Prime numbers, used in data encryption, are the focus of a free, public lecture to be delivered by Yitang Zhang, professor of mathematics at the University of New Hampshire and member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J., at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in Room 101, Biology Building East, northeast corner of Iowa and Dubuque streets in Iowa City.

The talk, "Small Gaps Between Primes," is the Fourth Annual Rockwell Lecture, presented by the Department of Mathematics in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The event is sponsored by the Mark A. Rockwell Memorial Fund in the UI Department of Mathematics.

Intended for the enjoyment of non-mathematicians and mathematicians alike, the lecture will discuss prime numbers—any whole number greater than one that is divisible only by itself and the number 1. Two prime numbers that differ by 2 in value (3 and 5, 5 and 7, etc.) are called “twin primes.” The famous twin prime conjecture—which claims that there are an infinite number of twin primes—has remained unanswered for centuries, however Zhang has achieved a significant breakthrough, which he will discuss during the lecture.

For his work, Zhang received the 2014 Rolf Schock Prize in Mathematics, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to attend, contact the Department of Mathematics in advance at 319-335-0714.