School of Mathematics and Statistics: Prizes and Scholarships 2014–2015

The School's annual Prizes and Scholarships presentation ceremony was held in the Forum Restaurant, in the Darlington Centre, on the evening of May 4th. The presentations were made by Professor Philippa Pattison (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education)), and Professor Trevor Hambley (Dean of the Faculty of Science).

The guest speakers were Nick Ingram and Joanna Wang.

Nick Ingram holds a First Class Honours Degree in Pure Mathematics awarded by the University of Sydney in 1988, his thesis being on a branch of logic called Intuitionism. Nick has been facilitating strategy workshops for leadership teams in the commercial, Government and not-for-profit sectors for over eight years. He ascribes the foundation of his skills from the rigorous training in thinking that his Pure Mathematics degree provided, as well as twenty years in financial services and business.

Dr Joanna Wang received her PhD in Statistics from the University of Sydney in 2012. At this time her research was concerned with robust statistical analysis of financial time series using Bayesian computational methods. She then joined the University of New South Wales as a lecturer in the Statistics Department and a research fellow in the Transport and Road Safety research group. She has recently started a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biostatistics, jointly at the University of Technology Sydney and the Sax Institute.

Prizes

The Joye Prize

Established in 2002 by donation from Mr Ian Edward Joye LLB and Mr Christopher Ronald Edward Joye BCom, the Joye Prize is awarded annually to the most outstanding student completing fourth year Honours in Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics or Mathematical Statistics (provided the work is of sufficient merit).

     Recipient: Christopher Ryba

The David Jackson Prize

Awarded in memory of the late Dr David GA Jackson, who studied and taught in the School of Mathematics and Statistics from 1989 to 1998. In remembrance of David's particular talents the prize is awarded to an undergraduate for creativity and originality in Pure Mathematics.

     Recipient: Alex Casella.

Prizes for Honours Students

The KE Bullen Memorial Prize was established in 1989 by public subscription in memory of Professor K E Bullen who was Professor of Applied Mathematics from 1946 to 1971. Awarded for proficiency in Applied Mathematics Honours.

     Recipient: James Diaz.

The MJ and M Ashby Prize was established in 1994 through a donation from Mrs M Ashby. Awarded for the best honours essay in the School of Mathematics and Statistics submitted by a student in the Faculty of Science.

     Recipient: Alexander Stanojevic.

The Norbert Quirk prize was founded in 1886 by a gift from the subscribers to a memorial for the Reverend John Aloysius Norbert Quirk, Principal of Lyndhurst College, Glebe. Three separate prizes are now awarded.

The Norbert Quirk Prize number 4 is awarded for the best entry by an Honours student in the annual problem competition conducted by the Sydney University Mathematical Society (SUMS).

     Recipient: Christopher Ryba.

The Chris Cannon Prize was established in memory of Chris Cannon, a former staff member in Applied Mathematics. It is awarded for the best Applied Mathematics Honours seminar presentation.

     Recipient: Brent Giggins.

The Rolf Adams Prizes were established in 2011, following a bequest by Mrs Joan Adams. The prizes are in memory of her grandson, Rolf Adams, who graduated with first class honours and the University medal in Pure Mathematics in 1986. Rolf went on to graduate studies at University of California, Berkeley and then returned to work in image analysis at CSIRO. He died tragically at the age of 26.

The Rolf Adams Prize number 1 is awarded for the best Pure Mathematics Honours seminar presentation.

     Recipient: Montek Gill.

The Veronica Thomas Prize was established in 1993 by Alice and Richard Thomas in memory of their daughter Veronica, who graduated with first class honours in Mathematical Statistics. Veronica shared the Tim Brown prize for Mathematical Statistics 2, the Statistical Society of Australia Prize and the Australian Federation of University Women (NSW) Prize.

The Veronica Thomas Prize is awarded for the best Statistics Honours seminar presentation.

     Recipient: Rory Anderson.

The Australian Federation of Graduate Women (NSW) Prize in Mathematics is awarded to the most distinguished woman candidate graduating with first class honours in the School.

     Recipient: Paige Davis.

The Barker Scholarship fund was established in 1853 by a gift of £1000 by Thomas Barker, for the encouragement of mathematical science. It funds the Barker Scholarships (see below) and the Barker Prize.

The Barker Prize is awarded for proficiency in Honours Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics or Mathematical Statistics.

     Recipient: James Diaz.

Prizes for Senior Students

The Norbert Quirk Prize number 3 is awarded for the best answer by a senior student to a question in the SUMS problem competition.

     Recipient: John Wormell.

The Applied Probability Trust Prize was established in 2001 by a donation from the Applied Probability Trust. It is awarded to the Senior student in the advanced Stochastic Processes unit of study who demonstrates the greatest proficiency.

     Joint recipients: Craig Coorey and Kristen Emery.

The Tim Brown prizes were established in 1966 by a gift from Mr and Mrs T H Brown to found a prize in memory of their son, T. A. I. Brown. The fund was later increased by further gifts from the family. Tim gained first class honours in 1963 and began a PhD in the Department of Mathematical Statistics. A paper with Professor H O Lancaster was published posthumously in 1965.

The Tim Brown Prize number 2 is awarded for proficiency in Senior Statistics.

     Recipients: Benjamin Szczesny.

Prizes for Intermediate Students

The John Spark Memorial Prize was established in 2012 by a donation from Mrs Una Spark in memory of her husband, John Spark, who graduated from the University of Sydney in 1929 with majors in Mathematics, Latin and Psychology.

The John Spark Memorial Prize is awarded for the best academic performance in 18 credit points of Intermediate Mathematics.

     Recipient: Victor Khou.

The Tim Brown Prize number 1 is awarded for proficiency in Intermediate Statistics.

     Recipient: Victor Khou.

The Rolf Adams Prize number 2 is awarded for the best Special Studies Program Talk among the students enrolled in MATH2916.

     Recipient: Victor Khou.

The Rolf Adams Prize number 3 is awarded for the best Special Studies Program Talk among the students enrolled in MATH2917.

     Recipient: Kehuan Shi.

Prizes for Junior Students

The Norbert Quirk Prize number 1 is awarded for the best answer by a junior student to a question in the SUMS competition.

     Recipient: Albert Zhou.

The Cengage Learning Prizes were established in 1981 by the offer of Wadsworth Publishing Company (Australasia) to establish a prize for Junior Mathematics.

The Cengage Learning Prize I is awarded for proficiency in junior advanced level mathematics.

     Recipient: Gabriel Gregory.

The Cengage Learning Prize II is awarded for proficiency in junior ordinary level mathematics.

     Recipient: Alexander Dalton.

Carslaw Scholar

"Carslaw Scholar" is a title conferred on year 10 or 11 students in NSW who gain selection in the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Team.

     Recipient: Yang Song.

Scholarships

The George Allen Scholarships

The George Allen Scholarships were founded in 1877 by a bequest from the Honourable George Allen. Three scholarships are now awarded, one for each of Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics.

The George Allen Scholarship for Applied Mathematics is awarded to a student in Applied Mathematics Honours on the basis of performance in Senior Mathematics and Statistics.

     Recipient: Benny Yeung.

The George Allen Scholarship for Pure Mathematics is awarded to a student in Pure Mathematics Honours on the basis of performance in Senior Mathematics and Statistics.

     Recipient: Joshua Ciappara.

The George Allen Scholarship for Mathematical Statistics is awarded to a student in Mathematical Statistics Honours on the basis of performance in Senior Mathematics and Statistics.

     Recipient: Rachel Ragell.

The KE Bullen Scholarships

Recognizing the work of Professor K E Bullen, these scholarships were established in 1982 by public subscription, and supplemented by further donations. The scholarships are to encourage study in mathematics with the particular emphasis of excellence in Applied Mathematics.

The KE Bullen Scholarship I is awarded to the student who has shown greatest proficiency in Senior units of study and who enrols full-time in Applied Mathematics Honours.

     Recipient: John Wormell.

The KE Bullen Scholarship II is awarded to a student who has shown proficiency in Senior units of study and who enrols full-time in Applied Mathematics Honours.

     Recipient: Nathan Duignan

The KE Bullen Scholarship III is awarded to the woman student who has shown greatest proficiency in Senior units of study and who enrols full-time in Applied Mathematics Honours.

     Recipient: Emma Johnstone.

The KE Bullen International Conference Scholarship is awarded to enable an outstanding PhD student to present at a major overseas conference.

     Recipient: Joachim Worthington.

The Philipp Hofflin International Research Travel Scholarship

Established in 2010 with a gift from Dr Philipp Hofflin, University of Sydney graduate, to enable outstanding PhD students in the School of Mathematics and Statistics to explore research collaborations on a global scale.

     Recipient: Kamil Bulinski

The KopyStop International Conference Scholarship

Awarded to enable an outstanding postgraduate student in the School of Mathematics & Statistics to present at a major overseas conference.

     Recipient: Louis Bhim.

Barker Scholarship No I

Awarded for proficiency in Intermediate Mathematics.

     Recipient: Victor Khou.

Barker Scholarship No II

Awarded for proficiency in Junior Mathematics.

     Recipient: Gabriel Gregory.

Barker Scholarship No IV

Awarded for proficiency in Senior units of study in the School of Mathematics and Statistics.

     Joint recipients: Abraham Ng and Benjamin Szczesny.

Mrs Elva Rae Talented Mathematics Student Award

Awarded to encourage and support talented female mathematics students to reach their full potential in mathematics.

     Recipient: Karen Leung.

Horner Exhibition

Founded in 1889 by a bequest from Francis Horner Esq. M.A., the Horner Exhibition is awarded for proficiency in HSC Mathematics.

     Recipient: Vaishnavi Calisa.

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