News 2007
Eight professors
While mathematics departments across Australian universities have been in marked decline, Wollongong has chosen a different path and is now reaping the benefits.
So confident is the University of Wollongong in the future for the discipline of mathematics that it now boasts eight full professors alone – the highest number in the University’s history with three of the professors having been appointed during 2007.
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The eight professors from Mathematics and Applied Statistics are back row (from left): Professor Martin Bunder, Professor David Steel, Professor David Griffiths, Professor Jim Hill and Professor Matt Wand; and front row (from left): Professor Ray Chambers, Professor Song-Ping Zhu and Professor Iain Raeburn
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The School has recently attracted 21 honours students which is three times larger than normal intakes. Having 21 students outshines even some of the big mathematics departments at metropolitan universities.
Among its course offerings, UOW provides a four-year Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance degree which is equipping students with the combination of a finance background and quantitative skills.
The School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics says this has been providing an excellent springboard for jobs in the finance sector -- particularly in Sydney’s CBD.
And UOW’s statistics group has excellent links with the Australian Bureau of Statistics so statistics students quickly learn the professional advantages in graduating with an honours degree.
Rail report
The six page Rail Report published in The Australian on 18-19 August 07 contained an article "Space age technology - steam age tracks" by A/Prof Phil Laird, former National Chairman of the Railway Technical Society of Australasia, and long term researcher into rail transport.
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The Rail Report complements a House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services report 'The Great Freight Task: Is Australia’s transport network up to the challenge?' released 13 August. This report has some reference to UOW/Rail CRC/ARC supported research including computer simulation of trains moving over existing and potential new track, and, the Maldon Port Kembla railway. [Oct 07]
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Grants
The latest round of research grant funding brought good news to four staff of SMAS:
- Prof Ray Chambers has been awarded an ARC Discovery Grant for a project entitled "Statistical Inference for Probability-Linked Longitudinal Data", Total funding: $235,000
- Prof Matt Wand has been awarded an ARC Discovery Grant for a project entitled "Generalised Linear Mixed Models: Theory, Methods and New Areas of Application", Total Funding: $250,000
- Prof Song-Ping Zhu; Dr Joanna Goard and industry partner Mr Tim Berry of Tibra Capital were awarded an ARC Linkage Grant for a project "Developing a robust model for pricing inter-related volatility-based financial derivative contracts" Total Funding: $150,000. [Oct 07]
Teaching award
Dr Anne Porter, an innovative and dedicated teacher, has recently been recognised by two organisations for her skill and dedication.
The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education has awarded Anne one of the 2007 Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. For more details, see http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW032496.html
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The Peer Recognition Teaching Awards were presented by the South Coast/Illawarra Branch of the Australian College of Educators to teachers from the TAFE, early childhood, school and university sectors. These awards were about people who give themselves over to teaching and particularly to their colleagues. This award recognised the outstanding contribution Dr Porter has made to improving learning outcomes across the Faculty of Informatics, bringing together academic staff from across the constitutive departments in the process. [Oct 07]
Grant success
Congratulations to three staff of SMAS who have recently been successful in grant applications. They are
- Dr Annette Worthy and A/Prof Tim Marchant for a project entitled "Modelling Signal Interaction in Nematic Liquid Crystals", with University of Edinburgh and University of Rome III, $9,000;
- Songping Zhu for a project "Further Development of HAM in Mathematical Finance" with SJT, Jiao Tong University, China, $8,000 [Aug 07]
Matt Wand made a Fellow of the IMS
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Matthew Wand, Research Professor in Statistics at UoW has been named Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS). An induction ceremony will take place July 30, 2007 at the Joint Statistics Meetings/IMS Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Professor Wand received the award for fundamental contributions to the theory, computation, and applications of nonparametric and semiparametric statistical methods. Each Fellow nominee is assessed by a committee of his/her peers for the award. In 2007, after reviewing 48 nominations, 23 were selected for Fellowship.
Created in 1933, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics is a member organization which fosters the development and dissemination of the theory and applications of statistics and probability.
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The IMS has 4500 active members throughout the world. Approximately 5% of the current IMS membership has earned the status of fellowship. [May 07]
Best paper award
Ms. Nongnit Chancharat, co-supervised by Dr. Pamela Davy and A/Prof. Michael McCrae has been awarded a "Best Paper Award" at the European Applied Business Research Conference held in Venice, Italy, June 4-7, 2007.
Her paper was entitled "Examining Financially Distressed Company in Australia: The Application of Survival Analysis" with joint authors Pamela Davy and Michael McCrae.
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New artwork
An artwork inspired by the achievements of the first professor of mathematics at the University of Wollongong, the late Professor Austin Keane, has been installed on the ground floor of Building 15.
An official "unveiling" of the display, which was designed by students from the Faculty of Creative Arts, took place on 5 June 2007, and was attended by members of the Keane family, as well as former colleagues and students of Professor Keane.
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Mrs Lorna Keane (front) with her children Phillip and Joanne at the official unveiling of the display
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John Newnes, from Illawarra Glass the company that contstructed the display, with one of the design team, Amanda Warton
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Head of the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Associate Professor Timothy Marchant and Professor Martin Bunderwith the Keane family
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Grant success
Congratulations to three staff of SMAS who have recently been successful in grant applications with Linkage partners. They are
Ray Chambers and David Steel with Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Public Health Intelligence, for a project entitled "New methods for small group analysis from sample surveys" Total ARC funding $361,000;
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Ray Chambers
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David Steel
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Songping Zhu
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Songping Zhu and partners A/Prof P Cooper; Dr DH Wood; Dr T Denniss with Energetech Australia Pty Ltd for a project entitled "Wave to Wire: Optimising Hydrodynamic Performance and Capture Efficiency of Next Generation Ocean Wave Energy Systems" Total ARC funding $313,868 [May 07]
OCTAL awards
The Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning (OCTAL) are awarded each year to staff who have made a major contribution to teaching and learning excellence within the University of Wollongong. It is a source of pride in the School that SMAS had two awards winners this year: Maureen Morris (winner of the Sessional Tutor/Demonstrator Award), and Annette Worthy (winner of the Faculty Award for Informatics).
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Maureen Morris
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Annette Worthy
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The Tutor/Demonstrator award is open to all causal tutors across the University and there is only one given. Maureen Morris has been a tutor in the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics for the last few and is currently doing a PhD in Math/Stats Education. Her enthusiasm and desire to make things the very best for her students mean she is a thoroughly deserving winner.
There were only three Faculty Awards across the University, so Annette Worthy has been honoured above extremely talented competition. [March 07]
Big honours class in 2007
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While recent media reports have detailed declining numbers of students taking mathematics at university level, UOW's School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics this year has well and truly defied the trend.
The School has attracted 21 honours students which is three times larger than normal intakes.
Having 21 students outshines even some of the big mathematics departments at metropolitan universities, according to Dr Mark Nelson, Honours Coordinator, pictured left with 19 of the new honours students. [link to more][March 07]
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MISG underway
MISG is currently underway, with about 80 delegates from a number of countries. Professor Robert Mckibbin, Head of Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, NZ is the invited guest speaker, and will be presenting a special talk on talk on Wednesday 7th Feb entitled:" Industrial mathematics: Endless Conversations". For more details, please check the conference website. [Feb 07]
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Dr Maureen Edwards from UOW, Professor Robert McKibbin from Massey University who was the invited speaker, Associate Professor Tim Marchant from UOW and Joe Maisano from Trading Technology Australia
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Link to 2006 News
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