16 May 2005

The University of Queensland will hold an intensive world-class program in advanced postgraduate mathematics at its St Lucia campus in July.

Organised in conjunction with the International Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics (ICE-EM), the inaugural Graduate School in Mathematics will take place at UQ from July 4-22.

Based on successful US and European models, the intensive program will enable postgraduate students to learn the equivalent of a semester long US university advanced mathematics course in just three weeks.

School of Physical Sciences Mathematics Professor Mark Gould said that while American students undertook intensive courses as part of their PhD, similar courses had not been offered in Australia before.

“We expect the Graduate School in Mathematics to become an annual event at UQ. In this first year, ICE-EM is offering generous travel and accommodation subsidies to postgraduate students from Australian institutions.”

Internationally recognised mathematics researchers from world-class universities in London, California, Chicago, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Israel will be presenting the program of lectures.

A total of 30 lectures will be offered in each stream - Algebraic Structures, Dynamical Systems, and Stohastic Processes – and classes will be limited to 25 participants to allow for interaction and discussion.

Postgraduate students in maths and cognate disciplines from around Australia and internationally are invited to apply. Acceptance into the program will be based on academic merit.

Applications can be made online at http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/IAGSM/ and the closing date is Friday 20 May.

Media: For further information contact Professor Mark Gould, UQ Mathematics, (telephone 3365 2424, email mdg@maths.uq.edu.au) or Lynda Flower (telephone 3365 2151, email l.flower@uq.edu.au)