A landmark donation of $55.1 million to the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute (SMRI) seeks to bolster Australia’s position as a global leader in mathematics research.
Based at the University of Sydney, SMRI is Australia’s premier centre for mathematical sciences. The first of its kind in the country, it seeks to advance innovative research across a diverse array of mathematical fields through its facilitation of leading international mathematical scientists. While in residency, visiting mathematicians can focus on research and collaboration without the usual demands of teaching and administration.
Since its establishment in 2018, SMRI has given academics, university students and the public, including school students, direct access to the world’s leading mathematical thinkers, granting invaluable insights into research, learning and teaching. It has also established a lasting relationship with prestigious institutions such as the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS), the University of Bonn, and the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics.
A landmark gift
The $55.1 million donation consists of philanthropic gifts from two foundations: the Simon Marais Foundation and the Hooper Shaw Family Foundation ($28.7 million combined), and a $26.4 million commitment from the University of Sydney.
The donations from the respective foundations will fund two distinct objectives. Hooper Shaw’s gift will support early-career researchers’ long-term engagement with mathematics and the expansion of global collaboration and an artist-in-residence program. The Simon Marais gift, meanwhile, will focus on international recruitment, strategic investment and institutional expansion — cementing SMRI’s reputation as a global centre for mathematicians.
Director of SMRI Professor Geordie Williamson (left) with Executive Director of SMRI Professor Stephan Tillmann. Image credit: Stefanie Zingsheim
Commenting on the game-changing sum, Director of SMRI Professor Geordie Williamson said: “Internet banking, search engines, Wi-Fi and magnetic resonance imaging all incorporate fundamental mathematical ideas; these technologies are leaps forward for society which are dependent on deeply complex, curiosity-driven research by leading thinkers in mathematics.
“The focus of SMRI is similarly on fundamental research, especially in applications of AI to some of the toughest problems in mathematics. Our aim is to become a place where the world’s leading mathematicians come to collaborate, developing the mathematical culture in Australia and inspiring future generations of researchers.”
“This gift will enhance Australia’s reputation as a home for mathematical research, creating new opportunities for students, early-career researchers and industry partners.”
Professor Tim Marchant, AMSI Director
He continued: “I’m deeply grateful to the donors who supported the Institute’s establishment and vision from the very start.”
Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney Professor Mark Scott AO added to Prof. Williamson’s comments, acknowledging that the triple investment has the potential to “change the future of fundamental maths research in Australia, placing us in the ranks of a handful of institutions in the world.
“With these gifts, our donors recognise both the achievements of SMRI and its ability to make Australia globally competitive in world-class mathematical research at a time when the world is racing to secure top talent in AI, quantum computing and advanced modelling.”
Fundamental to Australia’s prosperity
Director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) Professor Tim Marchant believes that the gift will prove transformative for Australia’s mathematical sciences ecosystem. “By attracting world-leading researchers and fostering collaborations with mathematicians from across the world, this funding will enhance Australia’s reputation as a home for mathematical research, creating new opportunities for students, early-career researchers and industry partners to engage with cutting-edge ideas that are fundamental to Australia’s future prosperity.”
Donors Rhae Hooper and Chris Shaw of the Hooper Shaw Family Foundation emphasised their confidence in SMRI to deliver their vision: “Great research institutions are not built overnight; they are built over decades. Seeing the calibre of mathematicians it now attracts and its growth as a globally respected centre for research has strengthened our confidence in that long-term ambition.”
“This is a wonderful announcement which will change the future of fundamental maths research in Australia, placing us in the ranks of a handful of institutions in the world.”
Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, Professor Mark Scott AO
They added: “We believe Australia should aspire to be home to world-class mathematical research and that the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute is uniquely placed to do this. We want to help bring exceptional talent back home — people like Geordie — and to build a centre with the magnetic pull to draw the best minds from around the world.”
Quotes reproduced with permission from the University of Sydney. Images Stefanie Zingsheim.
Media Inquiries:
Robbie Byrne
Marketing and Communications Coordinator, AMSI
robbie.byrne@amsi.org.au
