PhD scholarship on game theory and fundamental social and biological interactions@Victoria University of Wellington

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  • Full tuition fees
  • Stipend of NZ$28,500 per year (tax free)
  • Due date: Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Applications received by Friday 21 January 2022 will receive full consideration.
  • Start date: Start date is flexible but would preferably be between January and June 2022.

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD scholarship to examine fundamental social and biological interactions using game theory.

Do you want to know why fundamental aspects of social and biological interactions are the way they are? Such as why sexual reproduction nearly always requires two different sexes. And why money is pretty much ubiquitous in human societies.

We do! We see the world through the lens of evolutionary game theory with stochastic interacting agents. They all want to get the best for themselves, and somehow self-organise to find equilibria where nobody is too unhappy.

Constructing and analysing these games requires maths, computer science, and some knowledge of the system we are evolving, which might be the evolution of oogamy, or more generally cooperation within groups. Or something else that’s equally exciting… That’s where you might come in.

For more information and application details, please see this page.

PhD scholarship on modelling spreading processes on real-world networks@UAuckland

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  • Full tuition fees
  • Stipend of NZ$28,500 per year (tax free)
  • Due date: Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Applications received by 15 January 2022 will receive full consideration.
  • Start date: Start date is flexible but would preferably be between March and June 2022

Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship to work on a project modelling and understanding spreading processes on multilayer and multiplex networks.

There is growing understanding that spreading processes on real-world networks are typically moderated or influenced by additional factors, which themselves occur on networks and with feedback loops between the processes on the two networks. These dual spreading processes can occur either across a single node set with multiple edge types (multiplex networks), or multiple distinct node sets, with different edge types within and between the node sets (multilayer networks).

This project aims to understand how the outcomes of spreading processes are affected by the multilayer and multiplex network structures and by different network topologies arising in different applications, for example, by considering how behavioural dynamics can affect contagion in networks of epidemic spread.

You will combine mathematical modelling and dynamical systems methods with practical applications using concrete data to understand the role of social factors in epidemic spread and to investigate the dynamics of these processes.

For more information and application details, please see this page.

Ph.D. position in topological/computational group theory@UNewcastle

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A Ph.D. position is available to work with Dr Stephan Tornier and other members of the Zero-Dimensional Symmetry Research Group at The University of Newcastle on the ARC DECRA project “Effective classification of closed vertex-transitive groups acting on trees”.

Candidates with a strong interest and demonstrated skills in at least one of the following areas are encouraged to apply: (topological) group theory, computational algebra (e.g. with GAP), graph theory, combinatorics.

Please direct expressions of interest to stephan.tornier@newcastle.edu.au by January 31, 2021. 

See https://zerodimensional.group/news/phd_advert.html for further details.

Lecturer in Statistical Inference for Complex Models@QUT

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Closing date: 09-Jan-2022

Campus: Gardens Point

Remuneration: Total remuneration range: $119,829 to $142,312 pa (LEVB) (inclusive of $101,257 to $120,255 pa salary and 17% superannuation)

Status: Fixed-term, full-time basis for 4 years

Position contact: Professor Chris Drovandi (07) 3138 1756

The School of Mathematical Sciences at QUT is looking to recruit a Lecturer (Level B) who is able to provide strategic capacity in both research and learning and teaching within the school with expertise in statistical inference for complex models.

We are seeking applicants with expertise in the development of novel statistical methods and algorithms to perform parameter estimation and model selection for complex models, which can have varying levels of intractability. There is an opportunity to collaborate with researchers in domains where complex models are prevalent, such as mathematical biology and epidemiology.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated expertise in Bayesian statistics, particularly in new computational algorithms and their associated theory. Applicants for this position will ideally have a strong publication track- record (relative to opportunity) in statistics and/or machine learning with an emphasis on computational Bayesian methods.

The candidate will have an ability and strong interest in providing high-quality statistics and data science learning experiences for students in the QUT BMath and BDataSc degrees, as well as for students from other fields where statistics is used, such as engineering, science and health.

For information see here (pdf), and to apply see here.

Research Fellow in Statistical Science@UWollongong

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Closing Date: 6 February 2022, 11:59PM AEDT

The Centre for Environmental Informatics (CEI) in the National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia (Centre for Environmental Informatics – University of Wollongong – UOW) is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral Research Fellow in Statistical Science for up to three years, to join CEI Director Dist. Prof Noel Cressie and Assoc. Prof Andrew Zammit Mangion on a major initiative from the Australian Research Council: Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF). SAEF will deliver interdisciplinary science to forecast environmental change across Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic, and the Southern Ocean; deploy effective environmental-stewardship strategies in the face of this change; and secure Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science (https://arcsaef.com). 
Details about the position can be found at:
Research Fellow in Statistical Science – University of Wollongong Careers (oraclecloud.com) 

The successful candidate will use statistical data science skills in areas that include the development and implementation of regional-climate data fusion, statistical downscaling, ice-sheet model calibration, and studying the effects of present and future climate on biodiversity in Antarctica. This will involve collaboration with researchers from SAEF’s participating universities and research institutions.

Wollongong is a highly liveable city on the beautiful Illawarra coast, about 50 miles (80km) south of Sydney.

Contact: Dist. Prof Noel Cressie (ncressie@uow.edu.au)

Algy Howe

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It is with great sadness that we bring to you the news of the sudden passing of Algy Howe, at the age of 79.

Algy was the Society’s Treasurer between 1994 and 2019, and an Honorary Member of AustMS in recognition of his many years of exceptional service.

Algy was born on the third of August 1942, and grew up in Guyra, NSW. He attended Armidale High School, before commencing his undergraduate studies at the University of New England in 1960. Algy completed his BSc Honours degree at UNE in 1963 and moved to the ANU in 1964 to undertake his doctoral degree in mathematics under the supervision of Andrew Coppel.

Following the successful completion of his PhD, specialising in differential equations, he took up a temporary lectureship at the University of Queensland in early 1967. Later in the year he commenced a two-year postdoctoral position at Brown University in the United States. In August 1969, Algy commenced his appointment as Lecturer in the Department of Pure Mathematics, in the Faculty of Arts at ANU, under the Headship of Hanna Neumann. He subsequently remained at ANU throughout the rest of his career.

Algy unexpectedly passed away on 21 December, and will be deeply missed by all of those in our community who have had the pleasure of knowing him.

The Society wishes to expresses its condolences to his wife Maisie and children Marc and Melissa.

The family will hold a private farewell with just the immediate family prior to the New Year.

They will be holding a memorial event at the ANU mid to late January. Details will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Please note, the family are also gathering personal messages for Algy that they will place with him on the day of his cremation before the New Year.  

If you would like to convey a personal message to Algy, please email it to melissahowe10@gmail.com prior to 30 December.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations be made to https://www.marineconservation.org.au/actions/donate-sustainable-fisheries/ .

Deborah Jackson

Neil Trudinger

Ole Warnaar

AustMS2021 plenary profile – Richard Brent

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This is the eighth in a series of interviews with the plenary speakers for the upcoming 65th Annual Meeting of the AustMS.

  1. What is your earliest mathematical memory?

 It’s hard to be sure, but I do remember being pleasantly surprised to learn that 1 + 2 + … + n = n(n+1)/2 – I don’t recall if I worked it out for myself or not. When a young boy (aged about 6) I used to amuse myself on long car trips by doing mental arithmetic, but maybe that doesn’t count as “mathematics”.

  1. What made you decide to become a mathematician, and when?

When I went to Uni (Monash, 1964-67) as an undergraduate I was undecided between maths, physics and chemistry, but I found that chemistry was too “ad hoc” and physics too “experimental” for me. Also, Monash had a great maths (and stats) department in those days – people like Gordon Preston, Zvonimir Janko, E. Strzelecki, Terry Speed, etc. So perhaps I decided to become a mathematician around 1966, in my third year at Monash. As a graduate student at Stanford (1968-71), I took courses from some great mathematicians (George Polya (in his eighties), Menahem (Max) Schiffer) but ended up graduating in Computer Science (which also had mathematicians: Forsythe, Golub, Knuth, etc). I then worked at the mathematical end of computer science for many years, and did not get a “real” job as a mathematician until the age of 58, when I became a Federation Fellow in MSI at ANU.

  1. Name a favourite paper by a contemporary mathematician, and why (or more than one, if you can’t decide).

This paper improved on several earlier papers, and any further improvement would require proving (or disproving) the RiemannHypothesis. (Several other papers by Terry Tao are also amongst my “favourites”.)

  1. What historical mathematician would you like to be able to talk maths with? What would you ask them?

Bernhard Riemann. I would ask him what he knew (or believed to be true) about the Riemann zeta function, but had not published.

  1. What result would you like to see in mathematics in the next 10 years?

A proof that P ne NP, or that the Riemann Hypothesis is true, or that the optimal exponent in the complexity of matrix multiplication is strictly greater than two, or […]. One attraction of mathematics is that there is never a shortage of interesting open problems!

Australian mathematicians recognised for contributions to research, teaching and the discipline

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This week the Australian Mathematical Society recognises the work of leading Australian mathematicians at its 65th Annual Meeting.

The hybrid event, hosted by the University of Newcastle, started today and saw the award of the AustMS Medal, the George Szekeres Medal, the Society’s Award for Teaching Excellence, and the Gavin Brown 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 specific outstanding publications in the last decade.

Read more

Honorary memberships for trio of leading mathematicians

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AustMS is pleased to announce that, at the hundred and thirty-first Council meeting, Council has unanimously decided to award Professor Graeme Hocking, Professor Nalini Joshi and Associate Professor Peter Stacey Honorary Membership of AustMS for their exceptional services to the Society and to the discipline of mathematics.

A person distinguished for the promotion, extension or application of mathematical knowledge may be elected by the Council as an Honorary Member of the Society.

https://austms.org.au/membership/

AustMS2021 plenary profile – Robyn Araujo

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This is the seventh in a series of interviews with the plenary speakers for the upcoming 65th Annual Meeting of the AustMS.

  1. What is your earliest mathematical memory?

I don’t have any very early mathematical memories, although my Mum has always proudly claimed that she heard me speak my first words as a toddler when I started to count out the clothes pegs in her laundry!!  (Apparently I was an avid watcher of Sesame Street as a young child, and my parents are convinced that I learned to count, and read simple words, from watching that).   But I do remember starting to take a serious interest in mathematics in early High School, as I had a truly fantastic maths teacher who gave wonderful explanations of mathematical concepts, so I started to appreciate the exciting possibilities of mathematics.

  1. What made you decide to become a mathematician, and when?

I never made a conscious decision to pursue mathematics, as such.  As an undergraduate, I initially got started in Engineering, but was a little disappointed with the amount (and level) of mathematics taught in my degree.  Bit by bit, I transitioned over into a more mathematical direction and then did a PhD in applied mathematics at QUT.

  1. Name a favourite paper by a contemporary mathematician, and why (or more than one, if you can’t decide).

It’s hard to pick just one paper, but I’d love to highlight the extraordinary work of the German mathematician Karin Gatermann here [See eg ACM DL, ResearchGate -Ed].   Unfortunately, Karin passed away in 2005 while only in her early forties;  but Karin was an extraordinary mathematical pioneer in symbolic computation and toric geometry, and was one of the first mathematicians to identify deep connections between mass-action kinetics and toric varieties. 

  1. What historical mathematician would you like to be able to talk maths with? What would you ask them?

If I had to pick just one historical mathematician, I’d probably pick Galois … I’d love to ask him where his ideas and insights came from, and how his mathematical thinking evolved.

  1. What result would you like to see in mathematics in the next 10 years?

I’d love to see a big breakthrough in the mathematics of the ‘Laws of Life’.  In many ways, the current state of biology and the life sciences is reminiscent of the state of physics 400-500 years ago.  Historically, biologists have shied away from ‘grand theories’ of nature, and have tended to focus more on details and reductionist approaches.  But things are changing, and there is now renewed hope that we may find the ‘laws of life’ in a similar spirit to the fundamental laws of nature in other areas of physics.