Caucher Birkar

Caucher Birkar, a distinguished mathematician born in Iran in nineteen seventy-eight, has made significant contributions to the field of modern birational geometry. Currently, he serves as a professor at Tsinghua University and holds the title of Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham. His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to advancing algebraic geometry.

In two thousand ten, Birkar was honored with the Leverhulme Prize in mathematics and statistics, recognizing his impactful work in algebraic geometry. His accolades continued in two thousand sixteen when he shared the AMS Moore Prize for his groundbreaking article on the existence of minimal models for varieties of log general type. The pinnacle of his achievements came in two thousand eighteen when he was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal for his proof of boundedness of Fano varieties and his contributions to the minimal model program.

Birkar's office at the university is adorned with photographs of his favorite mathematician, Alexander Grothendieck, who, like Birkar, was a refugee and a Fields medalist. This connection highlights Birkar's admiration for those who have faced adversity in their pursuit of knowledge.

Despite his academic success, Birkar remains deeply connected to his Kurdish heritage. He actively promotes Kurdish identity while emphasizing a separation from nationalism and politics. He believes that his strong Kurdish identity is not tied to political aspirations, a sentiment reflected in his name change to Caucher Birkar, which translates to 'the Migrating Mathematician.'