Animal (ewes and lambs) production from native pastures in North East Victoria

Speaker: Sorn Norng, Department of Primary Industries

Time & Date: 12.00; Friday 12 March 2010

Venue: Room 310 (Access Grid Room), Physical Sciences 2, La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus.

Abstract: Native pastures have traditionally been grazed with Merino wethers for wool production. With declining returns from wool production, there is need for considering alternative uses of these native pastures that are both economically-viable and environmentally-responsible. One option is to use these native pastures for prime lamb production by joining Merino ewes to a terminal sire. An ongoing experimental study at Rutherglen is evaluating the relative benefits of four different grazing management strategies for lamb production. A satisfactory analysis should account for any imbalance and unequal replication, the nested and temporal structure present in the design, and to offer results that address the experimental aims which are interpretable to the scientist. This talk summarises the statistical approaches used to analyse the available data from this study and to present some preliminary results.

Seminar Convenor: Dr Andriy Olenko (a.olenko@latrobe.edu.au)
AGR IT support: Dr Darren Condon (d.condon@latrobe.edu.au)

If you (and your colleagues) wish to participate, please

1. book your own AGR (or university/APAC etc. AGR that you otherwise are able to use), and ask your AGR technical people to contact Darren in advance of the seminar date; and
2. inform Andriy of your intention to participate.

Public Forum, jointly sponsored by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Centre for Advanced Journalism at the University of Melbourne.

Tuesday 30 March, 12:30–2:00pm; Basement Theatre, Spot Building, University of Melbourne

Transforming Data into Policy: What can we learn from climate change policy making in Australia so far?

Synopsis

Climate change presents nations worldwide with complex and challenging policy dilemmas. The collection and careful analysis of relevant quantitative data is a crucial component of effective policy responses. This data enters a public policy-making process in which many players are employed to promote sectional interests, and in which the media, politicians, business, and an increasingly aware general public all actively participate.

This forum seeks to explore how well our public policy making processes have served Australia's national interests in developing its response to climate change, including the development of support policies for trade exposed industries and for new technologies.

A distinguished group of Forum panelists will make short presentations from economic, political, media and business perspectives, and there will be ample time for audience questions and free ranging debate of the issues raised.

This forum will be moderated by Michael Gawenda, immediate past Editor of The Age (1997–2004) and now inaugural Director of the University of Melbourne Centre for Advanced Journalism.

Panelists include:

• Ross Garnaut (Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, The University of Melbourne; Distinguished Professor, The Australian National University and author of Garnaut Climate Change Review).
• Greg Combet AM, MP (Federal Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change)
• Paul Kelly (Editor-in-Chief (1991–1996) and now Editor-at-Large of The Australian)
• Rod Sims (Director, Port Jackson Partners Limited)

You must register by Friday 26 March to attend.
Please see http://www.ms.unimelb.edu.au/climatechangeforum/register.php
Interested members of the public are very welcome.

Adelaide Phylogenetics Conference & Workshop

Workshop: 5–10 April 2010, The University of Adelaide
Conference: 12–16 April 2010, Port Elliot, South Australia

The third annual Adelaide Phylogenetics Conference (formerly known as the Mathematical & Evolutionary Biology Conference) will be held on Port Elliot beachfront, South Australia. This meeting follows the successful meetings held in Blanche Cave, Naracoorte in 2008, and Pt Elliot in 2009.

This meeting series aims to bridge the current gap between evolutionary biologists and mathematicians in Australia, and overseas, by providing a relaxed, informal setting (with just. 50 attendees) to encourage the discussion of new results and methods. The conference is designed to allow maximum student/academic interaction, and contains a session on the analysis of datasets during the meeting itself. The emphasis is on the development and application of advanced new analytical methods, and building trans-disciplinary collaborations.

Topics covered at the previous meetings include:

• Phylogenetics and Networks;
• Mathematical methods and Algorithms;
• Macroevolution; Evolutionary rates and dates;
• Genome analysis;
• Bioinformatics;
• Human evolution;
• Disease.

This extremely successful workshop is aimed at graduate students featuring an intensive 4 day hands-on training from 4 international experts, in leading software packages for the analysis of genetic data.

• Dr. Alexi Drummond (BEAST)
• Prof. Peter Lockhart (Phylogenetic methods)
• Christian Anderson (Serial SimCoal),
• Andrew Storfer (Landscape Genetics).

These leading experts provide detailed instruction on the analysis of model and actual datasets, and there is a strong demand for places. Registration to this workshop gains you free entry to the Pt Elliot meeting and participants are strongly encouraged to attend and present.

Enquiries:

• Prof Nigel Bean nigel.bean@adelaide.edu.au

Geometry and Quantum Field Theory

20–26 June; Max Planck Institute for Mathematics, Bonn, Germany

The broad theme of the conference is the interaction between mathematics and physics, more specifically between noncommutative geometry in mathematics and statistical models and quantum field theory in physics. The specific themes behind the conference are:

• Noncommutative geometry and Index Theory. Statistical models.
• Geometric issues in quantum field theory. Hamiltonian anomalies. Bundle n-gerbes.

Organisers:

• Sylvie Paycha (U. Blaise Pascal)
• Steve Rosenberg (Boston U.)
• Peter Teichner (U. California, Berkeley and MPIM, Bonn)
• Mathai Varghese (U. Adelaide)

2010 Victorian Mathematics and Statistics Students' Conference

Friday, 2 July 2010; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville.

The aims of the 2010 Victorian Mathemetics and Statistics Students' Conference (2010vmssc) are:

• to stimulate communication between mathematics and statistics graduate students from different Victorian universities;
• to provide a forum in which students may share experiences of graduate study;
• to provide Victorian graduate students an opportunity to gain an understanding of the research being conducted across the state;
• to provide honours and masters students with the opportunities to explore PhD research options and gain personal perspective from PhD students from across Victoria.

This conference is aimed primarily at Victorian postgraduates in mathematics and statistics, across the state. It is run by students, for students. This means that any student can use this conference as an opportunity to practice giving a talk, which they may present at an AustMS meeting.

We are particularly interested in having at least one representative from every institution's mathematics/statistics department on the committee. The hope is that the conference is inclusive of all mathematics and statistics graduate students from across Victoria; this is not supposed to be just a Melbourne University thing.

There is no fee for registration. To register, please see the website: http://www.2010vmssc.ms.unimelb.edu.au/.

Organisers

• Stephen McAteer, (University of Melbourne)
• Tharatorn Supasiti (University of Melbourne)
• Maurice Chiodo (University of Melbourne)
• Nikki Sonenberg (University of Melbourne)

This conference will bring together sports scientists, mathematicians and statisticians who are interested in: the use of computers in sport; statistics and statistical modeling in sport; mathematical modeling in sport; teaching of mathematics, computers and sport; the application of these to improve coaching and individual performance

Directors: Dr Anthony Bedford, RMIT University, mailto:anthony.bedford@rmit.edu.au; Associate Professor Ian Tim Heazlewood, Charles Darwin University, mailto:ian.heazelwood@cdu.edu.au.

The AMSI 2010 Australian Graduate Theme Program in Mathematical Sciences

5–16 July 2010; University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, Brisbane.

Postgraduate students from Mathematics and cognate disciplines, particularly from Australian universities are invited to apply for a place in

This year, two advanced courses are being offered on the theme of Graphs, Networks and Designs.

• Symmetry in Graphs, Prof Brian Alspach (University of Newcastle)
• Applications of Designs, Prof Charles Colbourn (Arizona State University).

Participants are required to attend both courses.

Places are strictly limited to 25 and acceptance will be based on academic merit. Generous subsidies, covering up to 100% of travel and accommodation costs, are available to students living outside the Brisbane metropolitan area from institutions affiliated with AMSI.

Closing date for applications is April 21st 2010 and registration forms are now available on the website.

Contact

Andree Phillips a.phillips@maths.uq.edu.au

The AMSI 2010 Australian Graduate Theme Program in Mathematical Sciences is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations through the Collaboration And Structural Reform Fund (CASR).

Statistical Physics of Lattice Polymers

7–9 July 2010; University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria.

Lattice models have played an important role in developing our understanding of the statistical mechanics of polymers. Three general types of models have been used: random walks, directed walks and self-avoiding walks. The first two types of models can be attacked by probabilistic and combinatorial methods while the third is more difficult and only qualitative results are available rigorously. Much of our knowledge of self-avoiding walks comes from numerical studies, especially exact enumeration and series analysis, and Monte Carlo methods. This meeting will include all of these aspects.

Some specific problems that we expect to see addressed are phase transitions in polymers (eg the adsorption transition and the collapse transition), polymers subject to geometrical constraints (e.g., confined to a wedge or a slab) and random copolymers.

There are likely to be strong connections to the satellite meeting in Brisbane on Combinatorics and Mathematical Physics, the meeting in Melbourne on Monte Carlo Algorithms in Statistical Physics and the meeting in Brisbane on Exactly Solvable Models in Statistical Physics.

Organising Committee

• A. Owczarek, (University of Melbourne)
• R. Brak, (University of Melbourne)
• S. Whittington, (University of Toronto, Canada)
• I. Jensen, (University of Melbourne)
• G. Iliev, (University of Melbourne)

Combinatorics and Mathematical Physics

12–14 July 2010; Centre for Mathematical Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane.

Statistical and mathematical physics are intrinsically related to enumerative and algebraic combinatorics, and these fields have produced an exciting area of cross-fertilisation. This satellite meeting preceding STATPHYS24 recognises the maturity of this field, and will focus on the most recent developments growing out of the interaction between combinatorialists and statistical physicists.

Participants are strongly encouraged to consider attending the satellite on Exactly Solvable Models in Statistical Physics which immediately follows this meeting, and which will be held at the same venue.

Another satellite conference of relevance which precedes this conference is Statistical Physics of Lattice Polymers which has a strong combinatorial flavour.

Organising Committee

• R. Brak, (University of Melbourne)
• M. Elder, (University of Queensland)
• O. Foda, (University of Melbourne)
• P. Forrester, (University of Melbourne)
• J. de Gier, (University of Melbourne)
• A.J. Guttmann, (University of Melbourne)
• O. Warnaar, (University of Queensland)

Dynamics Days Asia Pacific 6

12–14 July 2010; School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW, Sydney.

Dynamics Days Asia Pacific (DDAP) is a regular conference rotating among the Asia-Pacific countries every two years. Its purpose is to bring together researchers world-wide to discuss the most recent developments in nonlinear science. It also serves as a forum to promote regional as well as international scientific exchange and collaboration. The conference covers a variety of topics in nonlinear dynamics including ergodic theory, algebraic dynamics, pattern formation, non-equilibrium physics, biomathematics, complex networks, econo-physics, and quantum/classical chaos. DDAP started in Hong Kong in 1999, and was subsequently held in China, Singapore, Korea and Japan.

DDAP6 is also a satellite meeting of StatPhys24 (Cairns, July 19–23, 2010). It has received financial support from COSNet, Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics and the School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW.

For all details (invited speakers, key dates, contacts), please see the conference website: http://conferences.science.unsw.edu.au/DDAP6/DDAP6.html

Exactly Solvable Models in Statistical Physics

14–17 July 2010; Centre for Mathematical Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane.

This satellite meeting of STATPHYS24 will cover developments over the last 3 years (since the StatPhys23 Meeting in Genoa) in the area of Exactly Solvable Models in Statistical Physics.

Topics to be highlighted include:

• Solvable two-dimensional lattice models and Yang–Baxter methods;
• Bethe ansatz and quantum spin chains;
• Solvable models of many-body systems;
• Exact integrability in CFT and QFT.

Participants are strongly encouraged to consider attending the satellite on Combinatorics and Mathematical Physics which will be held at the same venue and immediately precedes this meeting with a common day on 14 July.

Organising Committee

• R. Baxter, (Australian National University)
• V.V. Bazhanov, (Australian National University)
• P. Isaac, (University of Queensland)
• G. Mussardo, (SISSA)
• P.A. Pearce, (University of Melbourne)
• Y.-Z. Zhang, (University of Queensland)

24th IUPAP International Conference on Statistical Physics

19–23 July 2010; Convention Centre, Cairns, Queensland.

The STATPHYS Conference series takes place every three years in a different continent to enhance the international relevance and visibility of the leading world event in the broad field of Statistical Physics and all its interdisciplinary developments.

According to tradition, the highest international recognition in the field of Statistical Physics, the Boltzmann Medal, will be awarded at this meeting. In addition several satellite meetings will be held along with the main event, adding to the scientific value of the meeting.

Plenary Speakers

• Rodney Baxter (Australian National University, Australia)
  The Ising and chiral Potts models
• Mike Cates (University of Edinburgh, UK)
  Does microbiology need statistical physics?
• Sergio Ciliberto (ENS Lyon, France)
  Measuring out of equilibrium fluctuations : from theory to experiments
• Bertrand Eynard (CEA Saclay, France)
  Enumerative geometry and random matrices
• Daniel Fisher (Stanford University, USA)
  Can evolution be understood quantitatively?
• Michael Freedman (Microsoft Station Q, USA)
• Wolfgang Ketterle (MIT, USA)
• Hidetoshi Nishimori (Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan)
  Quantum annealing
• Subir Sachdev (Harvard University, USA)
  Quantum criticality, the cuprate superconductors, and the AdS/CFT correspondence
• Michelle Wang (Cornell University, USA)
• Chen-Ning Yang (Tsinghua University, China and Chinese University of Hong Kong)
  Fermions and Bosons in 1D harmonic traps

Registration and payment of the fee are mandatory for participation at the conference.

Organising Committee

• Chair: M. Gould, (University of Queensland)
• Vice-Chair: M. Batchelor, (Australian National University)
• Vice-Chair: J. de Gier, (University of Melbourne)
• Treasurer: J.R. Links, (University of Queensland)

Satellite Meetings

This event is preceded and followed by several meetings and conferences, at venues within Australia, on related topics in mathematics and physics and related fields.

• Statistical Physics of Lattice Polymers; 7–9 July, Melbourne.
• Combinatorics and Mathematical Physics; 12–14 July, Brisbane.
• Dynamics Days Asia Pacific Conference 2010; 12–14 July, UNSW, Sydney.
• Liquids out of Equilibrium; 12–16 July, UNSW, Sydney.
• Exactly Solvable Models in Statistical Physics; 14–17 July, Brisbane.
• Unwinding Complexity: Statistical Physics Perspectives on Complex Systems and Complex Materials; 24–26 July, Port Douglas.
• 22nd International Conference on Atomic Physics (ICAP); 25–30 July, Brisbane.
• Monte Carlo Algorithms in Statistical Physics; 26–28 July, Melbourne.

There are also several overseas meetings on related topics, in nearby countries.

Unwinding Complexity

Statistical Physics Perspectives on Complex Systems and Complex Materials

24–26 July 2010; Rydges Sabaya Resort, Port Douglas, Queensland.

The aim of the conference is to gather together researchers from different communities (physics, economics, finance, mathematics and engineering) in order to review recent results, exchange ideas, discuss methods and techniques in complex system studies.

Topics include:

• Complex Systems
• Complex Networks
• Econophysics
• Financial Mathematics
• Granular Matter
• Complex Materials

It is a satellite conference for StatPhys24 which will be held 19–23 July 2010, in Cairns, Queensland.

Organising Committee

• Tiziana Di Matteo, (King's College London)
• Ruggero Gramatica, (King's College London)
• Contact email: unwind10@googlemail.com

22nd International Conference on Atomic Physics

25–30 July 2010; Convention Centre, Cairns, Queensland.

Following the tradition of ICAP, the conference will present an outstanding program of invited speakers covering the most recent subjects in the field of atomic physics, such as precision measurement, atomic clocks, quantum information, trapped ions, quantum optics and cavity QED, Bose gases, Fermi gases, optical lattices, cold molecules, mesoscopic quantum systems and ultrafast phenomena. Contributed papers will be presented in active poster sessions.

For further information or to register your interest and be added to the mailing list, please email phannaford@swin.edu.au.

Organising Committee

• Peter Hannaford, (Swinburne University of Technology)
• Hans Bachor, (Australian National University)

Monte Carlo Algorithms in Statistical Physics

26–28 July 2010; University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria.

This conference is intended to be broad in scope, with speakers from across the field of statistical physics discussing the application of Monte Carlo algorithms to their problems. The connecting thread will be insights into why a given algorithm is powerful for studying a particular physical system, with the hope that these ideas might be relevant to other physical systems.

It is a satellite conference for StatPhys24 which will be held 19–23 July 2010, in Cairns, Queensland.

Organising Committee

• Nathan Clisby, (University of Melbourne)
• Tim Garoni, (University of Melbourne)
• Contact email: mcalgorithms@gmail.com