1]. According to these studies, about 90% of the scientists, 91% of the artists and 82% of the directors examined experienced at least one «hot streak» during their career, such as Albert Einstein's 1905 or Vincent van Gogh's 1888, when the painter moved to the south of France [1]. One of the insights behind the research came from observing Van Gogh's work at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam: before his move to Arles, the artist's output was highly varied in subjects, styles and techniques, while afterwards it became more focused, at the point when his «hot streak» began [1]. According to Wang's studies, the shift from a phase of exploring different ideas and styles to a phase of deepening work in one promising area coincides precisely with the start of these periods of peak creative output [1].
Sources
- TorinoOggi — 3 November 2026