Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mathematical Biology

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School of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Sydney

Closing Date: 31st January 2021

Do you want to be part of a vibrant and collegial community of world-class mathematicians and statisticians? We  are currently seeking to appoint an accomplished academic to the position of Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mathematical Biology . This position has been made possible by the awarding of a Future Fellowship titled “Unravelling the impact of social dynamics on human evolution through mathematical modelling” to Associate Professor Peter Kim. 

To succeed, you will be a talented and well-qualified mathematical scientist with expertise in any area that  strengthens the School’s profile and/or contributes strategically to university activities, particularly with regard to  the research interests of Associate Professor Peter Kim and the details of his current project. This includes but is  not limited to applied mathematics, mathematical biology, and mathematical modelling. 

If appointed, you will be expected to make a significant contribution to teaching and learning practice, design and  evaluation within the School/Faculty while continuing to build up research contribution, expertise and impact.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Mathematics: Coding Theory for Distributed Computation

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Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis
Aalto University

Closing Date: 25th January 2021

The School of Science, Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis is looking for a

Postdoctoral Researcher in Mathematics: Coding Theory for Distributed Computation

The Algebra and Discrete Mathematics Research Group in the Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis is looking for a postdoctoral candidate in the area of mathematical coding theory and its applications to distributed computation, including applications to remote healthcare. The work will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Camilla Hollanti, within her Algebra, Number Theory, and Applications (ANTA) Group. The ANTA Group believes in diversity, mutual respect, exchange of ideas and carrying out research together as a team. The candidate will also participate in collaboration with Nokia Bell Labs Finland. 

Preference will be given to candidates with strong knowledge in linear algebra and coding theory, preferably holding a PhD degree in Mathematics. Skills related to distributed computation and data preprocessing are considered an asset. An excellent command of English is required.

The position is for one year, with an option to continue for a second year. The position will start in April 2021 (negotiable). The initial salary is €3662 and the contract includes occupational health care and social security benefits.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Tibra Foundation Chair in Mathematical Sciences

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School of Mathematics and Statistics
The University of Wollongong

Closing Date: 8th February 2021

  • Permanent/continuing full-time appointment
  • Professor in Computational Statistics
  • Level E: $182,845 + 17% superannuation

This prestigious named Professorial Research Fellowship has been created through a major philanthropic gift from the Tibra Foundation to the University of Wollongong. The shared vision of both organisations is to build an internationally recognised hub of excellence in mathematical and statistical sciences at the University.

For the first five years, the position is fully funded by the Tibra Foundation, and will be at least 80% research, complemented by some outreach and research-relevant teaching activities. At the completion of the first five years, the position will revert to a continuing Professorial teaching and research position.

The Chair will establish and lead a world-leading research program in the area of computational statistics and applications, a component of UOW’s major Data and Decision Sciences Network initiative.

The Chair will contribute to the Tibra Foundation’s mission of promoting the critical role of Maths and Stats in society, and UOW’s teaching and research programs in mathematical sciences through targeted outreach activities, including public lectures and prize-award events, and through participation in and organisation of scientific events. The successful candidate will contribute to SMAS’ teaching through a light load of higher-level relevant undergraduate, honours and masters topics, and undertake some undergraduate and postgraduate research supervision. They will contribute to the promotion of mathematical and statistical skills and thinking in the wider community through mentoring of nominated scholars.

The position will be based in the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics (SMAS), and the Professorial Fellow will be a member of UOW’s high performing National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia (NIASRA). NIASRA incorporates five research centres: the Centre for Bioinformatics and Biometrics; Centre for Environmental Informatics; the Centre for Sample Survey Methodology; the Statistical Consulting Centre; and the newly established Centre for Health and Social Analytics. It is supported its own dedicated High-Performance Computing facility and IT support. NIASRA’s objective is to achieve excellence in applied statistics research by undertaking high-quality and high-impact research, consulting, and professional education and training in advanced statistical methodology.

You will be prompted to respond to a selection criteria questionnaire as part of the application process.

For further information about this position, please contact Senior Professor Aidan Sims (Head of School) on +61 2 4221 5003 or +61 418 122 888, or at asims@uow.edu.au.

Gender equity in the mathematical sciences is genuinely important to us. We strongly encourage women to apply for this Chair. Approximately 33% of current SMAS staff are women—we aim for 50%.

Awards for Australian Mathematicians

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This week the Australian Mathematical Society recognises the work of leading Australian mathematicians at its 64th Annual Meeting.

The virtual event, hosted by the University of New England, started today and saw the award of the AustMS Medal, the biennial George Szekeres Medal, the Society’s Award for Teaching Excellence, the Gavin Brown Prize, and the Mahony–Neumann–Room Prize. These prizes cover the breadth of contributions of mathematicians—from distinguished research of a mid-career researcher to sustained outstanding contributions; from teaching to a specific breakthrough publication in the last decade.

Later in the week the Society will award the B.H. Neumann Prize for the best student talk at the Annual Meeting, but until then there is a new podcast started by one of last year’s winners aiming to interview as many past Neumann Prize winners as possible.

In what follows I want to give a sense of what the medals were awarded for alongside the official citations. I also asked the winners some questions, you can see their answers below.

Read more

The Neumann Talk podcast

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We’re excited to announce the launch of a short-term podcast series, “The Neumann Talk”, produced by several UNSW Mathematics and Statistics staff members and students!

Each episode, our PhD candidate Yudhi Bunjamin (and joint-winner of the 2019 B.H. Neumann Prize) will interview a past winner of the B.H. Neumann Prize. The discussions will focus on the recipients’ journeys through the world of mathematics and statistics, and the ways in which they communicate ideas in maths.

The podcast series is available on all the usual platforms (Spotify, Apple, Anchor.fm etc.). Tune into the intro episode to hear about the motivation for the podcast as well as our first interview with Ian Wanless. We’ll be dropping a new episode every week. We hope you enjoy it and find it insightful!

Winners of the scienceXart school photography competition

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This year is the 100th anniversary of the International Mathematical Union, and in honour of this the Australian Academy of Science chose the theme ‘spot the maths’ for this year’s scienceXart competition. The competition was open to school students of all ages, with winners chosen in several year-level brackets: Foundation–Year 3, Years 4–6, Years 7–9 and Years 10–12. There was also a separate category dedicated to statistics. The winners can be seen at this link.

Open for entries from 28 June to 25 September, the competition engaged students with the mathematical sciences and highlighted the inherent creativity of maths. The competition received close to 1000 submissions from students all around Australia. The judging panel and Academy shortlisting team enjoyed the high quality and creative submissions that combined maths and art.

Dr Julia Collins of Edith Cowan University was on the judging panel and said “I was blown away by both the quality of the winning photos and also the creativity of how these students had seen unexpected mathematics in the world around us. From the spirals in shells and plants to circles made by falling raindrops and the hexagons in bubbles and beehives. Or the symmetry in a chairlift, the number patterns in playgrounds, and the wonderful visual statistics of swallows on a fence.”

The student who won each bracket will receive a STEM-related prize pack for themselves and their class.

Dr Collins noted that “The winners should be very proud of their achievements, and I encourage everyone to take a look at the shortlist of impressive photographs. I can’t wait to see what the 2021 competition will bring!” 

CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship in Emerging Infectious Diseases

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CSIRO

Closing Date: 16th January 2021

CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate and have less than three years relevant postdoctoral work experience. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system. CERC Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed for three years or part time equivalent.

Emerging infectious diseases are of global concern, as highlighted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. More than 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin (transmitted from animals to humans), and their incidence has tripled over the past 30 years. The increase of outbreaks been driven by a variety of factors including human encroachment into wildlife habitats, increasing urbanisation and climate change; Asia in particular is a global hotspot for zoonotic infectious disease emergence. CSIRO and JCU have partnered to build a research programme on emerging infectious diseases, focussing in Northern Australia and the IndoPacific region.

The focus of this position is on developing a digital decision support platform for detection and monitoring of emerging and neglected tropical diseases in Northern Australia and the IndoPacific region. The successful candidate is also expected to contribute more broadly to the overall research programme, based on their skills and interests.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Preparing to Teach the Class of 2020

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A/Prof Katherine Seaton and Dr Anthony Morphett have written an article that will appear in the March issue of the AustMS Gazette. It is being posted here early in advance of the start of next academic year, as it is relevant for those preparing to teach first-year mathematics.

The abstract is as follows:

When the high school graduates of 2020 arrive in our first year maths courses in 2021 (a gap year not really being on the cards), what should we expect? All Australian students experienced some level of disruption to their studies in 2020 due to COVID-19, though the impact of the pandemic was greatest in Victoria. This note summarises what we see as the most relevant changes to senior secondary mathematics in 2020 for Australian tertiary mathematics educators.

You can access the article at this link (pdf).

Postdoctoral Researcher

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Oxford Protein Informatics group
Department of Statistics
University of Oxford

Closing Date: 8th January 2021

Grade 8: £41,526- £49,553 p.a. 

There is an exciting new opportunity in the Oxford Protein Informatics group for a postdoctoral researcher to work in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim. We are recruiting to the vacancy now, for someone to start as soon as possible. You will carry out research in the area of immunoinformatics, in a dynamic and collaborative group and department, where our research is world-leading.

We need you to hold a relevant PhD/DPhil and to have programming experience. Your track record will include working with protein data in particular knowledge of antibody and/or general protein engineering. Interested in working in immunoinformatics, you will be an excellent communicator with an appreciation of the different working environments on offer in industry and academia.

Queries about this post should be addressed to Professor Charlotte Deane (deane@stats.ox.ac.uk ) or Dr Dan Nissley (daniel.nissley@stats.ox.ac.uk).

This post is fixed-term for three years, in the first instance.

For more information and to apply, click here.

PhD in geometric group theory/theoretical computer science

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University of Technology Sydney
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences


A PhD place is available starting in 2021 in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, to work with Professor Murray Elder (UTS) and Dr Adam Piggott (ANU) on the project “Geodetic groups: foundational problems in algebra and computer science”.

Candidates with a strong interest and demonstrated skills in algebra, combinatorics and/or theoretical computer science are sought, who are able to contribute collaboratively to a research team as well as being able to work independently and self-motivated.

The recipient must be a domestic student (Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident or NZ Citizen). Applicants from all backgrounds including traditionally underrepresented groups are welcomed. 

Essential Skills/Qualifications 

  • First class Honours or MSc or equivalent 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English 
  • Demonstrated organisational skills, time management and ability to work to deadlines 
  • Demonstrated problem solving abilities and analytical skills 
  • The ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as a member of a team 

Desirable 

  • Previous studies or work in geometric group theory and/or formal language theory, automata, rewriting systems 
  • Programming skills 

The recipient will receive a domestic Commonwealth Research Training Program scholarship (RTP Stipend) at the 2021 indexed RTP rate of $28,597 pa for 3 years.

The successful student will be expected to enrol for Research Session 1 (previously known as Autumn Session) between 1 January to 30 May 2021.     

Please direct enquiries to Murray.Elder@uts.edu.au