Vladimir Gershonovich Drinfel’d (born 1954) Ukrainian mathematician and mathematical physicist.

Drinfel’d amongst other new concepts introduced quantum groups, indicating also the connection between the quasi-triangular Hopf algebras and solutions of the quantum Yang-Baxter equations involving the R-matrix in reverse scattering problems. Subsequently, quantum groups have become a field of thorough mathematical investigation and the construction of finite quantum groups from Hopf algebras or, more recently, from Hopf C*-algebras has been carried out in detail via Fourier transformation as such finite groups are dual to certain Hopf C*-algebras. Then, he introduced the quantum double construction that will lead later to quantum supergroups and quantized enveloping superalgebras that play a role in developing supersymmetric quantum gravity theories. Drinfel’d modules and Drinfel’d twists are also named after him.

Vladimir Gershonovich Drinfel’d was awarded and accepted at 36 the Fields medal, in 1990.