2019 Highlights

ACEMS has had another very productive year in 2019. Some of the highlights are summarised below.

Research

  • Continued to create world-class research at the frontiers of the mathematical sciences dealing with probability and randomness, contributing to the Centre’s four research themes of: Challenging Data, Multiscale Models, Enabling Algorithms and Informed Decisions
  • Made advances in various areas: see the detailed list of key achievements within each research theme report and also via 15 brief impact case studies
  • Increased cross-node collaborations and support of early-career researchers via internal support schemes such as the Research Support Scheme (RSS) and Industry Collaboration Support Scheme (ICSS)
  • Made advances in various areas of the Centre’s collaborative domains of Healthy People, Sustainable Environments, and Prosperous Societies.
  • Organised, sponsored and participated in research-focused workshops and conferences to showcase the Centre’s world-class research
  • Hired an additional 14 postdoctoral researchers, recruited an additional 62 students, and farewelled 40 higher degree by research (HDR) students who completed their studies
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National and international links

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Communication

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Mentoring

  • Continued with the Centre’s successful cross-node Mentoring Program and Alumni Program to encourage, support and facilitate ACEMS members across all nodes, including mentoring with a focus on equity and diversity issues
  • Offered more online mentoring seminars broadcast across the nodes, expanding it to including workshops on equity and diversity topics
  • Provided vacation scholarships and interacted with existing vacation scholarship schemes
  • Identified opportunities for ACEMS HDR students and ECRs to engage with the international research community, including via the Centre’s highly successful International Mobility Programme
  • Facilitated greater cross-node interaction through the promotion of visitor and travel schemes, and cross-node supervision and mentoring
  • Highlighted and supported student and early-career researchers’ achievements including new publications, grants, awards, international and national travel, collaborations and professional development
  • Included mentoring and professional development sessions on communication skills and career development at the Centre’s various retreats, including the Student and ECR Retreat
  • Nominated people for prestigious awards
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Outreach to schools

Outreach to the general public

Outreach within the Mathematical Sciences Reseach Community

  • Organised and/or sponsored a total of 13 events across the country as part of the first ever "International Women in Mathematics Day" celebrations that took place all over Australia during the month of May
  • Organised, hosted and participated in a range of events including careers networking events and ACEMS Meet-and-Greets
  • Sponsored and supported relevant workshops, conferences and events, including via sponsorships that make an impact
  • Continued to provide financial support of the mathematical research institute MATRIX

Stakeholder engagement

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Equity and Diversity

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Governance and Operations

  • Implemented initiatives supported by the Equity and Diversity Committee such as the three new female-only postdoctoral research fellow positions
  • Closely engaged with the Scientific Advisory Committee about the Centre’s research as well as equity and diversity initiatives such as the three new female-only postdoctoral research fellow positions, annual reporting, and the Centre’s wind-down and legacy
  • Closely engaged with the Governance Advisory Board regarding the Centre’s ongoing response to its mid-term review, equity and diversity initiatives, industry engagement for PhD students and early-career researchers, financial matters, staffing changes, the annual retreat, and the Centre’s wind-down and legacy
  • Farewelled Dr Patricia Menéndez as Partner Organisation representative on the Scientific Advisory Committee, and welcomed Dr Juan Ortiz from the Australian Institute of Marine Science in her place
  • Managed substantial professional staff changes:
    • Welcomed back Emily Duane from maternity leave in January to work part-time on the strategic development of the Centre’s flagship outreach activities – MathsCraft and the National Science Quiz – as well as the ACEMS Public Lecture Series. Emily returned to her substantive position as COO on 1 July 2019
    • Farewelled Kate Lowry as COO maternity leave replacement in June. Kate subsequently joined the ARC Centre of Excellence for Exciton Science (ACEx) as their new COO
    • Farewelled ACEMS Finance Officer Kate Hall and UoM Node Administrator Sam Gaul, who were both promoted when they joined Kate Lowry at ACEx
    • Welcomed Minh Nguyen as the Centre’s new Finance Manager, based at UoM
    • Welcomed Rosanna Verde as the Centre’s new Outreach Business Officer to provide administrative, development and marketing support for the Centre’s flagship outreach activities
    • Farewelled ACEMS Stakeholder Engagement Officer Jessie Roberts who started maternity leave in December
    • Farewelled Jodie Schluter (UoA), Kay Cheng (UTS) and Cassandra Picot (UNSW) from the Node Administrator roles
    • Welcomed Luna Liu (UoM), Zosia Wargocka (UNSW) and Sarah Keany (UoA) to the Node Administrator roles
    • Supported a reduced time fraction for Centre Administrator Ben Hess to facilitate better work/life balance

Succession planning

  • Strategically refreshed the Centre’s membership, including the addition of 26 new Associate Investigators
  • Strategically refreshed the Governance Advisory Board with the addition of Professor Tim Brown from the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) and Professor Marc Parlange, Provost and Senior Vice-President of Monash University
  • Appointed Chief Investigator Ian Turner as Acting Deputy Director of Stakeholder Engagement while Professor Kerrie Mengersen was on extended leave. Ian also joined the Executive Committee during this period
  • Invited Chief Investigator Tim Garoni to join the Executive Committee for three months, and assigned oversight of the Centre’s Outreach portfolio to Chief Operating Officer Emily Duane, while Deputy Director of Outreach Nigel Bean was on extended leave
  • Appointed Minh Nguyen as the Centre’s new Finance Manager via a long-term secondment with a view to mentoring and teaching Minh about the Centre’s overall operations so she can act as Chief Operating Officer Emily Duane’s deputy and hopefully move on to a similarly senior position post-ACEMS

Other highlights