Conference surveys the latest developments in maths application and education

Scientists, engineers and mathematics educators have gathered in Sydney this week for the 10th Engineering Mathematics and Applications Conference (EMAC2011), at UTS.

The conference provides a forum for researchers interested in the development and use of mathematical methods in engineering and applied mathematics. A further theme of the conference is the mathematical education of applied mathematicians and engineers.

On maths education, last week's decision by the Federal Government to scrap the HECS subsidy for students in science and mathematics courses at universities is likely to prompt debate on the erosion of crucial maths skills in Australia according to Conference Chair Dr Mary Coupland.

Dr Coupland said whether or not the HECS measure had been effective, it was not the time to take away support for the mathematical sciences. "It is time for major efforts by both levels of government to address declining numbers of HSC students taking mathematics," she said.

NSW Board of Studies figures show an increasing proportion of HSC students opting out of maths courses and a consequent decline in 2 Unit and extension 1 subjects, which are the minimum standards for university level maths.

Six distinguished keynote speakers will present at EMAC2011 on the role of mathematics in a wide range of fields, including understanding climate and the environment, computational physiology, materials science and nanotechnology, and industrial applications of mathematics.

They are:

Professor Simon Beecham
University of South Australia
Understanding trends, step changes and the influence of climate indices on rainfall in South Australia

Professor Shaun Hendy
Victoria University of Wellington
Applications of mathematics to nanotechnology and materials science

Professor Peter Hunter
University of Auckland
The VPH/Physiome Project and the role of engineering mathematics in computational physiology

Dr Birgit Loch
Swinburne University of Technology
Teaching Mathematics with Technology

Dr Tanya Tarnopolskaya
CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics
Practical insight through asymptotic and perturbation analysis

Dr Christopher Watson
University of Tasmania
Space Geodesy: Current techniques, challenges and some unsolved problems

EMAC2011 is organised by the Engineering Mathematics Group, a special interest group with the Australian and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics Division of the Australian Mathematical Society.