The National Mathematics Summer School (NMSS) is a program for the discovery and development of mathematically gifted and talented students from all over Australia.
Who runs NMSS?
AAMT and the Australian National University conduct the National Mathematics Summer School. The NMSS Advisory Board appoints the Director who has overall responsibility for the School, working with a highly committed team of volunteers. The Director for the 2019-2021 Schools is Professor Benjamin Burton.
Benjamin Burton is a professor in the School of Mathematics and Physics at The University of Queensland, where he spends his time teaching supercomputers how to untangle knots. His mathematical career has spanned geometry, cryptography and finance, and he enjoys puzzling over how to find fast computational solutions to difficult mathematical problems. Benjamin is passionate about bringing mathematics to schools and to the public - he has been involved with the National Mathematics Summer School since the early 1990s, he has spent a decade behind the scenes helping to organise the International Olympiad in Informatics, and he makes regular public appearances at events including the Science Nation, World Science Festival, and the Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Who is it for?
The NMSS is aimed at students completing Year 11, but others are included from time to time. Approximately 60 students attend each year. Potential participants can be suggested to the relevant State/Territory selector for consideration. Names of selectors are available from State/Territory affiliated associations.
When and where is it held?
The NMSS is a two week residential school held in January each year at the Australian National University in Canberra.
What is the program?
Students participate in a series of lecture courses from mathematicians in a number of branches of mathematics at a relatively advanced level.They attend tutorials under the guidance of a range of staff – postgraduate students, mathematics teachers and academic mathematicians. There is also an extensive social and cultural program which takes advantage of the attractions in Canberra.
What are the costs?
Students are expected to contribute to the costs of their attendance, but these are subsidised by sponsorship at the national and local levels.
For more information, visit the NMSS website.
