Lecture Theatre 2,

ICT Building, (Ground floor)

111 Barry Street

The University of Melbourne, (Carlton)

15 June 2009

14:00-17:30

Speakers include:

• Geoff Prince, La Trobe University
• Kerry Landman, University of Melbourne
• Peter Vassiliou, University of Canberra
• Bronwyn Hajek, University of South Australia
• John Knight, Queensland University of Technology
• Jonathan Borwein, University of Newcastle
• Tim Marchant, University of Wollongong
• Dimetre Triadis, AMSI

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Program

MC: Ms Jan Thomas, Executive Officer AMSI

Session 1: 2.00 – 3.30 pm

Chair: Professor Peter Hall, Chair AMSI Scientific Advisory Committee
Opening remarks: Professor Peter Taylor, Head of Mathematics and Statistics,
University of Melbourne.

Professor Jon Borwein, University of Newcastle
International mathematics in the 21st century.
I intend to look at the role mathematical research institutes and their directors play in the fast‑moving, slowly‑changing world we inhabit as scientists.

Dr John Knight, Queensland University of Technology
Some adventures with solving nonlinear advection diffusion equations in CSIRO.
The nonlinear Richards equation governs the unsaturated movement of water in soil. I will give a brief outline of attempts to find analytical solutions to particular cases of this equation, with reference to the work of Broadbridge, White, Knight and Philip in CSIRO. The talk will be anecdotal with little mathematical detail.

Professor Tim Marchant, University of Wollongong
Phil Broadbridge: his contributions to the mathematical sciences, university life and
his colleagues.
This talk will recount Phil’s various contributions to mathematics, departmental life and his support for colleagues. The talk will encompass both the serious and the amusing.

Associate Professor Wayne Read, James Cook University
What Use is an Analytical Solution?
What is an analytical solution? Fifty years ago, the answer was straightforward, but this is not the case now. In this talk, I will highlight some of the analytic techniques that I have used to solve applied modelling problems and indicate their strengths and limitations. I will also give my answer to the title of this paper.

Professor Kerry Landman, University of Melbourne
ODE to Phil.
A very informal short talk on my nonlinear meanderings with Phil.

Associate Professor Geoff Prince, La Trobe University
“At least one applied mathematician is a good thing”.
Phil has always had a broad perspective on mathematics and the provision of employable skills for maths students. This is closely related to his research interests and his teaching experiences. I will argue that applied mathematicians like Phil are especially important in classrooms, let alone at the helm of AMSI. Some of my close encounters with Phil will illustrate the talk.

Afternoon tea: 3.30 – 4.00 pm

Session 2: 4.00 – 5.30 pm

Chair: Professor Peter Taylor, Australian Mathematics Trust and Chair AMSI Education Advisory Committee.

Peter Vassiliou, University of Canberra
Is there a mathematician in the house?
Over many years Phil Broadbridge has provided leadership and inspiration as a mathematician. In this talk I will seek to justify this claim.

Dr Peter Tritscher, University of Wollongong
The Broadbridge‑White model of soil hydraulic properties and some exact solutions in surface diffusion.

Phil worked for many years with the linearizable diffusion equation that has one of its forms in the Broadbridge‑White model of soil hydraulic properties. Here, a natural extension of this linearizable equation to 4th order, kindly shared and solved by Phil, yields some useful exact solutions in surface diffusion.

Dr Bronwyn Hajek, University of South Australia
Population genetics and a PhD with Phil.
I was fortunate to have Phil as my PhD supervisor, and in this talk I will summarise some results from my PhD. Existing models for population genetics are extended to incorporate explicit spatial dependence of reproductive success rates. The resulting reaction‑diffusion equations are examined using non‑classical symmetry methods and some new exact solutions are constructed.

Dr Joanna Goard, University of Wollongong
Lie symmetry methods in finance—an example of the bond‑pricing equation.
Using a time‑dependent, one‑factor model for interest rates, Lie’s classical method of group invariants uncovers new solutions for the corresponding bond‑pricing partial differential equation. One sample solution will be shown for which the interest rate model outperforms current existing models.

Dr Dimetre Triadis, AMSI
An integrable model for groundwater infiltration.
Analytical solutions of the Richards equation subject to constant‑concentration boundary conditions have been long sought after in theoretical hydrology. We will consider an overview of recent research at AMSI on solutions for particular realistic but integrable forms of the diffusivity and conductivity functions, and discuss associated insights into established hydrological theory.

Dr Thomas Montague, AMSI
Growing AMSI’s industry program.
Phil’s arrival at AMSI was a stimulus for greater industry involvement. I will briefly describe some of the initiatives we have been able to undertake.

Associate Professor Bill Blyth, AMSI
Ensuring the right results.
As mathematics educators it’s often hard to obtain enthusiastic student evaluations to our courses. I will demonstrate a solution.