Probabilistic and Extremal Combinatorics Down Under

Probabilistic and extremal combinatorics are two closely related branches of modern combinatorial theory. Extremal combinatorics examines the optimal (max or min) value of functions on discrete structures. Probabilistic combinatorics studies randomly selected discrete structures, or their elements, with varying kinds of probability distribution. Methods from this area have achieved strong results in extremal combinatorics. In recent years the topic of discrete random structures has evolved into a subject in its own right, with links to algorithms in computer science, statistical physics, study of the world wide web and other social networks, the spread of epidemics, and problems in communication arising in engineering and computer science such as information theory.

The workshop will provide a venue for sharing ideas between Australian and international researchers in the area, in particular exposing postgraduate students to cutting edge international research. A major focus of the workshop will be random structures.