Joint SAMS-AMS-SAMSA Mathematics Conference
(sponsored by the LMS and UNESCO)
Pretoria, South Africa
25-28 JUNE 1997
Scientific Report
by
Johann Engelbrecht
(Organising Committee)
Background
For the first time in history, the South African Mathematical Society (SAMS),
the Southern African Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA) and the American
Mathematical Society (AMS) presenting a joint conference in Mathematics and
Mathematics Teaching. The conference was also sponsored by the London
Mathematical Society (LMS).
This was the first time that South Africa is involved in cooperation of this
nature in Mathematics. The department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
at the University of Pretoria hosted the conference in the conference centre of
the University of Pretoria.
It is also the first time that SAMSA joined forces with SAMS to present a
conference. In the past, there were virtually no relations between SAMS (based
in South Africa) and SAMSA (the mathematical society of the neighbouring
countries in southern Africa.) This joint venture introduced a new era in
cooperation in Mathematics in southern Africa.
Organising Committee
The organising committee consisted of:
- Susan Friedlander (AMS)
- Michael Sears (SAMS)
- Elmer Rees (LMS)
- Johan Swart (University of Pretoria)
- Johann Engelbrechtt (University of Pretoria)
Delegates
The conference was attended by 373 delegates representing 28 countries.
The distribution was as follows
Australia : 2
Austria : 2
Belgium : 2
Botswana : 2
Brazil : 1
Canada : 5
Denmark : 1
France : 2
Germany : 5
Italy : 2
Lesotho : 1
Mozambique : 5
Netherlands : 1
New Zealand : 1
Poland : 4
Reunion : 1
Russia : 1
Singapore : 1
Slovenia : 1
South Africa : 228
Spain : 1
Swaziland : 1
Tanzania : 1
Uganda : 2
United Kingdom : 18
USA : 73
Zambia : 3
Zimbabwe : 7
Academic activities
Nine invited presentations and 259 presentations in 17 different special
sessions formed the academic programme of the conference. The session on
Functional Analysis and Operator Theory was split into two parallel sessions at
times. This means that at times, 18 parallel lectures were taking place. The
session on Secondary and Post-secondary Curriculum Reform was probably best
attended with average attendance of about 80 people.
Full details of the academic programme, including abstracts of most of
the presentations, were published in the Conference Programme.
Social Activities
Social activities arranged by the organisers were
- Wednesday 25 June 1997: A cocktail party
- Thursday 26 June 1997: A braai dinner presented by the Mayor of Pretoria
- Friday 28 June 1997: A Jazz band concert
These social functions were attended very well and made a big
contribution to the success of the conference.
Sponsors
We are very grateful for financial support received
from various institutions including
UNESCO (Venice Office : Regional Office for Science and Technology for Europe)
US National Science Foundation
London Mathematical Society
SA/US Binational Commission Support Fund for Science and Technology
Anglo American and De Beers Chairman's, Fund Educational Trust
Furthermore we are also very grateful to a number of other companies for
support. A full list of sponsors appeared in the Conference Programme.
Subjective Comments
The conference was regarded by many delegates as a big success,
academically as well as in fixing ties between a big group of
mathematicians from different countries. Of particular significance to
me as organiser were
* the interest shown by mathematicians from neighbouring countries to
South Africa. The SAMSA representative suggested that a steering
committee between SAMS and SAMSA be appointed to arrange regular joint
meetings between the two societies.
* the participation of mathematicians from the "historically black
universities" in South Africa. SAMS congresses in the past were
normally attended by about 120-150 people, most of them from the
"historically white universities". This conference was attended by 228
people from South Africa and the presence and excitement of
mathematicians from the "historically black universities" were
noticable.
* the excellent, friendly spirit that was really outstanding. This was
very much evident at the social activities in particular. It was
described by an American delegate as if "the conference seemed to
generate an energy to fix and improve relations between people that did
not know each other formerly".
In retrospect, I recommend that similar joint conferences definitely be
considered again in future.
Johann Engelbrecht
August 1997
