General comments
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) believes that the mathematical sciences play crucial roles in all aspects of our daily lives and, especially, in the sciences and the technologies. Because of the continuing impact of the computer revolution on all aspects of human activity, the importance of the mathematical sciences will increase significantly into the future. This will generate an enhanced demand for personnel with quantitative skills in all levels of employment and, especially, in professions such as primary and secondary school teaching, apprenticeship training, university teaching, training and research, and scientific and industrial research and decision making.
Following is a list of points seen as critical for considering a Decadal Plan for Mathematics:
1. Mathematics is driven not only by mathematical considerations, but also by applications.
2. Because of the role played by all aspects of mathematics and statistics in all of the sciences and technologies that they encompass, it is important that the wording of the Decadal Plan engages, fosters and supports the full spectrum of mathematics and statistics activity throughout Australia.
3. The recommendations should specifically engender support for the role government instrumentalities play in bridging the dialogue and innovation between university based research and industry based need (eg CSIRO, ABS, BoM), since, along with business and industry, they represent a major source for employment for mathematics and statistics graduates.
4. The importance of mathematics and statistics education in supplying graduates with appropriate skills to government instrumentalities and to industry should be highlighted.
5. The Plan and its recommendations must engage the intended audience – the community, school teachers, decision makers, politicians, mathematics and statistics professionals and practitioners.
6. The “Role and Importance of Mathematics in all aspects of our daily lives” must be explicitly highlighted and used to drive the logical basis on which the Decadal Plan is structured.
Subcommittee Responses
The following responses are specifically aligned to the focus areas being considered by the various Subcommittees:
- Mathematics & Statistics Education in Schools and Colleges (including TAFE colleges)
The CSIRO is Australia’s national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. One of its roles is to interpret advances in global science and disseminate this information to the community, through our education and outreach programs.
CSIRO is also committed to science and mathematics education and fosters community engagement with science and mathematics by providing a range of primary and secondary science education programs for school-aged students, their teachers and parents. These outreach programs aim to alert school students, teachers and families to the vital contribution of scientific research (and CSIRO’s role) to the community; encourage students to take up careers in science, mathematics, engineering and technology; and engage and enthuse students, teachers and the wider community about science, mathematics and their applications.
The Scientists and Mathematicians in Schools (SMiS) program creates and supports ongoing partnerships between volunteer mathematicians and scientists and teachers in primary and secondary schools across Australia. SMiS brings real-life mathematics and science into primary and secondary school classrooms, engaging teachers and students with contemporary research, applications and careers.
SMiS is well positioned to support teachers of mathematics through the creation of individualised, collaborative and ongoing partnerships with mathematicians. Further, the program can assist promotion of deeper understanding of the importance of science and mathematics in our society for students and teachers, and through them, the wider school community.
Scientists and Mathematicians in Schools is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and CSIRO, and managed by CSIRO Education. In the Australian Government budget 2012-13, Scientists and Mathematicians in Schools received $6.5 million over four years to continue the good work being done since 2007. The funding is part of a $54 million Maths and Science Participation program package for science and mathematics education and the result of a review undertaken by the Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb.
Now a successful, well-established national program, the initiative began as Scientists in Schools in 2007 with the addition of Mathematicians in Schools from July 2009. As at 31 March 2013, there were 1282 SiS and 184 MiS active partnerships, representing at least one partnership in 12% of Australian schools.
Participation by schools is spread across government, Catholic and independent sectors and includes 41% in secondary schools settings and 59% in primary schools. Scientists and mathematicians come from federal, state and local government organisations, universities and the private sector in all States and Territories. Of the 1466 currently active partnerships, 12.5% of these are Mathematicians in Schools partnerships. The aim is to increase this ratio to at least 15% of partnerships created and supported involving mathematicians.
There is no cost to participants and the flexibility of the program means each partnership is unique, allowing exploration of possibilities such as presenting demonstrations or helping with activities, mentoring students, arranging site visits or excursions, discussing careers, and providing links to current research. Frequency of interactions and visits is negotiated by the partners and ranges from assisting once a week or once a month through to once a school term (approx four times a year) to once a year.
The benefits for teachers of being involved in this partnership program were recently assessed as part of an independent evaluation of the program by Curtin University of Technology. The 2011-12 evaluation, “A very valuable partnership”, found that teachers perceived significant benefits for themselves, most notably opportunities to communicate with and enjoyment of working with scientists or mathematicians, and the opportunity to increase engagement of students.
Furthermore, the evaluation examined changes in teachers’ rating of confidence in their knowledge of contemporary mathematics following their involvement in MiS. While the sample size was small, there were positive changes. Teachers were also asked to comment on the main reason for any change they felt in confidence. They referred to the reassurance they felt from the presence of the mathematician in their class and others considered their partner mathematician helped their understanding or broadened their view.
The evaluation also reported the importance attributed by teachers to a list of potential reasons for their participation in MiS. Approximately 47% of MiS teachers gave strong support to professional learning for themselves.
In response to a question about the impact of their partnership, one of the responding teachers noted that it had “opened up horizons of mathematics and its applications for students and teachers and raised awareness of big mathematical ideas and principles of problem solving” (pg68).
Maths and Stats by Email is a fortnightly email newsletter aimed primarily at 9–13 year olds and their teachers. The email newsletter is produced by CSIRO Education in partnership with the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Maths and Stats by Email also receives support from CSIRO’s Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics division, including ideas for content and access to a mathematician who checks the mathematical correctness of each issue.
Maths and Stats by Email focuses on mathematics as an enabling science, demonstrating beautiful and interesting uses of mathematics. Maths and Stats by Email reports new and exciting developments in mathematics, statistics and their applications. It provides hands-on activities and weblinks to engage readers, and speaks to a wide demographic of children, teachers and the general public. Maths and Stats by Email also actively promotes maths and stats initiatives across Australia, including Census@School and the year of Maths of Planet Earth 2013. An archive of all Maths and Stats by Email activities is maintained on the CSIRO website and is currently being migrated to Helix@CSIRO, the Double Helix blog.
To ensure access for all people, regardless of email clients or technological requirements, Maths and Stats by Email maintains two editions – a plain text version, and an HTML version with images and enhanced layout. Past newsletters from August 2012 onwards are also available as HTML webpages, accessed via a link from the email newsletter.
The first issue of Maths and Stats by Email was delivered in March 2010 to around 3000 people. In March 2013 it had over 18 500 subscribers. Math and Stats by Email is continuing to grow, with around 150 new subscribers each month. The email newsletter is provided to subscribers free of charge on a fortnightly basis.
Maths and Stats by Email has consistently high open rates, with around 25% of subscribers opening the newsletter within one week. Maths and Stats by Email newsletters continue to be accessed many months after publication – the 14 August issue was sent to 16 595 subscribers and has now been opened 13 858 times (stats taken on 16 April 2013).
An evaluation of Maths and Stats by Email by Murdoch University in 2010 indicated that the one-of-a–kind initiative is making a significant impact on young people’s understanding of the relevance of and engagement with mathematics even in its early days.
The role and value of education initiatives such as CSIRO’s Maths and Stats by Email program in building early interest and awareness of the mathematical sciences, and supporting teachers of mathematics by providing quality, accessible, engaging information and education resources should not be underestimated and must be recognised in the Decadal Plan.
Awesome, now I know how to measure things Egypt style! – Jessica Rosing
Keep them coming. My maths class is loving the challenges – Kerry Wode
Mathematics & Statistics Education and Training in Universities
In part, motivation for mathematics and statistics education should be through applications past, present and future, since most graduates, especially into the future, will find employment outside the universities and outside mathematics and statistics departments.
There are two facets to education and training in universities that are of relevance to CSIRO in relation to the equipping of its future pipeline of talent in mathematics and statistics capabilities.
a) Critical to the innovation required by government, industry and the community for information and decision-making are the new methods of mathematical and statistical analysis that enhance, for new types of large and complex information streams, robust procedures for their analysis and visualization in order to give understanding and insight as well as provide for risk informed decision-making. For the creation of the new generation of mathematical and statistical sciences and scientists in response to government, industry and community needs and demands requires universities to educate and train students in mathematics and statistics at a level that is world class and connected to and motivated by applications.
b) The evolving nature of science and technology is also generating a need for personnel with their overall level of mathematical and statistical capability to be at a much-enhanced level of competence. This is occurring in the materials, mining resources and energy sciences, the environmental sciences, the manufacturing related sciences and the life sciences. This is a result of the increased volume and complexity of data being generated as well as a move to considering complex systems in the pursuit of enhancing productivity and creating new value adding and competitive products and services. For each of these discipline areas, this requires universities to have specific education and training programs that equip their graduates to have adequate mathematical and statistical competencies to enable them to have adequate “analytical” productivity within their area of expertise and a strong employment profile.
Mathematics and Statistics Research (including interdisciplinary research) in Universities and Related Institutions (e.g. medical research institutes)
The role and appropriateness of mathematical and statistical research in universities and related institutions should be marketed in terms of its relevance to the needs and aspirations of the community and the nation.
Mathematics and Statistics (including education, training and research) in Government Instrumentalities, both State and Federal (including government laboratories such as CSIRO and DSTO)
From a CSIRO perspective, the most important goals for the Decadal Plan must be the formulation of proposals, policies and actions that:
a) greatly enhance employment opportunities for mathematics and statistics graduates who come from all stages of the education process – apprenticeships, undergraduates, graduates, PhDs and PostDocs, and
b) create a pool of mathematical and statistical talent and expertise from which organizations such as CSIRO, ABS, BoM and DSTO, as well as Universities and industry, can select personnel for their current and future activities.
This requires input not only from government instrumentalities, such as CSIRO, ABS, BoM and DSTO, but also from industry groups requiring the services of skilled mathematical and statistical professionals.
The actual structuring of the wording of the decadal plan must be cognisant of the fact that, not only for the general community, but also for many professional groups,
“The role and importance of mathematics is not self-evident.’’
Enhancing the public image of mathematics and statistics is the responsibility of the mathematics communities. Consequently, it would be excellent if the Decadal Plan contained proposals and actions that explicitly address how such enhancement might be managed. In particular, it is important for the Decadal Plan to highlight the need for all concerned to assist with improving the community’s awareness of the role and importance of mathematics and statistics in maintaining and supporting the welfare of the nation by explicitly enhancing its productivity, competitiveness in global markets and fostering collaboration on issues of global significance.
Advancing mathematical and statistical research is important. However, it must not be linked to some “tenuous’’ and “dismissive’’ claim that it might be important at some future date. The types of rationales which are appropriate are ones which links the utility and appropriateness of research to applications or the further development of mathematics arising from applications or the need to check on the broader applicability of mathematical results.
The professional image of the statistical sciences is strong and well understood within the wider community. There is a need to foster activities that improve on the current professional image of the mathematical sciences as being only university focussed. Examples include supporting student attendance and participation at national mathematics, applied mathematics and statistical conferences, the AMSI internship programs, the Industry Doctorate Training Centre’s activities and the CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics Graduate Fellow program.
The important role played by mathematical and statistical research in government instrumentalities should be specifically mentioned and exploited, as the Australian population depends directly on this in that much of the important national research is undertaken outside of universities. Specific examples include weather prediction, enhanced plant breeding, preventative medicine, manufacturing, mining, renewable energy sources, oceanography and fisheries research.
Within government instrumentalities like CSIRO, research is undertaken with a clear focus on integrating innovation from mathematics and statistics science into research outcomes and consequent impacts for government, industry and the community. An interdisciplinary approach has mathematics and statistical sciences and scientists engaged in the dual modes of:
1) Being central and leading in the formulation frameworks and platform technologies for the analysis and interpretation of information central to and leading to explicit and successful research outcomes (e.g. providing predictions and estimates of uncertainty from models estimating national soil carbon amounts)
2) Enabling (contributing and supporting) and integrating innovation in other domain areas with modelling and data analysis (e.g. new medical diagnostic tools and associated lab based services for detecting cancers).
This continuum is different from the commonly mentioned continuum of theory/basic research to applications of mathematics and statistics. This earlier continuum is about how mathematicians and statisticians need to work in interdisciplinary teams. The latter continuum is focused on the type of science being undertaken. Both continuums are important – they are different – and a recognition of these two continuums in the Decadal Plan recommendations would assist the various mathematical and statistical communities understand their unique and complementary roles in the national innovation system.
There should be collaboration between government instrumentalities and universities in the planning of courses to increase the mathematical and statistical knowledge of all graduates about the applications of mathematics and statistics. It is important for students to be learning about how mathematical knowledge supports practical decision-making in the sciences and industry so that they can be aware of the future options for their employment. In this respect, internship and graduate fellowship programs have a key role to play.
Strong partnerships exist between many government instrumentalities and universities, as the lifeblood of these instrumentalities is in ensuring their talent pipeline is nurtured at universities. CSIRO invested in students in conjunction with universities, joint appointments with universities and more recently has invested in a Graduate Fellow Program which has graduate students spend two years working on applications problems. The aim is to assist these early career scientists consider their career pathways – either through further studies (e.g PhD) or through a position engaged in industry. CSIRO is well placed to provide this dual pathway for early career researchers. For those who are interested in further studies CSIRO assist the students with making links into the university sector – as aligned to interests and etc. Feedback from this program has been very positive – refer to this link for details of the program and a video files on feedback from the Graduate Fellows – http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/Divisions/Mathematics-Informatics-and-Statistics/Graduate-Fellows.aspx
Equally important to CSIRO’s partnership with universities is enabling CSIRO staff to have a broader professional and mentoring network for their careers and career pathways. The partnerships are critical to creating vibrant innovation environments in CSIRO and the universities – having world renown scientists visiting, sparking innovation and ensuring our mathematicians and statisticians are connected and ensuring our science ranking is comparable on the world stage.
Mathematics and statistics (including education, training and research) in business and industry
The future political influence of the mathematical sciences rests heavily on how industry and business view the recommendations of the Decadal Plan.
Research Centres, Present and Future, in Mathematics and Statistics
It is suggest the goals of Radon Institute of Computational and Applied Mathematics (RICAM) be viewed as a possible role model; namely,
• does basic research in computational and applied mathematics according to highest international standards
• obtains the motivation for its research topics also from challenges in other scientific fields and industry
• emphasizes interdisciplinary cooperation between its workgroups and with institutions with similar scope and universities world-wide
• cooperates with other disciplines in the framework of special semesters on topics of major current interest
• wishes to attract gifted postdocs from all over the world and to provide an environment preparing them for international careers in academia or industry
• cooperates with universities by involving PhD-students into its research projects
• promotes, through its work and reports about it, the role of mathematics in science, industry and society
The View of the Australian Mathematics Diaspora Abroad
It is critical that Australia has specific initiatives to attract diaspora back to Australia to ensure our mathematical and statistical research is world class and catalyzing the next generation not only of mathematical and statistical scientists, but also of the maths/stats capable domain scientists. Such diaspora are critical to enhancing our innovation for government industry and the community. Specific initiatives include specific ARC fellowships, research agency and institution’s fellowships (e.g. CSIRO, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, etc), and industry specific recruitment activities with research agencies (e.g. CSIRO and Uni WA).