Scientific Advisory Committee
Clare Dunning
Chairperson (University of Leeds)
Clare Dunning is Professor of Mathematical Physics and Head of the School of Mathematics at the University of Leeds. Her research focuses on classical and quantum integrable systems, including Painlevé equations and related areas in mathematical physics and combinatorics. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and outreach, with a strong commitment to inspiring engagement with mathematics.
Bernado Rodrigues
Deputy Chairperson (University of Pretoria)
Bernado Rodrigues is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Pretoria. His research focuses on group theory, combinatorics, and algebraic coding theory, with particular interests in finite groups, modular representation theory, and combinatorial design theory. His work explores connections to algebraic graph theory, permutation decoding, and the classification of algebraic structures, including axial algebras and binary self-dual codes. He has also contributed to applied research on modelling epidemiological disease transmission using difference equations and network methods. Bernado also serves as the Deputy-Chair of the CoE-MaSS Scientific Advisory Committee
Bruce Watson
University of the Witwatersrand
Bruce Watson is a mathematician whose research spans spectral theory, inverse problems, and functional analysis. After completing his PhD in multiparameter inverse spectral problems in 1996 and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary, he developed a substantial body of work in the spectral theory of differential operators and Sturm–Liouville problems. His more recent research focuses on stochastic, mixing, and ergodic processes in vector lattices (Riesz spaces), contributing to the development of measure-free approaches to probability and dynamical systems. He currently serves as Director of the DSTI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (CoE-MaSS), a role he assumed in January 2024.
Sophie Dabo-Niang
University of Lille
Sophie Dabo-Niang is a full professor of applied mathematics at the University of Lille (North of France), Vice-president of Executive Committee of PASRC (Pan-African Scientific Research Council), scientific officer of CIMPA (International Center of Pure and Applied Mathematics), and member of the Committee of Diversity of IMU (International Mathematical Union). She completed her PhD in statistics at Sorbonne University (Paris, Pierre and Marie Curie) in 2002.
Beatrice Pelloni
Heriot-Watt University
Beatrice Pelloni is a Professor of Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University in the UK. Her research focuses on applied analysis, particularly methods for partial differential equations, including boundary value problems, spectral methods, and optimal transport. She is an internationally recognised expert in integrable systems and analytical techniques for complex mathematical problems, with a strong record of research publications and collaborations within the mathematical sciences community.
David Holgate
University of the Western Cape
David Holgate is a Senior Professor at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) where he is currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, as well as holding a Research Chair in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. He is passionate about sharing his love for mathematics in the context of South Africa, where he believes that mathematics has a truly powerful role to play in nation building and addressing social injustice.
Nombuso Zondo
North-West University
Nombuso Zondo is a lecturer of Statistics at North-West University. She has a passion for teaching statistics and its overall application. She is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the statistics and data science streams. Her research interests have been in applied statistics, covering a range of multidisciplinary applications. Some of the projects she has been involved in include working with data from the education sector, car tracking devices, and dam levels.
Tshikhudo Lukoto
University of Limpopo
Tshikhudo Lukoto is a prominent academic affiliated with the University of Limpopo in South Africa, where he has contributed significantly to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of Banach algebras. His research focuses on intricate characterizations of mathematical structures and their applications, showcasing a deep understanding of both theoretical and applied aspects of the discipline. Lukoto’s work continues to inspire both students and fellow researchers in mathematics.
