3rd International Workshop on Nonlinear and Modern Mathematical Physics
Inside this issue:
3rd International Workshop on NMMP
1
ASGWAS workshop and symposium
1
39th SANUM conference
2
Visiting researchers
2
Cosmology Group 2 updates
Journal Club
2
Delegation from Leiden University
2
IDRC visit
3
Network news
3
Gender Summit 5 Africa
4
Announcements
4
This workshop co-organized by AIMS South Africa, the University of South Florida and North West University was held from 9 to 11 April 2015. The primary goals of the workshop were to promote and encourage cooperation, understanding and collaboration in the nonlinear mathematical physics community and to bring together mathematicians and physicists that attempt to understand nonlinear phenomena and solve nonlinear problems. The workshop surveyed recent advances on a wide range of topics of current interest in nonlinear and modern mathematical physics including: integrable and nearintegrable equations, physical and engineering applications such as nonlinear optics, Bose-Einstein condensates and fluid dynamics,
and numerical aspects of nonlinear phenomena.
The workshop was attended by 33 participants and the organising committee was Prof. Wen-Xiu The workshop provided a forum Ma (University of South Florida), for scientists and researchers Prof. Masood Khalique (NWU), worldwide to present their latest Prof. Barry Green (AIMS), results and a means to discuss Prof. Fazal Mohammed their recent research with each (CoE-Mass, Wits) and other. Prof David Mason (Wits).
African Workshop and Symposium on Genome-Wide Association Studies for complex disease The workshop titled “Medical population genetics and GenomeWide Association (GWAS) for complex diseases was held at AIMS South Africa from 20 to 22 April 2015. It introduced an interdisciplinary audience to the potential of GWAS and to key strategic considerations in designing and performing Genome-wide Association studies, as well as bringing all participants up to speed on the basic principles of human genetic variation, genotyping and disease scoring statistics. In addition, the workshop bridged the gap between statistics, bioinformatics and genetics. The participants included researchers in machine learning
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Participants at the workshop
Participants at the Symposium
and statistics who are interested in genetic architecture of complex diseases, as well as statistical geneticists looking for improved tools for GWAS. The workshop
was organised by H3ABioNet, AIMS and the CPGR node of H3ABioNet. Continued on page 3.
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Research Centre updates
Journal Club
39th SANUM Conference th
The 39 Symposium of Numerical and Applied Mathematics (SANUM) took place at the University of Pretoria from 30 March to 1 April 2015. The conference was well attended: 76 participants from all corners of South Africa, with 46 presentations, 23 and 7 posters from students included in the scientific programme.
Risk Analysis and Quantitative Finance, and Approximation Theory and Applications.
The scope of 2015 SANUM conference included the topics of ordinary and partial differential equations, mathematical modelling, numerical analysis, mathematics, image analysis, optimization and approximation theory. The conference also featured two special sessions:
Dr Mpfareleni Rejoyce GavhiMolefe, a Postdoctoral Fellow at AIMS South Africa also gave a talk titled: “Optimal C^3 interpolatory subdivision schemes,” which contained results from the paper she wrote in collaboration with Prof Bin Han of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Dr Antoine Tambue, the ARETÉ Junior Chair based at AIMS South Africa attended the conference and gave a talk titled: ''Efficient Mathematical methods for Subsurface Energy Recovery.''
On 16 April 2015, Prof. Philip Mashele (North West University, Potchefstroom Campus) gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “Application of Weighted Orthogonal Polynomials in Finance.”
Delegation from Leiden University On Friday 24 April 2015, a delegation from Leiden University made up of Prof. Simone Buitendijk, Vice Rector, Prof. Robert Tijssen, Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University and visiting professor at Stellenbosch University, Dr Jeroen ‘t Hart, Director Student and Educational Affairs and Dr Marieke te Booij, Associate Director
International Relations, visited AIMS South Africa. Leiden University is part of a joint programme in the field of Algebra Geometry and Number Theory (ALGANT - http:// www.ufr-mi.u-bordeaux.fr/ ALGANT/) of which AIMS is also one of the partner institutions.
Dr Tambue at SANUM
Researcher talks Prof. Green, Dr ‘t Hart, Prof. Tijssen, Prof. Buitendijk and Dr te Booij
Dr Antoine Tambue gave a talk on 7 April 2015 at the African Collaboration for Quantitative Finance and Risk Research (ACQuFRR) at UCT. The talk was titled: “Stochastic Delay Model for Pricing Debt and Equity - Numerical Techniques and Applications.”
Presentation at BMC/BAMC meeting in Cambridge which time he met with John Towland of the Isaac Newton Institute and Grae Worster from Cambridge University to discuss future collaboration and joint activities.
Dr Tambue at UCT
Visiting Researchers Dr Lavinia Heisenberg, arrived on 8 April 2015 for a two month visit with the Cosmology Group. Dr Heisenberg is affiliated to the University of Geneva and her area of expertise is Cosmology,
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in particular models of modified gravity as an alternative to dark energy. From 26 April to 2 May 2015, Dr Paul Sutter, from the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Trieste and Ms Ridhima Nunhokee, a PhD student from Rhodes University also visited the Cosmology Group.
Doaa El-Sakout, Huma Malik, Prof. Green and Irene Tamajong
Prof. Barry Green visited the United Kingdom from 29 March to 3 April 2015 during
Prof. Green together with AIMS South Africa alumnus Ms Doaa El-Sakout, presently working on a PhD at Heriot Watt University, gave a presentation at the joint British Mathematics and Applied Mathematics Conference. The visit was arranged by members of the AIMS-NEI UK Chapter, Ms Irene Tomajong, Director and Ms Huma Malik.
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Canadian IDRC visit
ASGWAS continued ... The African Symposium on Genome-Wide Association Studies for complex diseases (ASGWAS) conference held from 23 to 24 April 2015, exposed an interdisciplinary group of scientists to the potential of GWAS and to key strategic considerations in designing and performing gene-mapping studies in the African Continent.
On Monday 27 April 2015, Ann Weston, Director of Special Initiatives Division and Pèlagie Lefebvre, Program Management Officer with Science and Innovation, both from the IDRC, visited AIMS South Africa. They were welcomed by Prof. Barry Green and Dr Dorothy Nyambi and taken on a tour of the facilities. After which there were presentations by the following researchers: Dr Wilfred Ndifon and Dr Gaston Mazandu, IDRC
Joint Career Development Chairs, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at AIMS South Africa and AIMS Ghana; Dr Antoine Tambue, AIMS ARETÉ Junior Research Chair at AIMS South Africa; and Dr Tendai Mugwagwa, an AIMS South Africa Alumnus currently at Imperial College London. Dr Mpfareleni Rejoyce GahviMolefe, a postdoctoral fellow at AIMS South Africa, also gave a presentation and facilitated a session on mentoring for female AIMS South Africa students.
The Symposium held at False Bay College, Muizenberg, showcased state-of-the-art advances in the dynamic fields of advanced Medical and Population Genetics, Bioinformatics of diseases mapping and Drug Discovery, Personalized and Precision Medicine. Exhibitors at the Symposium were Inqaba Biotechnical, Elsevier Egypt, Illumina and CPGR.
Participants at the workshop
Network News AIMS Statement on Xenophonic violence
Prof. Green welcomes the visitors
Dr Tendai Mugwagwa gives her presentation
Student updates The January intake of students completed the following courses: Systems Biology (Lafras Uys, HealthQ Technologies) and Financial Mathematics (Prof. Ronnie Becker, AIMS). The August intake are busy with their research projects.
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On 13 April 2015, Prof. T Dube from UNISA and his team gave a talk to students about various study opportunities in Topology and other areas of Pure Mathematics.
AIMS joined various other organisations, governments, corporations and individuals in condemning the violence, while reaffirming one of AIMS most cherished values, pan-Africanism. The statement was published in media both in Africa, South America and in North America. The countries we reached included: Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Tchad and the US.
Prof. Barry Green also made a statement on Jacaranda FM, a commercial South African radio station, broadcasting in English and Afrikaans, with a footprint that covers Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West Province with a listening audience of more than 2 million people a week, and a digital community of more than 800k Please click here to view the statement.
Prof. Neil Turok featured on ARTE television The Franco-German TV network, ARTE, did a documentary on the journey of ideas exposed at the TED conference. The first in the series about Prof. Neil Turok and AIMS and was aired on 26 April 2015. This can be viewed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fYG-hM2n8Sk
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AIMS attend first Gender Summit 5
Through the Next Einstein Forum, Africa's global forum for science and technology, AIMS is working to firmly establish Africa as fertile ground for innovation that will lead to the continent's transformation through STEM.
AIMS alumni and AIMSNEI staff attended the Summit which was held at the CTICC in Cape Town from 28 to 30 April 2015. The theme for the Summit was “Poverty Alleviation and economic empowerment through scientific research and innovation: Better Knowledge from and for Africa” In her keynote address Minister Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology said, “We need dedicated incentives to support and recognise women in research, we need to be creative in encouraging girls and women to pursue careers in science as if we do not address the pipeline our ambitions will not be realised.” “Through our active participation at the Gender Summit, AIMS increased its visibility and strengthened our position as a leader in promoting women in STEM and gender equality in science in Africa,” said Karen Craggs-Milne, Director of Gender Equality & Inclusion for the AIMS Network. Dr Dorothy Nyambi, Executive Vice-President, AIMS-NEI gave a presentation titled: “Increasing female participation in Science through international collaboration as part of the panel session, International Collaboration in Gender and Science.” In a parallel session on Youth Engagement in STEM, Dr Tendai Mugwagwa, Wole
UNESCO endorses NEF
Minister Naledi Pandor visits the AIMS Exhibition
Solana and Karen Craggs-Milne elaborated on how the AIMS educational model engages women and men in the promotion of gender equality and inclusion in science. Savannah Nuwagabai was appointed as a rapporteur and provided a wrap up for the theme: “Gender Expertise and People.” Other Alumni who attend the Summit included: Justine Nasejje, Mpeli Takane,Armeline Dembo Mafuta, Lindsay Blows, Eva Liliane Ujeneza, Sylvie Djiomba, Ssekajja Samual Buwaga, Winnie Nakiyingi, and Nancy Achieng Odhiambo. As chair of the session entitled “Benefits of STEM diversity in Operation,” Karen CraggsMilne closed the session by outlining the key elements of a more inclusive and holistic framework for generating better science. This framework was based on the key inputs from 3 panelists on her session and was considered a key outcome of the conference. IDRC representatives, Ann Weston and Pèlagie Lefebvre, and Rosita Yocgo, Saleema Khimji and Linda Camara from AIMS-NEI also attended.
"UNESCO endorses the NEF for its vision to reinforce capacities and policies in the basic and applied sciences, particularly as they pertain to young people.
The International Basic sciences Programme (IBSP) of UNESCO – the Organization’s main tool for triggering scientific innovation and harnessing international cooperation for capacity building in the basic sciences and science education – is therefore taking an active role in the fulfilment of the objectives of the NEF." For more information please click here.
Announcements Applications for Teaching Assistants for the 2015-2016 academic year commencing in August 2015 are now open. AIMS South Africa needs a dedicated group of advanced students and academics as tutors for its academic year, to assist in its exciting teaching programme. For more information and to apply please visit http:// www.aims.ac.za/en/opportunities/tutors Applications close when all positions are filled. Enquiries please contact Prof. Jeff Sanders, Academic Director of AIMS (
[email protected]). Postdoctoral Fellowships AIMS South Africa is seeking applicants for Postdoctoral Fellowships in the following areas. Click the links below for more information: Computational Algebra, Mathematical Biology, Computational Immunology and Biological Dynamics (2 positions), Big Data: Inference and Machine Learning in Astronomy Or visit our website by clicking here. Enquiries:
[email protected] Call for Applications: German Research Chair in "Mathematics and its Applications" Applications for the German Research Chair in "Mathematics and its Applications" of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation based at the AIMS Ghana are now open. For more information please visit http:// www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/research-chair-aims-ghana.html The deadline for applications is 15 July 2015. Call for Applications: 5 years AIMS ARETÉ Junior Chair Research position The AIMS ARETÉ Junior Chairs are new, high-profile and pioneering Junior Research Chair positions for young African Scientists with profound international experience and a background in a discipline strongly related to the mathematical sciences wishing to establish their own independent junior research group at an African institution and in collaboration with an AIMS Centre. Established between the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and with the support of the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Germany), this programme will award a 5-year Junior Chair position to an excellent African Scientist who has joint interests in performing international class research and supporting the academic development of Africa. We are pleased to announce that the call for applications for the second AIMS ARETÉ Junior Chair is now open until the 31 May 2015. Please visit this link for additional information click here
Some of the alumni who attended the Summit
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