NOVEMBER 2015
AIMS South Africa celebrates the success of its South African students
Inside this issue: Recognition of Achievement ceremony
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Thank you ceremony
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Research Centre updates
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Researcher solves 70-year old problem
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Student workshop 2
Cosmology Group 2 updates
NEF Fellows announced
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Visiting researchers
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Journal Club
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Visitors
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Public Lecture
AIMS South Africa acknowledged the success of its fourth group of January intake students at a special Recognition of Achievement Ceremony held on 26 November 2015 at its centre in Muizenberg. Thirteen students (including 10 South Africans) received their certificates and will graduate through the partner universities that they are registered at. The 13 graduates join the AIMS South Africa alumni group which brings the total number of graduates to 591 of which 30% are women from 35 different African countries, since the Institute was opened in 2003. In total, 47 South Africans (including 16 women) have graduated from AIMS South Africa. Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Executive
Director Research Chairs and Centres of Excellence at the National Research Foundation and member of the AIMS South Africa Advisory Board, was the main speaker. She told the students that they were very fortunate to be graduating from an institute
that has prepared them very well, “not just in academics, AIMS has also taught you how to play your part in helping to improve the quality of lives on the African continent.” Continued on page 3.
Thank you ceremony for the Alan and Toni Beardon
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Network News
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Announcements
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During a special event on 10 November 2015 AIMS South Africa thanked and honoured Prof. Alan Beardon and Mrs Toni Beardon for the enormous contribution that they have made to the AIMS network and especially to AIMS South Africa over the past 12 years. Prof. Beardon has been a longtime supporter of AIMS. He was the first lecturer of the maths problem-solving course which he taught for many years at AIMS South Africa. This course helped set the tone for the AIMS teaching approach. He also initiated the AIMS Library Series and sits on the editorial board. AIMSSEC also acknowledged the very important role that Mrs Beardon played in establishing and
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Mrs Beardon and Prof. Beardon
founding AIMSSEC and the professional development programme for mathematics teachers, book donations to AIMS centres, activities that she has arranged to help schools and most importantly the many months she has spent in Cape Town contributing to and helping to establish the spirit of AIMSSEC.
In honour of this support the AIMS South Africa library is now called the Beardon Library. AIMSSEC has also established a Toni Beardon Bursary, to be awarded every two years to a deserving mathematics teacher enrolling for a two-year Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) course.
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Research Centre updates
Cosmology Group updates
Researcher solves 70-year old problem
SAAO Public Lecture
Dr Wilfred Ndifon, an IDRC Junior Research Chair at AIMS South Africa and AIMS Ghana has “proposed a solution to 70-year old immunological mystery relating to the original antigenic sin.” Please click here to view the full article.
Mathematical and computer Methods for understanding financial markets workshop
Prof. Bassett
On 14 November 2015, Prof. Bruce Bassett, gave a talk at a SAAO open night. The talk was titled: “100 Years of General Relativity – the Next
Chapter.” Prof. Bassett discussed how a century after Einstein’s great breakthrough there have been incredible technical advances in our ability to understand the cosmos at both the largest and smallest scales (cosmology and particle physics) but very little new knowledge has been uncovered. The talk explored this strange situation and summarised “the beautiful, but very expensive experiments that have illuminated our weird Universe”.
International Conference on Light Science and Applications
This workshop for financial maths students, undergraduates and honours students in mathematics, computing or statistics registered at South African universities, was held at AIMS South Africa from 18 to 21 November 2015 . The workshop was attended by 16 students including 5 AIMS students.
The programme included the following: an introduction to R and its use in the analysis of financial data; pricing options on financial assets using the Binomial Model; stochastic asset models and their analysis using Monte Carlo methods and constructing efficient stock portfolios.
SAMS Conference Dr Andre Mialebama Bouesso, a postdoctoral fellow and two PhD students, Ms Nantsoina Cynthia Ramiharimanana and Mr Fortunat Rajaona, from the AIMS South Africa Research Centre attended the South African Mathematics Society (SAMS) conference held at Wits University from 4 to 6 November 2015. Dr Mialebama Bouesso gave a talk at the conference titled: “Groebner bases over a dual Bezout domain.” Ms Ramiharimanan’s a talk was titled: “Solving Embedding Problem with bounded ramification.” She commented, “Attending this event was a
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Eli Kasai, a PhD student in the Cosmology Group attended this conference hosted by the University of Namibia from 26 to 28 October 2015. Most of the talks at the conference were about solar power generation and technology but in the session dedicated to Astronomy, Mr Kasai gave a talk titled: “SALT Spectroscopy of 5 DES Type Ia Supernovae.” He discussed the SALT (Southern African Large Telescope) follow-up observational program of supernovae (exploding stars) discovered by the Dark Energy Survey (DES), and the results of the program to date.
Mr Kasai
Mr Kasai said, “The talk attracted significant interaction from the audience and was well received. The interaction continued post the talk during breaks where conference participants were keen to learn more.”
Seminars
Dr Bouesso, Ms Ramiharimanan and Mr Rajaona
good opportunity for me. I met professors and students who are in the same field as I am. I was amazed by the number of the participants and it was incredible to see the results of their research.” Mr Solofomampionona Rajaona’s talk was titled: “Reasoning about confidentiality in distributed systems.”
Dr Owerre
On 16 November 2015, the Cosmology Group hosted a seminar by Dr Solomon Owerre, a postdoctoral fellow in the Research Centre titled: “Instanton approach to macroscopic quantum tunnelling of spins.”
Mr Dufourq
On 23 November 2015, Emmanuel Dufourq a PhD student in the Research Centre gave an informal seminar titled: “Machine learning applied to text sentiment analysis.”
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The Next Einstein Forum announces NEF Fellows Class On 18 November 2015, the Next Einstein Forum (NEF), an initiative of AIMS in partnership with Robert Bosch Stiftung, announced the 2015/2016 NEF Fellows Class – twelve of Africa’s top scientists and technologists under 42 years old, working in Africa and around the world. Please click here to read more.
Mouhamed Moustapha Fall, 2015/2016 NEF Fellow
Researchers and students attend ACQuFRR Masterclass particular interest rates. The event high-lighted the modelling of volatility, the pricing of options with negative strikes, and the simulation of exposure. On 6 November 2015, seven representatives from AIMS South Africa attended the Masterclass on “Models– Challenges and Risks (Quantitative Finance Perspective )” organised by the University of Cape Town’s African Collabration for Quantitative Finance and Risk Research (ACQuFRR) at the Southern Sun Hotel, Cape Town. The whole-day event focused on some of the implications of new market paradigms, in
The class was given by Dr Jörg Kienitz (Director at Deloitte and Adjunct Associate Professor at UCT), and he is one of the world’s leading academic and industry research figures in Quantitative Finance. The representatives from AIMS South Africa were: Dr Siyabonga Chule, David Sena Attipoe, Rock Stephane Koffi, Elia Namundjebo, Hulisani Constance Maremahae, Pawel Morzywolek and Gael Mboussa -Anga,
Journal Club On 3 November 2015, Ms Rosemary Aogo, Department of Mathematics, Stellenbosch University, gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “Modelling the role of HIV and its treatment in non-Hodgkin lymphoma growth dynamics.” On 10 November 2015, Ms Elsa -Gayle Zekeng, University of Liverpool, UK, gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “Identification of protein biomarkers associated with H1N1 and H3N2 influenza virus infection in different geographical locations and models.” On 17 November 2015, Mr Andry Rabenantoandro, Stellenbosch University, gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “A theorem of Igusa.” On 24 November 2015, Mr Rock Stephane Koffi, AIMS, gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “Numerical Methods for Pricing European Options under the Heston Model.”
Dr Shock
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Mr Rabenantoandro
Mr Koffi
Dr Ihl
CHPC hands on workshop Members of the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) visited AIMS on 9 November to give an introductory session for those who want to use their facilities. Members of the research centre attended this workshop.
AIMS South Africa welcomed two visiting researchers: Dr Matthias Ihl, CFP, University of Porto, Portugal and Dr Jonathan Shock, a lecturer in the UCT Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. They are here on the AIMS South Africa Research in Pairs Initiative in which AIMS South Africa hosts and facilitates 2-4 week visits by a South African researcher and a local research partner from another university or an international research partner or a PhD or postdoctoral student. Dr Ihl's research area is applications of gauge/ gravity correspondences to strongly coupled physical systems, with a focus on particle physics phenomenology and condensed matter systems. Dr Shock’s research interests include String Theory, Mathematical Biology, Neuroscience and Symbolic Computation.
Ms Zekeng
On 27 November 2015, Dr Matthias Ihl, CFP, University of Porto, Portugal, gave a talk in the Journal Club titled: “Inverse Magnetic Catalysis in Holographic QCD.”
Visiting Researchers
Dr Ihl
Ms Aogo
Seminar
Dr Adamo
On 6 November 2015, Dr Tim Adamo from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), Cambridge, who is a member of the High Energy Physics group, gave a special seminar of general mathematical interest to students and researchers at AIMS South Africa.
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Recognition ceremony continued...
Dr Thandi Mgwebe
Bursaries for South African students at AIMS are provided by the National Skills Fund and Mr Eubert Mashabane, Director: Strategic Projects, National Skills Fund also attended the ceremony. He said, “AIMS has taught you to be independent thinkers now you need to decide what you want to do and what your role in society will be. One important role is for you to become mentors to the young people behind you so that they can understand the value of education.” Ms Zinhle Emily Mthombothi, a South African student from Kabokweni in Mpumalanga, who completed a BSc and Honours in Mathematics and Chemistry at Rhodes University before joining AIMS South Africa, was awarded the Ben and Mary Turok Scholarship Award for Excellent Achievement. This award was created through a donation by Prof. Neil Turok, the founder of AIMS and Director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada. The award honours the role Ben and Mary Turok played in establishing the first AIMS Centre in South Africa
Mr Eubert Mashabane
and their continued interest and support of this pan-African project. Mrs Mary Turok, who presented the award, said “My hope is that some of you can help to find ways to address the problems this country and continent faces.” In her address, Ms Mthombothi, thanked AIMS for the award and for the opportunity that coming to AIMS provided for all the students, “We will use it wisely, we will change the world for the better.” Mr Mokgapi London Mashabela, from Groblersdal in Limpopo, also gave a student address at the ceremony. “My stay here was difficult but even so I enjoyed it and appreciated it. Just as a rough diamond has to be cut and polished, gold has to be moulded and a soldier trained, so too did we need to be moulded and shaped. AIMS has armed us with the weapons of maths, statistics and computation and we must use these weapons to go out and solve the problems facing our continent.”
Visitors to AIMS South Africa On 13 November 2015, Dr. Beate Wilhelm (pictured right) and Dr Jörg Schneider (second from left) from the Internationale Zusammenarbeit Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Professor Meike Tilebein (pictured left), head of the Institute for Diversity Studies in Engineering Sciences at Stuttgart University and Director of the Center of Management Research of the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), visited AIMS South Africa. They had a meeting with Prof. Barry Green and were taken on a tour of the Research Centre as they were keen to meet researchers who could perhaps collaborate with researchers in Germany. A French delegation also visited on 26 November 2015. The
delegation included: Prof. Jean-Paul Moatti, Presidentdirecteur General; Johanna Durand, Councellor of IRD President; Prof. Pascale Delecluse, INSU Director (National Institute for Universe Sciences); Prof. Stéphanie Thiébault, INEE Director (National Institute for Ecology and Environment); Dr Patrick Nedellec, Director of International affairs (DERCI); Chamira Lessigny (DERCI); Jean-Paul Toutain, Attache for Science and Dr Jean Albergel, IRD-CNRS Representative in South Africa.
Public Lecture
On Thursday 26 November 2015, the AIMS South Africa Public Lecture Series presented a talk titled: “Is the universe a hologram?” by Dr Matthias Ihl, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Science, University of Porto. In this lecture Dr Ihl discussed how in recent years
progress in our understanding of the physics of black holes, quantum information and string theory have led to a new paradigm: the holographic university. He introduced and discussed some of the basic concepts related to this new physical idea.
Student news Mrs Turok presents the Excellence Award to Ms Mthombothi
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Mr Mashabela
The August intake completed the following courses: Algebra (Karen-Therese Howell, Stellenbosch University) and
Differential Equations (Precious Sibanda and Joseph Malinzi, University of KwaZulu-Natal).
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AIMSSEC newsletter
German Research Chair in "Mathematics with Specialization in Data Science" of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation - at AIMS South Africa
Issue 6 of the AIMSSEC newsletter is available to view at https://aimssec.aims.ac.za/ assets/files/Newsletters/ AIMSSEC-Newsletter-Issue-6November-2015-web.pdf
The call addresses highly qualified academics from any country who conduct application-related research in the field of mathematics with specialisation in data science, have experience in training students and doctoral candidates and possess recognisable leadership potential.
Network News AIMS and ADEA partner to strengthen inclusive STEAM higher education in Africa On 29 October 2015 AIMS and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) announced the beginning of a partnership for the promotion of appropriate
education sector policies that support Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). For more information please click here.
AIMS-IMAGINARY workshop at AIMS Sénégal An AIMS-IMAGINARY Roadshow, Exhibition and Workshop was hosted by AIMS Sénégal in Mbour from 2 to 5 November 2015, in partnership with IMAGINARY and the Mathematisches Forschungsin-
stitut Oberwolfach in Germany. The event attracted 14 schools/ institutions in Sénégal, at least 880 participants attended of which 40% where females. Please click here to read more.
Announcements Applications for the AIMS Master's 2016-2017 are now OPEN Applications to the following programs are welcome: AIMS Master's Degree For the 2016-17 academic year, AIMS will offer the AIMS Master's Degree at AIMS Cameroon, AIMS Ghana, AIMS Sénégal, AIMS South Africa and AIMS Tanzania. Please click here for more information and to apply. AIMS Co-operative Master's Degree The co-op version of the AIMS Master’s Programme, offered only at AIMS Sénégal, builds on the core AIMS Master’s Program and leads to the same AIMS Master’s Degree in Mathematical Sciences. Please click here for more information and to apply. Fellowships for visiting researchers The AIMS South Africa Research Centre offers a variety of fel-lowships for visiting researchers. Interested researchers may apply to visit for short (2-week) or longer periods. Research fel-lows may conduct their own research at AIMS, participate in the teaching programmes and give talks in the journal club. Visits to local universities can be arranged. For more information please visit https://www.aims.ac.za/en/research-centre/fellowships
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There will only be one call for the research chair at AIMS South Africa. The deadline for application is15 January 2016. Applications received late can only be considered subject to prior agreement. For more information and to apply please visit https:// www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/research-chair-aims-southafrica.html Resident Researcher in Mathematical Finance AIMS South Africa Research Centre AIMS South Africa is seeking to appoint a Resident Researcher in Mathematical Finance, who will contribute to the growth and development of this exciting area. The successful candidate will have a doctorate in the mathematical or physical sciences, a solid, growing research record and a good international profile, as well as the ability to supervise and communicate with students and young researchers. Enquiries: AIMS Research Manager, Ms Lynne Teixeira
[email protected] For more details and information on how to apply please visit https://www.aims.ac.za/en/opportunities/vacancies/residentresearcher-in-mathematical-finance The 9th Summer School in Mathematical Finance will bring to South Africa several leading academic exponents of the fast-growing field of Mathematical Finance, and presents a unique opportunity to local practitioners, academics and students to interact with international leaders in research on topics and modelling techniques current in the South African and international financial markets. It will be hosted at AIMS South Africa from 18 to 20 February 2015. Confirmed Speakers: Prof. Erik Schlögl, Dr John Schoenmakers, Prof. Michael Sørensen For more information and to register please click here Global change impact on diseases and alien species expansion workshop This capacity building workshop will be held at AIMS South Africa from 2 to 6 May 2016. The workshop is mostly aimed at young researchers and postgraduate students, with a majority coming from Africa. International experts from around the world will give the minicourses and lectures and will lead the working groups. There will be a limited number of contributed talks and a poster session. For more information and to register please click here. Applications: are now open. Please click here to complete the form. Administration and logistics: Rene January
[email protected] Programme or scientific queries:
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