Associate Professor Jiakun Liu (FAustMS) is affiliated with the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney . He holds a BSc from Zhejiang University (2006) and a PhD from the Australian National University (2010). Following a Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton (2010-2013), he served as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong (2013-2024), securing an ARC DECRA in 2014 and an ARC Future Fellowship in 2024. Specializes in nonlinear elliptic/parabolic PDEs with applications in geometry and optimal transportation Research focuses on Monge-Ampère/Hessian equations , regularity theory, and geometric flows Contributions to convex geometry , minimal surfaces, and stochastic PDEs . His 2024-2023 publications in Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics , Advanced Nonlinear Studies , and Archive for Rational Mechanics demonstrate expertise in free boundary regularity , noncompact Minkowski problems , and global geometric analysis . Recognized with ARC Future Fellowship and conferences organized across Australia-China collaborations.
Dr. Jiakun Liu is an Associate Professor at the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia. He has held this position since January 2022 and maintains an active research program in nonlinear partial differential equations with applications in geometry and optimal transportation. His work has been published in top mathematical journals including Annals of Mathematics, Inventiones Mathematicae, and Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics. Dr. Liu received his PhD from The Australian National University, Australia. His academic journey includes prestigious fellowships such as the Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Australian Research Council's Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA). Dr. Liu's primary research focuses on nonlinear elliptic and parabolic partial differential equations, with special emphasis on the regularity theory of Monge-Ampère equations, Hessian equations, and other variational problems. His work extends to related areas of geometry and physics, including the geometry of convex bodies, minimal surfaces, surfaces of prescribed curvatures, and geometric flows. His research has significant applications in optimal transportation theory, which connects mathematical analysis with practical problems in economics, physics, and computer science. Analysis of Dr. Liu's recent publications reveals a strong focus on regularity theory for Monge-Ampère equations and optimal transportation problems. His work spans pure mathematical theory (regularity of solutions, singular sets, free boundaries) while maintaining connections to geometric applications and practical problems. A notable trend is the increasing interdisciplinary nature of his research, with recent work connecting optimal transport to statistical methods and computer science applications. Dr. Liu has received several prestigious awards and fellowships: UIC International Links Scheme (University of Wollongong, 2015) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) from Australian Research Council Discovery Project (DP170100929) from Australian Research Council Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematical Scholarship from Zhejiang University Simons Foundation Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship Dr. Liu is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of mathematicians, having supervised numerous PhD students including Siyuan Li, Jihang Zhang, Phung Trong Thuc, Yating Wu, and Meng Ji. He has also guided honours students such as Matthew Hughes, Luke McDonald, and Brad Rice. His research is supported by multiple grants, including "Singularity and regularity for Monge-Ampere type equations" (2023-2026), "Monge-Ampere type equations and their applications" (2023-2027), and "Monge-Ampere equations and applications" (2020-2024), demonstrating sustained funding for his research program. Dr. Liu is an active participant in the mathematical community, organizing conferences such as the International Conference on Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations (honoring Professor Neil Trudinger's 80th birthday) and the 4th Australia-China Joint Conference on Geometric Analysis. He maintains collaborative relationships with researchers across Australia, China, and internationally, contributing to a vibrant research environment in geometric analysis and PDEs.
Professor Yong Wu holds the position of John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University's School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences (EECMS), within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He obtained his PhD from the University of Wollongong (1990) and has been a faculty member at Curtin since 1993, progressing through roles including Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Professor. His research focuses on applied and computational mathematics, industrial optimization, and financial engineering with applications in traffic flow control, asset-liability management, and insurance strategy optimization. Education: PhD (Mathematics) from University of Wollongong (1990), followed by postdoctoral research at the same institution before joining Curtin University in 1993. Research Interests: Applied Mathematics: Fractional differential equations, nonlinear systems, and PDEs Industrial Modeling: Optimization algorithms and traffic flow dynamics Financial Engineering: Blockchain-based investment systems and risk management Key Contributions: Over 300 peer-reviewed articles in journals like Journal of Differential Equations and Nonlinear Analysis Recipient of 13 competitive grants including ARC and NSFC funding Listed as Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research groups focusing on computational mathematics, financial engineering, and industrial systems optimization at Curtin University.
Professor Benchawan Wiwatanapataphee holds a PhD from Curtin University (1998) and has extensive academic experience, previously serving as a Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Mathematics at Mahidol University until 2015. Since 2015, she has been an Associate Professor (now Professor) in the School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Curtin University. Her research focuses on computational mathematics, including applications in biomedical engineering, finance, and nanotechnology. Notable contributions include modeling blood flow in coronary arteries, heat transfer in steel casting, and epidemic spread dynamics. She has supervised over 20 PhD and 12 MSc students, secured nine national research grants (including ARC and Thailand Research Funds), and published over 50 peer-reviewed papers. Awards include the Third World Academy of Science Award (1999) and Royal Thai decorations such as the Chakrabarti Mala Medal (2019). She has held editorial roles for journals like Cogent Mathematics and guest-edited special issues in Mathematical Problems in Engineering. Teaching expertise spans Advanced Numerical Analysis, Supply Chain Modeling, and Computational Mathematics. Active in interdisciplinary research, her work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications in healthcare, industry, and finance.
Chayne Planiden is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics at the University of Wollongong, where he has been appointed since 2022. His research focuses on mathematical optimization, particularly nonsmooth optimization techniques including regularization methods, derivative-free algorithms, and the VU-algorithm. He specializes in proximal mappings, simplex gradient approximations, and Hessian approximation methods. Dr. Planiden's research spans both theoretical and applied mathematics, with significant applications in energy market modeling. His work addresses renewable energy integration, microgrid management, and electricity market design using optimization frameworks. Key methodologies include derivative-free optimization techniques and numerical analysis approaches for complex systems. In terms of research supervision, Dr. Planiden currently mentors three PhD students working on projects involving optimization algorithms, reaction-diffusion equations, and financial option pricing. He has successfully supervised one PhD candidate to completion on decarbonized electric grid frameworks. No scientific awards or honors are mentioned in the available information.
Giorgio Poggesi is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide since May 2025. His research focuses on analysis and partial differential equations (PDEs), particularly geometric aspects and applications, including stability, symmetry, and overdetermined problems. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from Università di Firenze (2019), with earlier degrees (MSc and BSc in Mathematics, both cum laude) from the same institution. Poggesi has received prestigious awards, including the ARC DECRA (2022), the J G Russell Award (2023), and the UWA PMC Early-Career Research Award (2024). Education : PhD in Mathematics (2019), Università di Firenze, thesis: *The Soap Bubble Theorem and Serrin's Problem: Quantitative Symmetry*. Master's Degree in Mathematics (2015), Università di Firenze, thesis: *On the Stability for Alexandrov's Soap Bubble Theorem*. Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics (2013), Università di Firenze, thesis: *Littlewood's Fourth Principle*. Research Interests : Poggesi's work centers on geometric analysis, PDEs, and their applications. Key themes include symmetry properties of solutions to PDEs, stability estimates for overdetermined problems (e.g., Serrin-type problems), convex cones, and nonlocal equations. His research bridges theoretical analysis with geometric insights, often involving integral identities and stability quantification. Publications : His recent work explores symmetry and stability in multi-phase systems, fractional PDEs, and geometric rigidity. Key contributions include advancements in the Soap Bubble Theorem, Serrin problem variations, and nonlocal overdetermined problems. Awards : 2024: UWA PMC Early-Career Research Award. 2023: J G Russell Award (Australian Academy of Science). 2022: ARC DECRA for *Partial Differential Equations: Geometric Aspects and Applications*. Grants and Roles : Poggesi led an ARC DECRA project (2023–2026) and served on UWA's PMC Research Committee. His grants and awards reflect his impactful contributions to PDE theory and geometric analysis. Labs/Teams : Active in UWA’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics and collaborates internationally on topics like convex cones and nonlocal equations.
