UTAS lecturer fosters mathematical genius
A Tasmanian high school student, tutored by a UTAS Mathematics lecturer, has been invited to Moscow to work with the world’s leading mathematicians.
Hutchins School Year 10 student, Christopher Ryba, beat older Year 11 and 12 Australian students to top the nation in the International Mathematics Tournament of Towns, which is a mathematical competition originating from Russia.
Tutored by Dr Kumudini Dharmadasa of the School of Mathematics and Physics, Christopher is the only Australian student this year to be invited to attend the prestigious international tournament in Moscow, which brings together students and the best mathematicians in the world. The students are set tasks, which take a number of days to solve. One of the problems will be a mathematical question that has not yet been solved.
A full-time lecturer at UTAS, Dr Dharmadasa is passionate about teaching mathematics and for many years has volunteered her spare time without pay to tutor high school students.
Dr Dharmadasa’s involvement with mathematical community groups is extensive, including the Tasmanian Mathematics Teachers’ association and the organising committees for the Australian Mathematics Competition for Westpac Awards, Australian Mathematics Olympiad, AMOC Senior Mathematics Competition, Tournament of Towns and the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad.