Harvinder Sidhu

Professor Harvinder Sidhu serves as Deputy Rector at UNSW Canberra and is a member of the Applied and Industrial Mathematics (AIM) Research Group in the School of Science. He holds a BSc (First Class Honours and University Medal) and PhD in Mathematics from the University of Queensland, along with a Dip.Ed. from the National Institute of Education (Singapore). With over 190 research publications and extensive experience supervising Higher Degree Research students, he leads research in mathematical modeling across combustion, agriculture, and environmental systems.

His research focuses on mathematical combustion modeling (including combustion waves and spontaneous ignition), reactor engineering (chemical and bio-reactors), industrial mathematics, and mathematical biology/ecology. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications in bushfire behavior, sustainable agriculture, and environmental processes.

Research publications demonstrate strong emphasis on environmental and agricultural modeling, including:

• Advanced irrigation techniques (HYDRUS-2D modeling)
• Waste management thermodynamics (compost self-heating)
• Sustainable farming systems (conservation agriculture)
• Disease transmission dynamics
• Industrial process optimization

Awards:

• Rector's Award for Teaching Excellence (2013)
• Rector's Commendation for Teaching (2005 & 2009)
• J.H. Michell Medal for Outstanding New Researcher (1999)

He leads the AIM Research Group and has secured numerous competitive grants. Current projects include Ph.D. scholarships ($35,000/year) for research in combustion waves, bushfire behavior, and bioreactor engineering.