Sydney Mathematical Research Institute

My Mathematical Journey: From Play To Sea!
2025-01-29 17:30 - 19:30 (Australia/Sydney)
A SMRI & AMSI Summer School Public Lecture by Jordan Pitt

Every time I mention that I’m a mathematician to someone new, the most popular response is ‘Oh I was TERRIBLE at maths!‘ and a general vibe that I’m an extreme weirdo for not sharing in this feeling. Honestly, as mathematicians, we are a bit different but I am going to try and explain why we’re not that weird in this talk. To do this I will provide some stories of my own mathematical journey and why I ended up loving it.

In this AMSI Summer School public lecture, University of Sydney mathematician Jordan Pitt will talk about his journey in mathematics. This will be a free event targeted to the general public, including interested school students. More details and registration.

Jordan Pitt, Associate Dean Indigenous Strategy & Services and School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney

Dr Jordan Pitt is a descendant of the Birri Gubba people and an applied mathematician. Like most, his passion for mathematics was sparked by a fantastic high school mathematics teacher. Since that fire ignited, he has had an academic career completing his undergraduate and PhD at the Australian National University working on numerical methods for tsunami modelling. He now studies the interaction of ocean waves and sea ice to improve climate models at the University of Sydney, continuing work begun as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Adelaide. In addition to his academic time, he has also worked at Geoscience Australia and the Australian Taxation Office on projects from modelling tsunamis to phone call times.

Key event details

Date & time:

Wednesday 29 January 2025

Public lecture: 5:30 – 6:30 pm

Canapés & drinks: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Cost:

This is a free event

Location:

SWHB Lecture Theatre 321

Level 3 Susan Wakil Health Building (D18)

University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus

Register for this event

National Science Week High School Workshop: Infinity mathematics
2024-08-14 16:30
Infinity mathematics workshop, Wednesday 14 August, 16:30–18:00
SMRI will host a National Science Week after-school workshop for high school students at the University of Sydney on Wednesday 14 August 2024. The workshop is aimed at students from years 8-11 with a keen interest in mathematics. In this workshop, we will have a deeper look into counting to infinity and try to figure out if all infinities are equal or one thing can be more infinite than another one. We will explore the mathematics of infinity through discussion and solving problems.
This event will be presented by University of Sydney mathematician, Milena Radnovic.
About the presenter: Milena Radnovic is Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University in Sydney. She was born, raised and educated in Belgrade, Serbia, where she worked for many years with talented students of the Mathematical High School and did research at the Mathematical Institute SANU. Before coming to Sydney, Milena also worked as a mathematician in the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
Milena’s research work mainly focuses on geometry and dynamics. She is an enthusiastic teacher for students of all ages and levels of education.

Click here to register via Humanitix

'Zeros'
2024-08-13 17:30 - 19:30
National Science Week 2024 Public Lecture by Professor Andrej Bauer

Have you ever wondered what makes mathematicians excited about seemingly dreary tasks, such as solving equations?

In the old days, mathematicians would compete in equation solving, with their reputation, money, and jobs at stake. More than once, they invented new kinds of numbers just so they could solve more equations. This intense passion and dedication suggests an unseen, hidden beauty that compels mathematicians to invest their lives in the pursuit of solutions.

Using modern computers, we will uncover and visualize this beauty, revealing the rich and intricate structure of equation solving for everyone to see. Join us and partake in the excitement of mathematical discovery.

About the speaker

Andrej Bauer is a professor of computational mathematics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. In 1994, he received his Sc.B. in Mathematics from Ljubljana, and in 2000, his PhD in Pure and Applied Logic from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2012, he was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study, where he contributed to the development of homotopy type theory. In 2022, he received the American Mathematical Society Levi L. Conant Prize for an outstanding expository paper “Five Stages of Accepting Constructive Mathematics” published in the Bulletin of the AMS.

Bauer’s work spans foundations of mathematics, constructive and computable mathematics, type theory, homotopy type theory, and mathematical principles of programming languages. He is a co-author of the book “Homotopy Type Theory: Univalent Foundations of Mathematics” and the initiator of the HoTT library, an extensive formalization of homotopy type theory in the Coq proof assistant. He is also known for his seminal work on programming with algebraic effects and handlers.

Bauer’s interests outside mathematics include computer-generated art and aikido, in which he holds a master’s degree.

Date:

Cost

SWHB Lecture Theatre 321

Level 3 Susan Wakil Health Building (D18)

University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus

The theory of numbers: From ancient Greece to the 21st century
2024-06-24 17:30
Mahler Tour 2024 Public Lecture
SMRI was lucky enough to host esteemed number theorist Professor Matthew Emerton for a public lecture, as part of his Mahler Lecture Tour. This lecture, aimed at members of the public interested in mathematics, explained some of the key ideas in the theory of numbers, as developed over the last two thousand-plus years. Beginning with the theory of geometric constructions from ancient Greek geometry, and its relationship to the discovery and properties of irrational numbers, Matthew Emerton sketched in broad outlines how these ideas evolved, through the theory of equations and their symmetries as developed by Galois, culminating in a description of some of the contemporary aspects of the theory. The focus emphasized how symmetries of mathematical problems, some obvious but some not-so-obvious, play a hidden role in the nature of their solutions.
Speaker bio: Matthew Emerton is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Chicago. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1998, under the supervision of Professor Barry Mazur. Following a postdoc at the University of Michigan, and an Assistant Professorship at the University of Chicago, he spent ten years as a faculty member at Northwestern University before returning to Chicago in 2011. He was an invited speaker at the 2014 International Congress of Mathematicians.
Professor Emerton’s areas of research are number theory, arithmetic geometry, and representation theory. He is known for his work on the Fontaine–Mazur conjecture, and for his construction (with Professor Toby Gee of Imperial College) of the eponymous Emerton–Gee Stacks, higher dimensional algebro-geometric objects which parameterize local Galois representations. Professor Emerton’s research is funded in part by both the National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation.
In addition to researching mathematics and advising his own students, Professor Emerton enjoys walking and kayaking in Chicago with his wife Therese (weather permitting!), reading poetry, and long-distance running.

Unpacking the AI Survival Kit - high school workshop
2024-05-30 16:30
Audience: Ambitious high school students with a creative mindset
Abstract: This workshop will take a more in-depth look at some of the creative ways to approach solving problems that will be raised in Po-Shen’s public lecture on “Using maths to invent solutions to large-scale human problems, just in time to survive AI”, taking place on Wed 29 May. Attendance at the lecture is not a prerequisite — you only need to bring a creative mindset to learn how mathematical insights can bring transformational change using game theory, combinatorics and AI.
About the speaker: Po-Shen Loh was the coach of the USA Math Olympiad team from 2013-2023. The team achieved its first-ever back-to-back #1-rank victories in 2015 and 2016, and then again in 2018 and 2019. His research and educational outreach takes him to cities across the world, reaching over 10,000 people each year through public lectures and events, and he has featured in or co-created videos totalling over 21 million YouTube views. He is a mathematics professor at Carnegie Mellon University and his work has appeared in national and international media, from ABC News, to the Wall Street Journal, CNN, the Straits Times, and more. His first lecture tour in Australia is supported by the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute.
Event date: Thursday 30 May, 4.30pm

Registration is required for this event – please find further details and registration link below.
Parking – parking is very limited on campus. Please consider public transport

Image credit: Tara.Winstead (pexels)

Using Maths to Invent Solutions to Large-Scale Human Problems, just in time to survive AI
2024-05-29 17:30
Description: “Why are we learning this?” — this dreaded question, often received by mathematics educators, is addressed in this public lecture by Prof Po-Shen Loh and moderated by Prof Francis Su, both visitors at the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute
Abstract: In this public lecture, Po-Shen will share his story of using his maths-professor background to devise new solutions to two practical problems that affect our whole society: disease control and education. The mathematical areas of network theory and game theory feature as inspirations in his work. During the COVID lockdown, he invented a tracking app which addresses the incentive misalignment problem intrinsic in contact tracing: in the traditional approach, people are asked to isolate to protect others against infection, not to save themselves.

Po-Shen has also been working for a decade at the intersection of education and technology. His latest creation is a new, highly-scalable ecosystem for teaching secondary school students how to invent their own solutions to unfamiliar (maths) problems, powered by a unique incentive alignment structure that involves professionally trained actors and comedians collaborating with maths stars. This comes just in time, as the rise of AI necessitates more advanced skills.

This talk will be accessible to all backgrounds.

About the speaker: Po-Shen Loh is a social entrepreneur and inventor, working across the spectrum of mathematics, education, and healthcare, all around the world. He holds a PhD from Princeton University and is a mathematics professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He served a decade-long term as the national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team from 2013–2023. He has pioneered innovations ranging from a scalable way to learn challenging math live online at comparable engagement to live-streaming entertainment, to a new way to control pandemics by leveraging self-interest. His work has appeared in national and international media, from ABC News, to the Wall Street Journal, CNN, the Straits Times, and more.

As an academic, Po-Shen has earned distinctions ranging from an International Mathematical Olympiad silver medal to the United States Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. His scientific research considers a variety of questions that lie at the intersection of combinatorics (the study of discrete systems), probability theory, and computer science. As an educator, he was the coach of the USA Math Olympiad team when it achieved its first-ever back-to-back #1-rank victories in 2015 and 2016, and then again in 2018 and 2019. His research and educational outreach takes him to cities across the world, reaching over 10,000 people each year through public lectures and events, and he has featured in or co-created videos totalling over 21 million YouTube views.

About the moderator: Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a past president of the Mathematical Association of America. His research is in geometric and topological combinatorics and applications to the social sciences. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and The New York Times. His book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, winner of the 2021 Euler Book Prize, has been translated into 8 languages. It is an inclusive vision of what math is, who it is for, and why anyone should learn it.

Join us for this much anticipated public lecture. Event details and registration link below.

Professor Po-Shen Loh Sydney Visit 2024
2024-05-29 00:00 - 23:59
Po-Shen Loh is a mathematics professor, social entrepreneur and inventor, working across the spectrum of mathematics, education, and healthcare, all around the world. He holds a PhD from Princeton University and is a mathematics professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He served a decade-long term as the national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team from 2013–2023. He has pioneered innovations ranging from a scalable way to learn challenging math live online at comparable engagement to live-streaming entertainment, to a new way to control pandemics by leveraging self-interest. His work has appeared in national and international media, from ABC News, to the Wall Street Journal, CNN, the Straits Times, and more.
Po-Shen presented at four public events in Sydney, as follows:

Public Lecture (University of Sydney)
Date: Wednesday 29 May
Title: ‘Using maths to invent solutions to large-scale human problems, just in time to survive AI’
Abstract: In this public lecture, Po-Shen shared his story of using his maths-professor background to devise new solutions to two practical problems that affect our whole society: disease control and education. The mathematical areas of network theory and game theory have featured as inspirations in his work. During the COVID lockdown, he invented a tracking app which addresses the incentive misalignment problem intrinsic in contact tracing: in the traditional approach, people are asked to isolate to protect others against infection, not to save themselves.
Audience: General public, anyone with an interest in mathematics
Registration link: Event closed.
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Seminar (University of New South Wales)
Date: Thursday 30 May
Title: ‘Uniting Game Theory, Maths & Actors To Build Human Intelligence in AI Age’
Abstract: Picture a “maths person”. Picture a “humanities person”. Picture a “drama person”. Do you picture very different people? What if someone could be everything all at once? It’s possible, and just takes intentionality, open-mindedness, and courage. It’s also the right time to think about building holistic human characteristics, because AI’s increasingly powerful capability will soon turn the job market upside down.
But can a re-orientation of education be done rapidly at scale? Fortunately, there is an area close to maths which devises solutions in which problems solve themselves even through self-serving human behavior: Game Theory.
Audience: Academics with interest in education and the future
Registration link: Event closed.
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High School Workshop (University of Sydney)
Date: Thursday 30 May
Title: ‘Unpacking the AI Survival Kit‘
Abstract: This workshop will take a more in-depth look at some of the creative ways to approach solving problems that were raised in Po-Shen’s public lecture (see above). Attendees brought a creative mindset to learn how mathematical insights can bring transformational change using game theory, combinatorics and AI.
Audience: Ambitious high school students with a creative mindset
Registration link: Event closed.
___________________________________________________
Seminar (University of Sydney)
Date: Friday 31 May
Title: Perspectives Seminar: ‘Communicating Maths for the Public’
Abstract: Po-Shen joined us in Week 10 of the Perspectives Seminar. Loh has been very active as a public communicator of maths. He gave 200+ talks in 100 cities last year, reaching tens of thousands of people in person, and has featured in or co-created videos totaling over 21 million YouTube views. In interactive discussion, Loh discussed how he approaches public communication, what the thinks about as he prepares, mistakes he’s made, lessons he’s learned, and how we might approach the future of public communication around mathematics. Participants also reflected on their own roles as communicators of mathematics.
Audience: Mathematical scientists in academia or industry
Link: Perspectives on Mathematics webpage

Image credit: Carnegie Mellon University

International Women in Mathematics Day event
2024-05-15 17:00
Every year in May, International Women in Mathematics Day (IWMD) celebrates the achievements of female mathematicians in honour of mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to be awarded the Fields Medal for Mathematics.
To celebrate IWMD 2024, SMRI hosted a fun event, including a trivia quiz with Professor Francis Su; animated shorts on Alicia Boole’s land of Polytopes and Kovalevskaya’s spinning top; and a ‘Spotlight on Women in Mathematics at The University of Sydney’ – followed by an informal gathering with pizza.
For general information on the International Women in Mathematics Day, visit https://may12.womeninmaths.org/

Geometry: The archetype of beauty
2024-03-14 18:00
International Day of Mathematics 2024 Public Lecture
“Geometry is the archetype of the beauty of the world.” – Johannes Kepler
Geometry was born from practical needs in ancient civilisations. Over the years, geometry has pushed boundaries of abstract and philosophical thought, facilitated scientific discoveries, and left an imprint in the finest art pieces.
Through her talk on “Geometry: the archetype of beauty“, University of Sydney academic Prof Milena Radnovic took us on a journey through the field of geometry.
Speaker bio: Milena Radnovic is Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney. Her research interests lie in geometry and dynamical systems.
Milena was born, raised and educated in Belgrade, Serbia, where she carried out research at the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Art and taught talented students in the Mathematical Grammar School. She has held fellowships with the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.
In addition to mathematics, Milena loves to read, cook, exercise, and spend time with her daughter, family, and friends.

Pi Day 2024 high school workshops
2024-03-12 16:00
SMRI hosted two after-school workshops for high school students at the University of Sydney on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 March to celebrate the International Day of Mathematics (aka “Pi Day”). Fold and cut theorem workshop: Tuesday 12 March, 16:00–18:00, Law Annex Seminar Room 342

Who doesn’t enjoy the relaxing feeling that comes with cutting out intricate shapes and designs from coloured paper for arts and crafts class? Sometimes, we might even find ourselves folding up our paper in clever ways such that one cut can do the work of many.
However, this poses an interesting question for mathematicians: given any shape, can we fold a rectangular sheet of paper in such a way that we can produce this shape with a single, straight cut?
We will answer this question by exploring the mathematics behind these folds and cuts in a combination of hands-on activities and discussions.This event will be presented by University of Sydney mathematicians, Thomas Zheng and Andy Tran.
The workshop is for high-school students in Sydney who are studying maths. Considering taking higher level mathematics next year or at University? Come along!

Ruler-and-compass vs origami workshop: Wednesday 13 March, 16:00–18:00, Law Annex Seminar Room 342

In this workshop we’ll explore the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid’s ruler-and-compass constructions, and their mysteries that stumped mathematicians for millennia: trisecting angles and squaring circles.

We’ll compare the ruler and compass method of construction to the Japanese art of paper folding—also known as origami—and see which one can achieve more! Can you origami-trisect an angle? Can you origami-square a circle? The answers are rooted in the concept of “field extensions”, discovered by 19th century mathematician Evariste Galois.

This event will be presented by University of Sydney mathematician Associate Professor Zsuzsanna Dancso from the School of Mathematics and Statistic’s Algebra Group.

The workshop is for high-school students in Sydney who are studying maths. Considering taking higher level mathematics next year or at University? Come along!

Math Circle School Talks - Morning and afternoon talks
2023-08-26 00:00
SMRI is hosted two talks at the University of Sydney on Saturday 26 August, presented by mathematician Quan Lam from the Berkeley Math Circle (University of California Berkeley). Copies of the slides for both talks are now available on the event page.
Numbers Are Not So Simple: Primary school maths talk 10:00–11:30 AEST
We’ll explore the topic of numbers, including: 1. The evolution of our number system 2. The importance of “zero” 3. Mysteries and patterns of numbers 4. Myths about some of the common properties of numbers We may even have time to briefly explore the mystery of “infinity”.
Event format : 1 hour talk, followed by 30 minutes Q&A. This talk is for primary school students in Sydney and their teachers. Students should be familiar with basic fractions (advanced knowledge of mathematics is not needed). Teachers of all subjects are welcome.

Register via Eventbrite (now closed)

Being Average: High school maths talk, 13:00–15:00 AEST
Join mathematician Quan Lam for this maths talk for secondary school students and teachers. We’ll explore the following topics:

1. What are some of the different kinds of “averages”? 2. When should we use them? 3. What are their applications? 4. How do we use these different types of averages and their relationships to solve difficult math problems?

Event format : 1.5 hour talk, followed by 30 minutes Q&A.
This talk is for secondary school students in Sydney and their teachers. Students should be familiar with simple algebra (advanced knowledge of mathematics is not needed). Teachers of all subjects are welcome.
Quan will also discuss Math Circles, the World Mathematics Team Championship and American/International Regions Mathematics League competitions, and maths education.

Register via Eventbrite (now closed)

About the speaker: Professor Quan Lam is a mathematics lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a key organiser of the Berkeley Math Circle, which aims to challenge younger minds with mathematical activities and competitions. Math Circles introduce kids to the wonders of mathematics and encourage them to undertake future careers linked with mathematics. Quan Lam carried out his undergraduate studies at California Institute of Technology and his graduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley. He is the Founder and Chairman of the World Mathematics Team Championship, the Chairman of the International Regions Math League and the Chairman and President of the United Math Circle Foundation.

The mathematics of twisting somersaults: National Science Week 2023 public lecture
2023-08-15 18:00
What do a space station, a falling cat, and a springboard diver have in common?
They are in free fall. But in contrast to a falling rock, they all have the ability to reorient themselves whilst they are falling.
In this talk, we’ll explore the principles behind this phenomenon. The mathematics underpinning the reorientation uses beautiful symmetries to explain the conservation laws of dynamical systems. In mathematics, this refers to systems where a function describes a point in space that is dependent on time, e.g. the swinging of a clock pendulum, or water flowing in a pipe.
Our understanding of the theory behind twisting somersaults (backed up by numerical simulations) has led to the discovery of a new dive called 513XD, which is awaiting performance at one of the next Olympics!
About the speaker: Holger Dullin is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Sydney. His research in dynamical systems employs geometric ideas to better understand a variety of problems ranging from (non-) rigid body dynamics to the gravitational n-body problem, quantum mechanics and spectral theory. He currently holds two ARC grants.
Holger received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Bremen in Germany in 1994. He was a researcher in Boulder, Colorado, and a lecturer in Loughborough, UK before coming to Sydney in 2008. When not doing mathematics, he can be found bushwalking with his wife and son.

Women in Mathematics Day 2023 "Olga Ladyzhenskaya" film screening
2023-05-12 16:30
To celebrate Women in Mathematics Day (12 May), SMRI hosted a screening of the short documentary “Olga Ladyzhenskaya” (2022) by acclaimed filmmaker Ekaterina Eremenko.
Everyone was welcome, particularly high school and university students of all genders.
This film was first presented during the World Women in Maths meeting in 2022 and tells the story of Olga Alexandrovna Ladyzhnskaya, whose 100th birthday was in 2022. To honour her memory, the Ladyzhenskaya Prize in Mathematical Physics (OAL Prize) was inaugurated in 2022.
Find more Women in Mathematics events to celebrate 12 May.

Duels and Duality: A fable about the life & mathematics of Évariste Galois
2023-03-14 19:00
What does the French revolution, a deadly duel and squaring a circle have to do with the birth of modern algebra? This public lecture looked at the amazing (and amazingly short) life of Évariste Galois, and the ideas he developed to solve problems that had bedevilled mathematicians for centuries.
University of Sydney academic, Prof Oded Yacobi, explored the power of symmetry in mathematics, and how seemingly abstract ideas can have profound effects…even on our lives today.

View the post-event news post for a photo gallery and companion articles, as well as the event recording:

About the speaker: Oded Yacobi is Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney, where he is a member of the Algebra Group. His interests are in representation theory, which is the mathematical study of symmetry and involves many other areas of mathematics such as geometry, topology, and number theory.

Oded received his PhD in 2009 from the University of California, San Diego, and before arriving in Sydney held research positions at Tel Aviv University and the University of Toronto. Outside of the university, he can be found playing soccer with his two boys, or taking unnecessary risks surfing at Maroubra Beach.

The secrets of Pi and other transcendental numbers
2022-11-23 18:00
SMRI was delighted to host esteemed algebraic number theorist Professor Frank Calegari for a public lecture, as part of his 2022 Mahler Lecture Tour.
Since antiquity, mathematicians have understood that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is a fundamental constant, the real number now known as Pi = 3.141529…Throughout the centuries, the number Pi has come up again and again in mathematics in many totally different contexts — as the special value of various integrals, the solution to questions in probability, and many more places.
In this talk, Prof Calegari explored a conjecture, formalised by Grothendieck, which explains how seemingly different occurrences of Pi (as well as many other interesting mathematical constants) should all be related. These numbers are linked to some the biggest open problems in algebra and number theory.
View the post-event news post for a photo gallery and companion articles, as well as the event recording:

About the speaker: Born in Melbourne, Frank Calegari attended Melbourne University as an undergraduate and completed his graduate studies under Ken Ribet at the University of California at Berkeley. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and was a Fellow of the American Mathematical Institute from 2002-2007, and a von Neumann Fellow of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study from 2010 to 2011.
Frank joined the Faculty of Northwestern University in 2006 and since 2015, he has been a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Chicago. Frank’s numerous awards include a Sloan Fellowship in 2009 and in 2013 he become a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
Frank’s other interests include coffee, cooking, cricket, and classical piano; he performed live with Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.
About the Mahler Lecture Tour: The Mahler lectures are a biennial activity organised by the Australian Mathematical Society, and supported by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute. The tour invites a prominent international mathematician to travel to Australian universities to deliver lectures at a variety of levels, including several public lectures.

Maths, AI and intuition with Geordie Williamson: Sydney Ideas event
2022-03-15 18:00
This public event took place on 15 March 2022. To receive updates about SMRI Public Events, please subscribe to the mailing list.
Artificial intelligence is one of the defining technologies of the 21st century. Over the last 15 years, machine learning models have learnt to perform tasks that humans find easy, such as speech and image recognition. However many problems are still out of the reach of AI, including most unsolved problems in pure mathematics.
In this talk, hosted by mathematician and MC, Adam Spencer, SMRI Director Professor Geordie Williamson explored how machine learning can help with the intuitive aspects of mathematical research. Geordie carried out one of the first applications of AI in pure mathematics, in collaboration with Oxford University mathematicians and DeepMind, the AI company of AlphaGo fame. The results were published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature in December 2021.
Geordie and the DeepMind team used machine learning models to uncover surprising patterns in mathematical objects, leading to progress on problems that have puzzled mathematicians for decades.
View the post-event news post for a photo gallery and companion articles, as well as the event recording:
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About the speaker: Professor Geordie Williamson FAA FRS is Director of the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute and a world-leading expert in representation theory, the mathematical theory of symmetry. Among other awards, he is a recipient of the Clay Research Award, the Chevalley Prize of the American Mathematics Society and 2017 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize.
About the MC: Adam Spencer, Mathematics and Science Ambassador for the University of Sydney, is a best-selling author and science communicator.

POSTPONED: The mathematics of knots with Jessica Purcell
2021-07-15 18:00
This public lecture was postponed. For updates, please subscribe to the SMRI Public Events mailing list.

Since prehistoric times, humans have used knots for their functional and aesthetic value. Knots, links and braids have held decorative, artistic and spiritual significance across a myriad of cultures. For mathematicians, the study of knots has led to insights in disciplines such as geometry and topology.
When is a knot not a knot—how do you know if it can be unknotted? How do you know if two knots are the same? Professor Purcell’s ongoing research explores some of the modern tools to study knots and some of the surprising applications of knot theory, such as quantum physics, synthetic chemistry and molecular biology.
Speaker bio: Jessica Purcell is a Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences and Associate Dean of Research (Faculty of Science) at Monash University. Her research interests are in geometry and topology, with a particular interest in 3-manifolds, hyberbolic geometry and knot theory. Professor Purcell will visit SMRI in late 2021 as part of the Domestic Visitor Program (2020 Round 2 Awardee).

NSW Chief Scientist's Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
2019-12-03 08:00
SMRI Director, Geordie Williamson gave a talk in this ongoing seminar series which showcases excellence in research and development which is generating economic, environmental, social and technological benefits for New South Wales. The six-part series featured some of the State’s best and brightest, and highlighted its tremendous research strength across a diverse range of disciplines.
Watch the recording
More on the NSW Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series

Sydney Ideas: Can calculus cure cancer?
2019-11-12 18:00
Cancer is a complex disease which continues to cause the premature deaths of many people. Research by clinicians and experimental biologists has dramatically improved outcomes for many patients, but further improvements are needed.
in this talk, Professor Helen Byrne showed how mathematical modelling is being used to understand how tumours grow and to predict how they will respond to treatments. Not only this, but it is also helping to accelerate the development of new treatments such as immunotherapy and virotherapy.
Prof Helen Byrne is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Oxford. She uses mathematical models to understand problems in bio-medicine, especially in the treatment of cancer. She is also a member of the advisory board of the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute.

Dr Simon Marais Memorial Lecture
2019-11-06 06:00
‘An intriguing journey in maths’ with Dr June HuhDr June Huh is a Clay Research Fellow and a member at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, USA. He applies tropical geometry and singularity theory to problems in combinatorics and other areas. He is best known in the field of mathematics for his proof of the Rota conjecture, which led him and fellow collaborating mathematicians to receive the 2019 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize as part of the Breakthrough Prize series.

Dr Huh received his Bachelor of Science from Seoul National University in 2007 and PhD in Mathematics from the University of Michigan in 2014. He was a speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2018.

Established in 2016, this the annual Simon Marais memorial lectureship commemorates Dr Simon Marais’ interest and commitment to mathematics, theoretical physics and education. The University of Sydney was entrusted to continue his passion by his family to inspire our students to pursue mathematics and theoretical physics, strengthen the research community in these fields and engage the general public in these fields of work. The inaugural memorial lecture was held in 2017.

Click here to watch the lecture

ABC Science Live on Stage – Ockham’s Razor
2019-08-15 18:00
An engaging event in which brilliant scientists told stories of their cutting-edge work. Real science told by real scientists with no notes, no slides – just great stories.
It’s all part of Ockham’s Razor – the ABC podcast for anyone with a compelling story of science. This was a jam-packed evening of short talks to intrigue, excite and inspire.
Professor Geordie Williamson (Professor of Mathematics, University of Sydney) asked, “where do ideas come from?”
Dr Kate Selway (Earth Scientist, Macquarie University) sought to unlock the secrets of the Earth’s composition from its surface.
Sheila Pham (Writer, Radiomaker, PhD Candidate, Macquarie University) examined whether we can use complexity science to improve the experience of pregnancy.
Dr Ursula Sansom-Daly (Clinician-Researcher, Clinical Psychologist, University of New South Wales) argued we need to bridge the divide between research and clinical practice.
Steve Cannane (Investigative Journalist, ABC) looked at the story of Scientology and science.

You can listen to Ockham’s Razor now via ABC Radio National, iTunes or wherever you get your favourite podcasts. Or, you can read the article.

This Sounds like Science: Why Music is Maths
2019-08-07 12:30
Why do guitars, flutes and voices sound different? How do we hear the different notes in a piece of music? Why does the sound of a whistle feel simpler than that of a violin? Most importantly, what does all of this have to do with the cover of Pink Floyd’s “The dark side of the moon”?

SMRI Director, Professor Geordie Williamson, gave an engaging public talk at the City Recital Hall and took the audience on a journey into the shape of sound and sound waves to explore the fascinating world of timbre, overtones, modes and frequencies. These ideas are amongst the most fundamental tools of modern mathematics and physics.

Learn more

This Sounds Like Science is supported by and co-curated with Inspiring Australia, the national strategy for community engagement with the sciences.
