An Overview of the Mathematical Sciences Institute

The School of Mathematical Sciences was established in 1989 with the aim of unifying activities in the mathematical sciences across the University. It was renamed the Mathematical Sciences Institute in 2002. Its purpose is to promote and develop research, teaching and consulting in the mathematical sciences (including mathematics, statistics, mathematical physics and mathematical computation). The MSI comprises the Department of Mathematics and the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications.

The Director of the MSI is Professor Alan Carey.

Both divisions of the MSI have responsibility for research and postgraduate education. The Centre for Mathematics and its Applications has the primary function of a research institute in the mathematical sciences, fulfilling both national and international roles in that capacity. The Department of Mathematics has the responsibility for undergraduate and honours teaching in mathematics in the Faculties.

The MSI arranges regular symposia, seminars and conferences. In addition, the MSI manages a Mathematical Sciences Research Visitor Program which sponsors visiting researchers in all areas of the mathematical sciences and, through the CMA, it supports the National Research Symposia.

The MSI has been uniquely distinguished by its research success. The Commonwealth Centres of Excellence competition established the Special Research Centre for Mathematical Analysis in 1981, which ran from 1982 to 1990. As well as the original grant, the MSI has achieved a substantial number of Australian Research Council (ARC) grants including two Special Investigator Awards. The MSI currently has nine ARC Large Program Grants and ten ARC Fellows. Among its salaried research staff there are six Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science and three Fellows of the Royal Society of London.

The MSI is located in the John Dedman Mathematical Sciences Building and the Moran Building on the campus of the Australian National University in Canberra. On this map the John Dedman Building is building 27, map location G3.

The office of the Australian Mathematical Society is housed within the MSI.

Contact details for the MSI are available here.