The information presented below is in the following format: name; degree; institution; thesis title; date awarded; supervisor(s); brief description; current position.
Masters Degree
Arthur, Susan M; MCMS; The University of Waikato; "Factorial experiment studying the thickness of film produced by an extrusion process"; 1995; Mr Jeff Knowlton and Dr Ray Littler; Employed by an Auckland market research company.
Baxendine, Sandra; MCMS; The University of Waikato; "Investigation of a quality assurance system for a plant and soil laboratory"; 1995; -; Employed by Midland Regional Health Authority.
Broadstock, Neil; MSc, University of Otago; "Fractal geometry and hyperbolic iterated functions systems; 1996; Dr Peter Fenton; Iterated function systems are the context within which fractals are defined and described; Tutor, Mathematics and Statistics Department, University of Otago.
Cameron, Claire; MSc; University of Otago; "Modelling Survival of Hector's Dolphins around Banks Peninsula"; 1994; Dr David Fletcher; Using modelling techniques to estimate the survival rate of Hector's Dolphins around Banks Peninsula; Statistical Officer, Healthcare Otago.
Chapman, Sandra C.; MSc (with distinction), Victoria University of Wellington; "The Geometry of the Point-Path Generated by a Rigid-Body Motion in Two and Three Dimensions"; 1995; Dr P. Donelan; The differential geometry of point paths of planar and spatial rigid body motions is considered. The forms of sets of points with zero and stationary curvature (in the planar case) and zero torsion and curvature (in the spatial case) are given; in particular, the use of normal forms under the adjoint action on infinitesimal motions allows a complete analysis of degenerate cases; Research Officer at ACC.
Chen, Jinguo; MSc; University of Otago; "Central limit theorems for transfer function estimates"; 1996; Dr Laimonis Kavalieris; Derives limit theorems for estimates of a dynamic linear model describing the relationship between two time series; Management consultant with GML Consulting Ltd (Shanghai Office).
Clarke, Ian M J ; MSc; Massey University; "An investigation into the feasibility of constructing a mathematical model of ship safety" ; 1996; Professor Robert McKibbin; Mathematical methods associated with the many and various elements including structure, sea, operational and organisational influences that affect ship safety are reviewed. A single computer model is developed to assess variation of variables; Ship surveyor, Port of Tauranga.
Cole, Matthew; MSc; Massey University; "The cooling of spent anodes in the aluminium smelting industry"; 1996; Professor Robert McKibbin; Development of a mathematical model describing the heat transfer from cooling anode butts suspended in air. Predicted temperature transients are compared with experimental data; Market analyst, Industrial Energy Ltd, Wellington.
Davis, Craig; MSc; University of Otago; "The real part of entire functions"; 1994; -; An account of the Wiman-Valiron theory as developed by the original authors and later Clunie, Kovari, Hayman and Fenton; PhD student, University of Illinois.
Devlin, Andrew; MSc; University of Canterbury; "Quality Improvement in Polystyrene Block Production"; 1994; Professor G.R. Wood; -; -.
Elder, Andrew A; MSc; The University of Waikato; "Reduction cell life prediction"; 1995; Dr Ray Littler and Dr Murray Jorgensen; -; Employed by NZ Aluminium Smelters.
Grant, Koryn; MSc; Massey University; "The Painlevé Property for Differential Equations; 1995; Dr B van-Brunt and Assoc Professor W D Halford; This thesis reviews various work done in connextion with the Painlevé property for ordinary and partial differential equations. The Painlevé property is revisited in the analytical framework of several complex variables and a different interpretation is given for existing results; PhD student at University of Kent.
Hamzah, Norhayati; MSc; Massey University; "The Age-Structured Population Models; 1995; Professor G C Wake; Age-structured population models are studied with particular attention given to long-term behaviour, in particular steady age distribution and stability. The linear-dependent model is generalised to a nonlinear age-dependent one with limiting effects - first on specific age class only, then on the whole population. The models are tested on possum populations using data from the Orongorongo Valley near Wellington; Lecturer, University of Brunei.
Jonazi, Joseph B; MSc; The University of Waikato; "Analysis of repeated measures"; 1996; Dr Murray Jorgensen; -; Returned to Malawi.
Joyce, William; MSc; University of Canterbury; "A One-Dimensional Generalised Autonomous Homogenous Kuramoto-Sivashinsky Equation"; 1995; Dr D.J. Wall; -; Canterbury.
Ko, Hahn; MSc (with distinction); Victoria University of Wellington; "Some Studies of Measurable Cardinals"; 1995; Colin G.Bailey; An introduction to large cardinals, normal measures, elementary embeddings from a measure, Scott's proof that there are no measurables in L, and a development of indiscernibles in L from a measurable cardinal; Department marker and tutor.
Lindsay, Susan; MSc; University of Canterbury; "Prediction of the Diameter Distribution of Forest Stands"; 1994; Professor G.R. Wood, -; Queensland.
Ling, Gang; MSc; The University of Waikato; "Investigation for the application of two kinds of robust control charts"; 1995; -; Now employed by Foresty Corporation, Rotorua.
O'Sullivan, Michael J.; MPhil; University of Auckland; "Scheduling and loading of fleet operations"; 1995; -; New methods for the efficient scheduling and loading of a transportation fleet are developed and tested; Presently PhD student, Stanford University.
Palliser, Christopher C.; MSc; Massey University; "Mathematical model of the forced cooling of anodes used in the aluminium industry"; 1994; Dr Robert McKibbin; Development of a mathematical model describing the forced-airflow cooling section of an anode baking furnace. Transient temperature and pressure distributions are calculated numerically for various mass flows of air, with the aim of predicting cooling times.' PhD student, Department of Mathematics, Massey University.
Pidgeon, David L; MA (Hons) 1st Class; Massey University; "Point and Lie-Backlund symmetries of certain partial differential equations"; 1995; Associate Professor Dean Halford; Differential forms are used to investigate symmetries of PDEs. Lie-Backlund symmetries are discussed, in particular for the Korteweg-de Vries - Burgers equation; Senior Tutor, Central Institute of Technology and part-time PhD student at Massey University.
Pirihi, Nicholas G.; MSc; The University of Waikato; "Statistical process improvement for processes with automatic process control"; 1995; -; Dr Ray Littler; Teacher at St. Paul's Collegiate, Hamilton, and will take up a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford in September 1996.
Porteous, Michael; MA; University of Otago; "On Generalizing Matching Extensions"; 1995; Dr R E L Aldred; A survey of matching theory and n-extendability, motivation for the E(m,n) property (a generalization of n-extendability which edges are not only prescribed but some are also proscribed), basic results on E(m,n) graphs and the E(m,n) property in the context of other graph properties and constructions; Computer consultant, Wellington.
Rayner, Glen; MSc; University of Otago; "Moving Loads on Ice"; 1995; Professor Vernon Squire and Dr Ray Enlow; A validation of the highly sophisticated model of Strathdee et al (1991) using unpublished moving load data from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Excellent agreement between theory and field data was obtained; PhD student at Queensland University of Technology.
Semple, Charles; MSc (with distinction); Victoria University of Wellington; "Matroid Representation Over Partial Fields"; 1995; Geoff Whittle; The notion of a partial field is axiomatised, and a theory of matroid representation over partial fields is presented. Closure under standard matroid operations is shown to hold. Some classes of matroids arising from characterising representability over GF4 are presented; T.A. at Victoria University, and PhD student.
Stratton, Wendy; MSc; University of Canterbury; "Weighted Young's Inequalities"; 1996; Dr H-Q Bui, -; -.
Taylor, Robert M; MSc; The University of Waikato; "The integers, scalar multiplication and its uniqueness - a categorical approach"; 1995; Dr Mark Schroder; -; -.
Thornley, Megan O; MPhil; University of Auckland; "Crew rostering under a seniority preferential bidding environment using column generation"; 1995; D.M. Ryan, A new column-generation optimisation tool was developed to assist Air NZ in its rostering of pilots; Southpac Corporation Ltd.
van Dolleweerd, Andrew P; MCMS; The University of Waikato; "An analysis of thickness variation in film produced by a blown-film extrusion process"; 1995; Dr Ray Littler; Employed by 1995 Dairy Board, Auckland.
Visch, Julian; MSc; University of Canterbury; "Fuel Consumption Models for Traffic Modelling by the Canterbury Regional Council", 1995; Dr E. Chacko; -; Canterbury.
Williams, Michael; MSc; University of Otago; "Numerical Models of Seiches in Lakes Dunstan and Wakatipu, New Zealand"; 1995; Dr Ross Vennell; The dissertation concerns the numerical modelling of seiches in Lakes Dunstan and Wakatipu. Seiches are natural oscillations that occur in bodies of water, e.g. the slopping that occurs in the bath initiated by an overly enthusiastic plunge. The properties of seiches depend very much on the shape and bathymetry of the lake being considered, and because they are very long they are modelled by the shallow water equations; PhD student, University of Tasmania.
Willis, Levi; MCMS; The University of Waikato; "Defining process variation limits"; 1995; Professor Nye John and Dr Ray Littler; -; Employed by NZ Aluminium Smelters.
PhD Degree
Anthony, Glenda; PhD; Massey University; "Learning strategies in Mathematics Education; 1995; Gordon Knight; Data obtained from an classroom observations, questionnaires, stimulated recall interviews and case studies are used to classify learning strategies of 6th form mathematics students. A quantitative and qualitative examination of the students' strategic learning behaviours highlights the passive nature of many students' learning behaviours. The interaction of person, context and instructional factors on students' use and development of appropriate learning strategies is explored; Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Massey University.
Brown, Jenn; PhD, University of Otago; "The efficiency of adaptive cluster sampling"; Professor Bryan Manly; 1996; A theoretical investigation of a technique to improve the sampling efficiency of rare and patchily distributed populations; Working at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, USA.
Craddock, Mark ; PhD; University of Auckland; "A continuous-time model for optimal hydro-electric scheduling"; 1996; A. Philpott; The thesis addresses a problem in the scheduling of electricity generation in a hydro-electric scheme consisting of a network of reservoirs and waterways connecting them. It discusses two alternative approaches to modelling such a system, one treating time as a discrete variable, and a new approach which treats time as a continuous variable. The main contribution is the development of two new algorithms for continuous-time network programming problems, their successful implementation as computer software, and their application to a real hydro-electric power system; Engaged with strategic modelling at ECNZ.
Dye, Shane; PhD; Massey University; "On a flexible model for New Zealand's Hydro-thermal Electricity Generation System; 1995; Dr John Giffin and Mr Jonathan Lermit; The thesis models the generation system of a generalised network with side constraints, using a Load Duration Curve representation of demand. This deterministic model is extended stochastically using Progressive Hedging strategies; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Trondheim, Norway.
Hill, Andrew; PhD University of Canterbury; "Specializations of Generalized Drinfel'D-Sokolov Hierarchies"; 1996; Dr M.S. Hickman; -; Auckland.
Hjorring, Curt A. ; PhD; University of Auckland; "The vehicle routing problem and local search metaheuristics"; 1995; D.Ryan; Various metaheuristic algorithms were developed and compared; Carmen Systems, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Pan Hesong; PhD; University of Auckland; "Investigation of geothermal doublet systems in Rotorua"; 1995; M.J. O'Sullivan and D.H. Freeston; Combined experimental and numerical modelling of doublet systems, consisting of a production and injection well, in geothermal fields, with applications to Rotorua and Klamath (USA) reservoirs -- it was found that both are layered, heterogeneous, and influenced by strong regional groundwater flows; Consultant for small computer hardware/software company.
Saptadji, Nenny M.; PhD; University of Auckland; "Modelling of geysers"; 1995; M.J. O'Sullivan and D.H. Freeston; Field observations, laboratory experiments and computer modelling of geysers; Lecturer, ITB, Bandung, Indonesia.
Schou, Wayne C; PhD; The University of Waikato; "SchemeN: Design, implementation and application"; 1995; Assoc. Professor Kevin Broughan; -; Employed by Forest Research Institute; Rotorua.
Thomas, Gill; PhD, University of Otago; "Discussion in Junior Mathematics: Helping one another learn?"; Professor Derek Holton and Professor Joe Diorio; 1995; Ways of encouraging children to engage in talk which develops their mathematical understanding; HOD Mathematics, Dunedin College of Education.
Zhang, Baoping; PhD; University of Canterbury; "Topics of Lipschitz Global Optimisation"; 1995; Professor G.R. Wood; -; Canterbury.