Abstract :

This talk will introduce the background and aims of a cross-disciplinary research centre being established at the University of Melbourne. The Centre will participate in the convergence of the life sciences with mathematics and engineering; its vision is:

- to understand the computational architectures of biological systems and to understand how biological systems achieve their remarkable efficiency;

- to develop ultra-efficient algorithms for numerical control, optimisation, simulation and signal processing based on novel computing paradigms;

- to solve long-outstanding problems in science by enlisting the aid of unprecedentedly accurate and efficient computational techniques;

- in parallel, to create intelligent computers which learn and reason.

Two inter-connected programs will be established: Theory of Artificial and Biological Computation, and Scientific and Engineering Computation. The latter, especially, links heavily with industry, aiming to develop custom-made algorithms for them. A key objective is to solve the "computation over scale" problem - simulating a complex biological or physical process at the atomic level is currently intractable while simulating at coarser levels often lacks the required accuracy.

The research will involve the Faculties of Science, Medicine and Engineering and bring together mathematicians, engineers, computer scientists, statisticians, physicists, neuroscientists, biologists, bioinformatics researchers and so forth. The intention is for the centre to grow to include nodes at other universities in Australia and to have strong international linkages with similar groups overseas.

Biography :

Professor Manton received his Bachelor of Science (mathematics) and Bachelor of Engineering (electrical) degrees in 1995 and his Ph.D. degree in 1998, all from the University of Melbourne, Australia. From 1998 to 2004, he was with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Melbourne. During that time, he held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship then subsequently a Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship, both from the Australian Research Council. In 2005 he became a full Professor in the Department of Information Engineering, Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering (RSISE) at the Australian National University. From July 2006 till May 2008, he was on secondment to the Australian Research Council as Executive Director, Mathematics, Information and Communication Sciences. Currently, he holds a distinguished Chair at the University of Melbourne with the title Future Generation Professor. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Mathematical Sciences Institute at the Australian National University. Professor Manton's traditional research interests range from pure mathematics (e.g. commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, differential geometry) to engineering (e.g. signal processing, wireless communications). Recently though, led by a desire to participate in the convergence of the life sciences and the mathematical sciences, he has commenced learning neuroscience.

Professor Manton has served recently as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, a Committee Member for IEEE Signal Processing for Communications (SPCOM) Technical Committee, and a Committee Member on the Mathematics Panel for the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies in Australia.