Chi Hoi (Kyle) Yip Receives Blair Spearman Doctoral Prize

This story was originally shared by the Canadian Mathematical Society newsroom. Read the full story here.

Chi Hoi (Kyle) Yip has been awarded the 2025 Blair Spearman Doctoral Prize by the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS), which recognizes outstanding performance by a doctoral student who graduated from a Canadian university.

Currently a Hale Visiting Assistant Professor in the Georgia Tech School of Mathematics, Yip earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) in 2024, under the supervision of Greg Martin, József Solymosi, and Joshua Zahl. 

Yip’s thesis “Topics in Arithmetic Combinatorics,” in addition to other contributions, represents a significant step forward in multiple areas of mathematics, blending deep theoretical insights with innovative techniques that have the potential to influence future developments in fields such as arithmetic combinatorics and number theory.

“The one thing that impressed me the most [about] Kyle is his mathematical versatility,” shares one nominator. “He is a master of so many areas, from analytic number theory to combinatorics, from algebra to arithmetic geometry.”

Beyond his Ph.D. thesis, Yip has produced new results in arithmetic geometry, extremal combinatorics, finite fields, and a broadening scope of number-theoretical topics. Since 2021, he has (co-)authored close to 45 publications and preprints, has delivered nearly 30 talks, and has been recognized with numerous awards, scholarships, and fellowships, including two NSERC fellowships and the 2023 Graduate Research Award from UBC’s Math Department.

About the CMS Blair Spearman Doctoral Prize
The CMS Blair Spearman Doctoral Prize recognizes outstanding performance by a doctoral student. The prize is awarded to one or two recipients of a Ph.D. from a Canadian university whose overall performance in graduate school is judged to be the most outstanding. Although the dissertation will be the most important criterion (the impact of the results, the creativity of the work, the quality of exposition, etc.) it will not be the only one. Other publications, activities in support of students and other accomplishments will also be considered.

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)
The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics competitions that recognize outstanding student achievements. The CMS is a registered non-profit, charitable organization and depends on grants, funding, and generous donations from sponsors, benefactors and community members to be able to carry out its activities.