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  Martin Bridson (Universidad de Oxford)

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  Alan Reid (Universidad de Rice)

Martin Bridson (University of Oxford) and Alan Reid (Rice University) have been awarded one of the 2026 Frontiers of Science Awards, presented by the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS). The jury selected their work on the theory of profinite rigidity, one of the central topics of the ICMAT Bridson-Reid Laboratory, led by both scientists together with Andrei Jaikin (ICMAT-CSIC).

The award-winning paper, Absolute profinite rigidity and hyperbolic geometry, co-authored with David McReynolds and Ryan Spitler and published in Annals of Mathematics in 2020, has been recognized for its outstanding contribution to algebraic and geometric topology. In the paper, the authors show that, in the context of hyperbolic geometry, certain groups are completely determined by their profinite structure, a property known as absolute profinite rigidity.

The study of profinite rigidity (within the framework of geometric group theory) builds bridges between algebra, geometry, and topology. One of the major open problems in the field is Remeslennikov’s conjecture, which states that all finitely generated free groups are profinitely rigid. This is also one of the questions on which the Bridson-Reid Laboratory hopes to make significant contributions.

Frontiers of Science Awards

The Frontiers of Science Awards are presented at the International Congress of Basic Science, an international scientific congress held annually in Beijing since 2023, promoted by mathematician Shing-Tung Yau (Fields Medalist and professor at Tsinghua University). Each year, the congress brings together nearly one thousand researchers from around the world in the fields of mathematics, theoretical physics, and computer science, and recognizes recent high-impact work in fundamental science through these awards.

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