Author: Francois Schulz

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Workshop

3MC-PIMS-SIMONS Summer School: Mathematical Modelling and Emerging Tools

Applications are now open to attend the 3MC-PIMS-SIMONS Summer School: Mathematical Modelling and Emerging Tools, which will be held at Arba Minch University, Ethiopia, from 14–24 December 2026.

Registration deadline: 31 August 2026.

For further information and to register, please visit:
https://natural-sciences.nwu.ac.za/paa/3MC-PIMS-SIMONS-Summer-School-2026

Additional details can also be found in the attached poster:
poster_3MC-PIMS-SIMONS-school-2026

Kindly share the information with anyone who may be interested in this event.

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Conference

First Announcement: Banach Algebras and Applications 2026

First Announcement

27th International Conference on Banach Algebras and Applications

We are pleased to announce the 27th International Conference on Banach Algebras and Applications, to be held at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, from 14 to 18 December 2026.

Since the inaugural event in Los Angeles in 1974, the conference has brought together researchers from around the world to present recent advances in Banach algebras, operator algebras, harmonic analysis, operator theory, and related areas. The 2026 meeting marks the first occasion on which this conference series will be hosted in Africa.

The scientific programme will feature plenary lectures by internationally renowned experts, contributed talks, and opportunities for discussion and collaboration.

Confirmed Plenary Speakers
International Speakers:

  • Osamu Hatori (Niigata University, Japan)
  • Niels Laustsen (Lancaster University, United Kingdom)
  • Martin Mathieu (Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom)
  • Antonio Peralta (University of Granada, Spain)
  • Nico Spronk (University of Waterloo, Canada)
  • Snežana Živković-Zlatanović (University of Niš, Serbia)

South African Speakers:

  • Rudi Brits (University of Johannesburg)
  • Sanne ter Horst (North-West University)
  • Sonja Mouton (Stellenbosch University)

Important Dates

  • Registration opens: 27 July 2026
  • Abstract submission opens: 27 July 2026
  • Deadline for registration and payment: 30 September 2026
  • Deadline for abstract submission: 30 September 2026

Researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and postgraduate students working in Banach algebras, operator algebras, harmonic analysis, operator theory, and related areas are warmly invited to participate.

Further information, including registration, accommodation, and updates, is available on the conference website: 

https://sites.google.com/view/banach-algebras-2026/home

Any queries may be directed to Francois Schulz at francoiss@uj.ac.za.

We look forward to welcoming you to Stellenbosch in December 2026.

Organizing Committee
Ronalda Benjamin – University of Johannesburg
Rudi Brits – University of Johannesburg
Muhammad Hassen – University of Johannesburg
Sonja Mouton – Stellenbosch University
Nicholas Sander – Stellenbosch University
Francois Schulz – University of Johannesburg

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Conference

South African-Japanese Discrete Homotopy Meeting 2026

The organizers invite members of the mathematical community to participate in the Second South Africa–Japan Meeting on Topological Data Analysis using A-Homotopy Theory. This is the second edition of the meeting, following a successful inaugural event held in Cape Town in 2025, which fostered several collaborative research projects between South African and Japanese researchers in A-homotopy theory and topological data analysis.

The meeting aims to strengthen these collaborations while bringing together researchers and students interested in algebraic topology, homotopy theory, topological data analysis, and related areas. 

Both in-person and remote participation are possible. Please note that priority for in-person attendance will be given to members of the IRGTADS project and their collaborators.

Further information about the meeting, including the programme, scientific motivations, and registration details, can be found on the conference website and the links below.

Conference website:

 https://sites.google.com/site/topolalgeb/home/conferences/sajdhm2026

Scientific motivations:

 https://sites.google.com/site/topolalgeb/home/conferences/sajdhm2026/motivations-sajdhm2026

Registration and abstract submission: 

https://sites.google.com/site/topolalgeb/home/conferences/sajdhm2026/abstract-registration-talks-sajdhm2026

Categories
Conference

Positivity XIII – Malta (21 to 25 June 2027)

SAMS members are invited to attend Positivity XIII, which will be held in Malta from 21–25 June 2027.

The list of invited speakers includes a number of mathematicians who work in areas adjacent to Positivity, or who use methods from Positivity, such as Tanya Eisner (ergodic theory), Tamás Titkos (optimal transport in quantum structures, Lipschitz-free spaces), Shiho Oi (operator algebras, Jordan algebras) and Felix-Benedict Liebrich (Mathematics of finance). The meeting is therefore expected to be of interest not only to researchers working directly in positivity, but also to mathematicians in related fields.

Further information is available on the conference website:
https://positivitymt2027.com/

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job-ads

Advertisement of PhD position at the University of the Free State

The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Free State (UFS) invites applications for a PhD position under the supervision of Prof. Christian Budde. 

We are seeking a talented, motivated and research-driven individual to join our vibrant academic community and contribute to research in modern functional analysis. The successful candidate will conduct advanced research within the broad domain of functional analysis, with specific focus on the operator-theoretic approach to evolution equations. 

The project will investigate either bi-continuous cosine families and their underlying structural, analytic and topological properties or advance the theory of (higher-order) non-autonomous abstract Cauchy problems. 

To be considered for this position, the applicant must meet the following criteria: A completed masters degree in mathematics with strong academic standing, a robust foundational background in functional analysis and, if possible, prior exposure to operator theory, operator semigroups or differential equations. Moreover, the candidate is supposed to have strong analytic skills, a passion for abstract mathematical research and to the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within an international research framework.

Interested candidates should submit their applications with supporting documents directly to Prof. Christian Budde (BuddeCJ@ufs.ac.za) and the Head of Department Dr. Christiaan Venter (VenterC@ufs.ac.za) by e-mail not later than the 31st of August 2026.

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job-ads

Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stellenbosch University

The Number Theory Research Project at the Mathematics Division of Stellenbosch University, led by Professor Florian Luca, is offering a one–year postdoctoral position in analytic number theory, Diophantine approximations and linear recurrent sequences. The closing date for applications is 15 August 2026. For more details, kindly see the advertisement: Number theory postdoc

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From the desk of the SAMS President

From the desk of the SAMS President

Dear SAMS member

This week the 15th AIMS Conference (American Institute of Mathematical Sciences) took place in Athens. Following a call from last year, we had two special sessions organized by SAMS members. This followed after discussions regarding possible engagements between myself and the current AIMS president during the last AIMS Conference in Abu Dhabi. I am very happy that we had a special session on “Topology and Dynamics in Data” organized by Dr. Cerene Rathilal and Dr. Maria Vivien Visaya, as well as another one on “Evolution Equations and Operator Semigroups: Theory and Applications” organized by myself (see the photograph of myself, Vivien, and Cerene below). We are grateful to all participants of our special sessions that contributed to the success. In addition to the many different special sessions, there was also space in the programme to engage with other colleagues such as the president of the Brazilian Mathematical Society (BMS), Prof. Jaqueline Mesquita, and Prof. Mathias Hieber (Oberwolfach). Apart from this the conference came with strong plenary talks for example by the Brazilian Fields Medalist Winner Prof. Artur Avila (ETH Zürich).

Beside the conference that happened this week, I am also delighted to announce that SAMS signed both a reciprocity agreement as well as memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the European Mathematical Society (EMS). These agreements have been discussed and confirmed both from the SAMS Council and most recent by the EMS Council during their bi-annual meeting that took place in Lisbon. I am looking forward to future collaborations and discussions. More details on the reciprocity agreement will be published and communicated in due course.

I wish all of you a successful start of the second semester.

Best wishes
Christian

Categories
Call

Call for Expressions of Interest: Modelling of the Supply and Demand of Mathematical Sciences Skills in South Africa

The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), in collaboration with the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA), invites Expressions of Interest for a research project entitled “Modelling of the Supply and Demand of Mathematical Sciences Skills in South Africa.”

The project aims to develop an evidence-based actuarial model to analyse and forecast the supply and demand of mathematical sciences skills across key sectors of the South African economy, with the goal of informing education policy, skills development, and investment decisions. Significant research funding is available, and proposals may address either the full scope of work or selected components of the project.

The closing date for submissions is 31 July 2026.

Please see the attached call for full details, including the scope of work, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions.

Call_for_Expression_of_Interest_MathsPrj_Final

Categories
Conference

Call for Participation and Abstracts: 2026 Symposium on Group Theory and Applications

The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Limpopo invites researchers, academics, and postgraduate students to participate in the 2026 Symposium on Group Theory and Applications.

The symposium will provide a platform for discussing recent advances in group theory and its applications, and for fostering collaboration and the exchange of ideas within the mathematical community.

Date: 31 July–1 August 2026
Venue: Bolivia Lodge, Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Host: Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Limpopo

Registration is now open. Interested participants are invited to visit the conference website for further details, registration, and abstract submission:
https://sites.google.com/view/group-theory2026

The deadline for abstract submission is 15 July 2026.

This event is hosted by the University of Limpopo and supported by the DSTI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (CoE-MaSS), South Africa.

Categories
Workshop

Workshop on Research Trends in Mathematical Modeling and Analysis in Life Sciences

The Workshop on Research Trends in Mathematical Modeling and Analysis in Life Sciences will take place at Tshikwalo Game Lodge, Dinokeng Game Reserve, from 18–21 October 2026.

Over the years, the application of mathematics to biology and the life sciences has generated exciting research challenges in areas such as epidemiology, cancer modelling, ecology, and bioengineering. This workshop aims to provide a forum for postgraduate students, emerging researchers, and established researchers to explore current research trends in mathematical modelling and analysis in the life sciences. The scientific programme will include invited lectures by leading researchers, as well as contributed talks showcasing the importance of mathematics and multidisciplinary research.

The deadline for registration and abstract submission is 15 September 2026. Financial support for postgraduate students and emerging researchers will be available upon application, subject to approval by the Scientific Committee and the availability of funds.

For further information, registration, and abstract submission, please visit the workshop website: www.up.ac.za/cf-mals2026, or see the workshop poster: MALS2026.