INVITED SPEAKERS
Tessa Barrett-Walker
Nō Ingarani ōku tīpuna. Ko Tessa Barrett-Walker tōku ingoa. I graduated from the University of Canterbury with a BSc(Hons) in mathematics and a BA in Te Reo Māori and Māori and Indigenous Studies in 2021. I currently work for Oranga Tamariki as a Senior Business Analyst in the Māori, Partnerships and Communities team. I am interested in multi- and interdisciplinary research, and exploring how maths, stats, and data can be utilised to meaningfully contribute to tino rangatiratanga.
Tilman Davies
I am a statistician originally from Perth, Western Australia. I completed my doctoral degree at Massey University in 2011 before joining Otago, where I am now a senior lecturer. My research — which deals with methods and applications in spatial statistics — has been supported by Marsden Fund grants and involves collaborators in industry and academia both here in New Zealand and internationally.
In my spare time, I am an avid PC gamer, 3D printer, piano learner, and hazy-pale-ale-sampler.
Cameron Grubb
I am a Graduate Analyst at Te Pūtea Matua – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand, working in the Deposit Takers Statistics Team. A core part of my role involves working with residential mortgage statistics; specifically, we produce key data that supports monitoring and supervising higher-risk mortgage lending. Additionally, I’ve had the chance to work with other teams, like Data Development and Data Science Systems, on various projects.
I’m relatively new to the bank (and Wellington), having joined in February after completing my Master’s in Economics (just three days before starting at the bank) at the University of Otago. Outside of work, I enjoy socializing with friends, exploring New Zealand’s outdoors, and competitive target shooting.
Vita Sudirham
I have a background in computational mathematics with MSc and PhD degrees from University of Twente, Netherlands. I have several years of teaching experience, including as a lecturer at Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia and as a teaching fellow at Victoria University of Wellington. Currently, I am working as a Senior Statistical Analyst in the Deposit Takers Statistics Team at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. My primary role includes producing statistical data on banks’ financial statements and profitability. I also had the opportunity to work on several projects involving our database system. I am fond of working with numbers as well as learning about central banking and economics. Outside of work, I spend most of my time with my family, either watching movies at home or having lunch at one of our favourite restaurants.
Rachael Tappenden
Rachael Tappenden is an applied mathematician. Her primary research interests lie in optimization and numerical linear algebra, and applications in machine learning. Her research focuses on the development, theory, and implementation of algorithms for large scale problems.
She was awarded her PhD from the University of Canterbury in 2011. In 2012, she took up a postdoctoral position at the University of Edinburgh, UK, followed by a postdoctoral position at The Johns Hopkins University, USA, in 2014, and in 2016 she became a lecturer at the University of Canterbury.
Finlay Thompson
Finlay has extensive experience as a database and software developer. He leads the technical direction of Dragonfly’s work, with a strong focus on open source technologies. He enjoys the challenge of making analytical and statistical solutions work in practice.
Finlay researched four-dimensional algebra and geometry for his PhD in mathematics at SISSA, Italy. He completed post-docs at CIMAT in Mexico and Victoria University of Wellington, then worked in Wellington’s IT industry before joining Dragonfly in 2008. Finlay is Adjunct Professor at University of Canterbury and chair of the Advisory Board for the Master of Applied Data Science programme at UoC.
Jeanette McLeod & Phil Wilson
Maths Craft New Zealand brings maths to the masses by celebrating the links between mathematics and craft. Maths Craft is a non-profit initiative founded in 2016 and run by mathematicians Dr Jeanette McLeod and Dr Phil Wilson. Jeanette and Phil are passionate about engaging the public with mathematics through craft. Their aim is to show young and old alike the fun, creativity, and beauty in mathematics through the medium of craft, and to demonstrate just how much mathematics there is in craft. By doing all of this, they help people to experience what it means to think like a mathematician.
Maths Craft New Zealand is Aotearoa’s largest maths outreach initiative, having reached over 37,000 people so far. Along with Festivals and workshops across the country, Maths Craft ships Maths Craft in a Box to schools, runs teacher professional development, and more besides. For their work on Maths Craft, Jeanette and Phil were awarded the 2019 Cranwell Medal for Science Communication by the New Zealand Association of Scientists, were finalists for the 2019 Excellence in Science Communication Award from the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand, were elected as Fellows of the New Zealand Mathematical Society in 2020, and in 2022 won the NZMS Gillian Thornley Award for outstanding contribution to the cause or profession of mathematics.
Jeanette is Co-founder and Director of Maths Craft New Zealand. She has a PhD in pure mathematics from the Australian National University, and is currently a Senior Lecturer Above the Bar at the University of Canterbury, and a Principal Investigator in the New Zealand Centre for Research Excellence, Te Pūnaha Matatini. Jeanette carries out research in the areas of pure and applied graph theory. Phil is Co-founder and Deputy Director of Maths Craft New Zealand. He has a PhD in mathematics from University College London, and is a Senior Lecturer Above the Bar in the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of Canterbury, and a Principal Investigator in Te Pūnaha Matatini. He does research in fluid dynamics, mathematical modelling, and the philosophy of mathematics.