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| Professor Graeme C. Wake, giving a presentation at the Combustion Meeting in Honour of Professor B.F. Gray, 11-12 February 1999, Mollymook, NSW, Australia. Photograph by Mark Nelson. | |
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| Professor Graeme C. Wake standing on the Chevin, near Otley. 18th September 1999. Photograph by Mark Nelson. |
On 17th November 2004 The Royal Society of New Zealand elected 12 new Fellows, increasing the number of fellows to 322. One of these fellows was Professor G.C. Wake.
Citation: Graeme C. Wake, Professor of Industrial Mathematics, Centre for Mathematics in Industry, Massey University at Albany, and Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, University of Canterbury, is a talented and versatile applied mathematician who has been instrumental in focussing applied mathematics on issues of specific relevance to New Zealand, particularly in modelling biological systems in the agricultural, health and industrial sectors. He has applied ingenious mathematics to develop models for the spontaneous combustion of wool, hay and lignite, the growth of pasture for optimum production, population dynamics and control of unwanted animals and plants, and in minimizing the effects of epidemics and environmental damage by pests. In collaboration with biologists and clinical oncologists, he has developed innovative models of tumour cell growth with applications to cancer therapy. His world-class work is reported in more than 165 refereed publications.Graeme Wake has significantly advanced the teaching and application of mathematics in New Zealand. His enthusiasm and energy have inspired numerous research students and collaborators. He currently directs the Mathematics in Industry Study Group and is a founding member, former President (twice), and Fellow of the New Zealand Mathematics Society; he is the first New Zealander to be elected Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics group.