Sharjah, Thursday, April 2, 2015

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), the Department of Mathematics and Statistics began the Second International Conference on Mathematics and Statistics (AUS-ICMS15), today, April 2, 2015, in the presence of Sheikh Mohamad Bin Saoud al Qassimi, Chairman of the Central Finance Department of Sharjah. The conference is organized in cooperation with the American Mathematical Society (AMS).

The conference offers a forum for researchers and scientists working in the fields of pure mathematics, applied mathematics, mathematics education and statistics to come together, discuss new research developments and network with one another. Topics to be covered at conference include algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, statistics, differential equations, discrete mathematics, financial mathematics, numerical analysis, probability theory, stochastic differential equations, and topology and geometry, to name a few. More than 320 abstracts were submitted to the conference, and papers resulting from 212 of them will be presented in the next four days.

During his opening remarks, Dr. Bj?rn Kjerfve, AUS Chancellor said, The significance of international conferences such as these cannot be underestimated. From time immemorial, mathematics has been instrumental in helping man explore and understand his world. The world today has become a global village, connected and interlinked in innumerable ways. But even when such close connections were not commonplace, mathematics was the one universal language which had equal appreciation no matter where you lived in the world.

The Chancellor also added, We, at AUS, are committed to academic excellence and are constantly aiming to enhance our research capabilities. We believe that research plays an important part in not only a universitys life but also in that of a dynamic, evolving and vibrant polity. That is why we have always stressed the importance of research among both our faculty members as well as our students.

I sincerely hope that this conference will continue to grow and attract experts and academic scholars from all over the world. I would like to take this opportunity to commend all those involved in the organization of this wonderful event, concluded Dr. Kjerfve.

Speaking about the conference, Dr. Mahmoud Anabtawi, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said, Organizing such a high-caliber international conference is one of many examples that we, in the College of Arts and Sciences, are committed to the fulfillment of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultans enlightened vision that science and education must regain their rightful place in the advancement of our society and in the shaping of the lives of our children, and for AUS to be a center of research in an emirate devoted to the making of history in academic excellence.

Dr. Anabtawi added, The sponsorship of the prestigious American Mathematical Society is profound evidence of the high quality of this conference, and the commitment of its organizers to promote mathematics and research in this part of the world and elsewhere. This international conference not only brought mathematicians, statisticians and scientists under the same roof, it also provided an interactive environment for them to discuss the most recent advancements, exchange research ideas and collaborate under the mathematics and statistics umbrella.

Dr. Hana Sulieman, Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Chairperson of the conference, said, We thank the American Mathematical Society for its technical sponsorship of the conference. The sponsorship by this prominent association attests to the international recognition of AUS and to the high quality of undergraduate and graduate programs that the department of mathematics and statistics offers at AUS. It also attests to commitment by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the American University of Sharjah to fulfill its mission that includes promoting mathematics and its important role in the advancement of UAE society and increasing knowledge productivity and research in mathematical sciences in the region. 

Richard A. Brualdi, a representative of the American Mathematical Society, said during his opening remarks, I anticipate that this Second International Conference on Mathematics and Statistics will be very successful, and on behalf of the American Mathematical Society and its president Robert Bryant, I send best wishes for a stimulating and memorable conference.

The conferences keynote speakers are Gunnar Carlsson, a Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University and a highly influential mathematician, most well-known for his proof of the Segal Burnside Ring conjecture and for his work on applied algebraic topology, especially topological data analysis; Professor Samad Hedayat, a UIC Distinguished Professor at Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); and Professor Edriss S. Titi, holder of the Owen Professorship of Mathematics at Texas A&M University since 2014 and Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Irvine.

Professor Titi also led a discussion on Tuesday at AUS, and focused on the core meaning of mathematics and algebra. He explained it as a developing framework to solve problems in social life and other types of sciences.

Initiated by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, AUS-ICMS was first held in March 2010, and was the first conference of its kind on mathematics held in the region.

The conference will continue until Sunday, April 5.

-Ends-

For more information, please contact:
Miriam Kiwan
Director of Strategic Communications and Media
mkiwan@aus.edu

Nazzal Yousef
Director of Media Relations +971 6 515 2157
nyousuf@aus.edu

About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The university was envisaged by His Highness as a leading educational institution in the Gulf region. Located in University City, Sharjah, AUS is a not-for-profit, independent, institution of higher education formed on the American model.

It offers 26 majors and 52 minors at the undergraduate level, and 14 masters degrees through the College of Architecture, Art and Design; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Engineering; and the School of Business Administration. These programs are designed to meet the challenges of a competitive and dynamic business and industrial environment.

As a provider of quality higher education in the Gulf, AUS is licensed and its programs are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates. AUS is accredited in the United States of America by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The bachelor of science degree programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering offered by the College of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). The bachelor of science degree program in computer science offered by the College of Engineering is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). The Bachelor of Architecture program of the College of Architecture, Art and Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) as well as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degrees offered by the School of Business Administration are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Press Release 2015