Celebrating Joshua Zahl and the Power of Long-Term Collaboration

Congratulations to UBC mathematician and longtime member of the PIMS community Joshua Zahl, who, together with Pablo Shmerkin, Tuomas Orponen and Hong Wang, has received a 2026 Clay Research Award for work resolving two major problems in modern analysis.
The achievement is also a reminder of something Joshua knows well: important mathematics can take years to unfold — and the conversations and collaborations behind it matter.

Over the years, Joshua has been an active part of the PIMS community, participating in and helping shape seminars, research activities and opportunities that bring mathematicians together.

“PIMS’ support for seminars at UBC has made it possible to invite mathematicians from across Canada and around the world to visit UBC and share their ideas,” he says.

For Joshua, those opportunities to connect can be the starting point for something much bigger.

“PIMS helps lower the financial and logistical barrier for collaborations across institutions. Sometimes this collaboration begins with a shared passion for a certain type of mathematical problem, and then grows into a more focussed research collaboration.”

The work recognized by the Clay Research Award itself reflects that long view. The breakthroughs grew out of years of sustained effort, with Joshua and his collaborators developing new ideas and gradually overcoming difficult mathematical obstacles along the way.

As PIMS celebrates 30 years of bringing mathematical communities together, Joshua’s story is a wonderful example of why creating opportunities for mathematicians to meet, exchange ideas and collaborate continues to matter.

Congratulations, Joshua — and to all four recipients of this remarkable recognition.