In recognition of his groundbreaking work in combinatorics and theoretical computer science, UCLA Computer Science Professor Raghu Meka has been invited to deliver a talk at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) 2026.
Meka, together with co-author Zander Kelley of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, solved a century-old problem about evenly spaced sequences of numbers like 3, 8, 13, etc., known as “arithmetic progressions.” Mathematicians have long sought to determine how large a set of numbers can be before such a pattern must emerge. In early 2023, Meka and Kelley dramatically increased the best-known size limit for such sets, surpassing a record set just three years earlier. An interview with Quanta magazine explores the research in depth.
The ICM is the world’s most prestigious mathematics gathering, drawing thousands of researchers to share advances across the field. It is also the venue where major awards, including the Fields Medals, are presented. The 2026 congress will take place in Philadelphia from July 23 to 30.