UBC Mathematics Professor Ailana Fraser Invited to Speak at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians
The International Congress of Mathematicians is the world's largest and most prestigious mathematics conference, held once every four years. It brings together thousands of mathematicians from around the globe to share major advances in the field. Being invited to give a section lecture is an international recognition of a researcher's impact and leadership in their area of mathematics.
Dr. Fraser's research lies in geometric analysis with a focus on geometric variational problems. "These problems arise throughout mathematics and the sciences, from finding shortest paths (geodesics) to studying minimal surfaces, which locally minimize area. Their analysis has inspired powerful analytic techniques with applications across geometry, topology, and general relativity," Dr. Fraser explains. "I use these methods to investigate the interplay between curvature, geometry, and topology."
In this Q&A, Dr. Fraser reflects on her journey into mathematics, discusses the research she'll present at the International Congress of Mathematicians, and shares what it means to her to have been invited to deliver a section lecture at the 2026 ICM.
Q: Tell us about your path into mathematics. What drew you to math?
A: My family certainly influenced my path into mathematics. My father was a mathematician, my mother earned a degree in mathematics and physics and later became a high school mathematics teacher, and my older sisters are also mathematicians, so it was always a familiar career path. As I studied the subject, I found myself drawn to its logical, theoretical way of thinking and its ability to reveal deep structure in the natural world.
Q: Did you have any mentors or people who inspired you?
A: I first encountered mathematical research in a serious way during graduate school. At Stanford, I had the privilege of learning from outstanding faculty, especially my advisor, who had a major influence on my development as a mathematician. Since joining UBC, I have also benefited greatly from the supportive and inspiring environment in the geometry group, especially Jingyi Chen.
Q: What will you be speaking about at the ICM?
A: My talk is about minimal surfaces, mathematical models of area-minimizing shapes such as soap films. I will discuss recent progress in extending the mathematical theory of stability for these surfaces to more complex geometric settings.
Q: What excites you most about mathematics right now?
A: What excites me most about mathematics right now is the sense that there are still many geometric problems where we are close to a deeper understanding, but important questions remain open. I find it particularly exciting when new analytic ideas shed light on these questions and reveal unexpected structure.
Q: What does being invited to speak at the ICM mean to you?
A: Being invited to speak at the ICM is an extraordinary honour. It represents recognition from the international mathematics community, and because most mathematicians are invited to speak at most once in their careers, it is a truly special milestone.
About Ailana Fraser
Dr. Fraser received her PhD from Stanford University in 1998 under the supervision of Richard Schoen. She held postdoctoral positions at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences (NYU) and at Brown University. In 2002 she joined UBC as a professor in the department of mathematics.
Dr. Fraser has received numerous honours for her contributions to mathematics, including the 2012 CMS Krieger–Nelson Prize, the 2021 Cathleen Synge Morawetz Prize (shared with Marco Gualtieri), and a 2022 Simons Fellowship. She was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2013 and was part of the inaugural class of Fellows of the Canadian Mathematical Society in 2018.