The Leroy P. Steele Prizes are awarded every year by the American Mathematical Society, for distinguished research work and writing in the field of mathematics. Since 1993 there has been a formal division into three categories.
The prizes have been given since 1970, from a bequest of Leroy P. Steele, and were set up in honor of George David Birkhoff, William Fogg Osgood and William Caspar Graustein. The way the prizes are awarded was changed in 1976 and 1993, but the initial aim of honoring expository writing as well as research has been retained. The prizes of $5,000 are not given on a strict national basis, but relate to mathematical activity in the USA, and writing in English (originally, or in translation).
Presented annually by the American Mathematical Society, the SteelePrize is one of the highest distinctions in mathematics.
The prize was awarded at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio, Texas.
Among his many honors are the AMS Veblen Prize (1971), the Prix Elie Cartan of the French Academy of Sciences (1981), the King Faisal Prize (1994), and the U.S. National Medal of Science (2004).