800 mathematicians set to converge on Auckland

About 800 mathematicians from the US, Oceania and Australasia will gather for a conference at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland in December – “the largest gathering of mathematicians in New Zealand ever by a very long shot,” according to Dr Melissa Tacy, a senior lecturer at the University.

Tacy is president of the New Zealand Mathematical Society and the conference director.

Former professional magician Persi Diaconis, 79, now a professor at Stanford University, will give a public lecture on 10 December. He studies randomness; are tosses of a coin really random? How many times should a deck of cards be mixed to really mix it up?

Post-quantum cryptography, maths communication, AI, and industrial maths are just some of the topics which will feature at the conference, along with a special session on maths education.

The 9-13 December event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the New Zealand Mathematical Society and results from the New Zealand, Australian and US maths societies holding a joint meeting in Auckland.

“Much of what will be presented at the conference will be blue sky research,” says Tacy. “The AI revolution today wouldn’t have happened without the theoretical research from decades ago. The work we do now will fuel future technical revolutions.”

Mathematicians from around Oceania have received assistance to attend.