Registration link will be provided soon. Student support to attend will be available. Speakers and program to be updated. 

Further Information

What are the greatest mathematical challenges for humanity? In 1959 ‘the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics’ was contemplated by Wigner as ‘a wonderful gift which we neither understand nor deserve’, the wonder being that mathematics is so powerful in describing and predicting observed behaviours of the physical and even the biological and social worlds. Sixty-five years later, those worlds are beset by even worse problems that are unprecedented in kind or in scale and global reach. Global climate warming, wildfires, the despairing, seemingly endless, cycles of regional wars that humanity seems locked into, the rise of the far right and authoritarianism, pandemics, the intractable biases of tech, microplastics pollution... 

This workshop aims to expand the celebrated effectiveness of mathematics, through – 

• a diversity of people in mathematics,
• a broader cultural diversity of mathematics in mathematics,
• global histories, evolution and transmission of mathematical knowledge,
• non-Western and First Nations mathematical knowledges.
• decolonisation of undergraduate courses in mathematical sciences,
• unprecedented ethical issues, the potential and risks of AI in mathematics education and research.

The program of this research workshop and winter school may include keynote speakers on mathematics histories and the frontiers and futures of their research, expert lectures on diverse mathematical topics of broad interest, and moderated discussion sessions.

Target participants include mathematics research students, early career researchers, university educators and senior researchers, and industry practitioners. Minimum mathematics prerequisite is completion of first-year mathematics to high standard. Lectures and Keynotes will be pitched at 3-4th year undergraduate and beginning postgraduate levels. At least one public lecture will be given, accessible to a general audience.

This will be a fully accessible, friendly, informal and inclusive event. We welcome and value contributions from all participants. This website will be updated; meanwhile please get in touch to express interest or ask questions! We are aiming to offer some financial support to mathematics undergraduate and postgraduate (Masters, M.Phil, PhD) students and early-career researchers from Australia, NZ Aotearoa, PNG, Timor-Leste, and Pacific Islands Nations. If you would like to be considered, please contact us by e-mail with your cv/transcripts and brief letter of recommendation from your academic supervisor or lecturer. Note that support is limited, and there may be costs that we cannot cover, such as visa and insurance costs.  

Convenor

Rowena Ball (Australian National University)

Invited Keynote Speakers – to be updated

Dr Kerri Spooner, Auckland University of Technology
Title: 'What happens to Māori in New Zealand’s Mathematics Education System?'

Dr Ian Le, ANU
Title: 'Comprehending Large Numbers'

Associate Professor Joan Licata, ANU
Title: TBC

Dr Maurice Chiodo, University of Cambridge UK
Topic: Ethics in mathematics. Title: TBC

Associate Professor Edward Doolittle, First Nations University of Canada
Topic TBC

Invited Guest Lecturers – to be updated

Parisa Kharazmi, University of Aveiro, Portugal, Early Career Lecturer

Dr Eloise Tredenick, University of Canberra

Dr Maurice Chiodo, University of Cambridge UK

Student support applications

We may offer partial travel and accommodation support for students travelling from outside Canberra. Further details TBA; meanwhile, if you would like to be considered for this opportunity please drop an email to the Convenor, Prof. Rowena Ball 

Scientific/Organising Committee and Co-Convenors

Lilia Ferrario (Australian National University)

Stephan Tillmann (University of Sydney SMRI)

Jared Field (Senior Lecturer, University of Technology Sydney)

Jordan Pitt (Associate Dean of Indigenous Strategy and Services and Applied Mathematician, University of Sydney)

Eloise Tredenick (Data Science Group, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Canberra)

Travel information

General information for visitors to ANU