Arithmetic Geometry Lab Selected for the 2026 Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) Program

(From left) Prof. Sungmun Cho, Prof. Kyeong-Seok Lee, Prof. Qirui Li, and Prof. Valentin Buciumas
 

The Arithmetic Geometry Lab of the Department of Mathematics at POSTECH has been selected for the 2026 Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) support program, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The project runs for three years, from July 2026 to June 2029, with Professor Sungmun Cho serving as principal investigator and Professors Kyeong-Seok Lee, Valentin Buciumas, and Qirui Li participating as co-investigators.

Arithmetic geometry uses the language of algebraic geometry to tackle problems in number theory and to expand its scope. It is regarded as one of the fields driving modern mathematics, with a substantial share of the 21st-century Fields Medalists coming from this and adjacent areas. This lab marks the first collaborative research group in arithmetic geometry to be organized in Korea, taking on four core research problems spanning the Langlands program and Diophantine geometry.

Combining expertise across commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, topology, number theory, and representation theory, the team aims to elucidate the arithmetic and geometric properties surrounding singularities. The lab also plans to involve more than ten graduate students along with postdoctoral researchers to train the next generation of world-class researchers, and to grow into an internationally leading laboratory through organizing international conferences and hosting lectures by distinguished overseas scholars.

With this selection, the POSTECH Department of Mathematics is expected to take a leading role in advancing collaborative research in arithmetic geometry in Korea.