Introduction

This year the Annual General Meeting occurred less than a week before a major Forum I was organising for the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS). It was the culmination of a very active year for me and the AMSC and is one of the reasons for the late circulation of this report. I am also taking the liberty of extending the report to the end of 1996.

The year began with AAMT confirming its decision to leave the AMSC. While this was regrettable, the operation of the Council during 1996 would appear to indicate this has not created any major difficulties and has strengthened it in other ways. In fact the much more public face of the AMSC has considerably improved its links with other groups and greatly increased the network of people the AMSC is now involved with in some way.

The Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS) has continued its flourish although not without some difficulties. Mathematical Sciences: Adding to Australia, the strategic review of mathematical sciences research and advanced mathematical services in Australia, was launched in January and this was followed by a Symposium held in conjunction with the National Committee for Mathematics (NCM) in February.

There was a change of government which was initially seen in a fairly positive light as an opportunity to see some redirection of resources to strategically important areas like the mathematical sciences. During the year this optimism turned to dismay as the likely effects of cuts across the board became apparent. There is little doubt that the effect on all science related areas would have been even greater had it not been for a sympathetic Minister for Science and FASTS. However, FASTS has so far had little effect on education policy. The situation prior to the election appears to have been re-created so that science policy emanating from the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST) can be undermined by the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA).

Linked with all of the above has been the media coverage that the mathematical sciences have received this year. There have been many of the standard stories about teacher shortages and similar. There have also been many stories about exciting contributions of mathematics to Australian life. It is an important part of what must be done if more young people are to be attracted to mathematics for reasons other than high TERs or because they have to study it for particular careers.

Each of the issues mentioned here are dealt with in more detail in the sections following.

Membership

Following the departure of the AAMT, membership stabilised around the Australian Mathematical Society (AusMS), Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA), Mathematics Education Lecturers' Association (MELA) and Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) with the Australian Society for Operations Research (ASOR) and Bridging Mathematics Network (BMN) as observers.

During 1997 it is anticipated that MERGA and MELA will complete the process of merging. The ASOR has yet to meet to decide whether they will become full members. The BMN had a relatively small conference this year, because of major conferences overseas at the same time, and have yet to consider a structure that would enable them to become full members. Their 1997 conference in New Zealand shows every indication of being well attended and may be an opportunity for this to occur.

Relationships with the Institution of Engineers, Australia (IEAust) have consolidated during the year and the Council is currently examining a new category of membership that would enable groups such as IEAust membership of AMSC but without requiring membership of FASTS. This will not be open to groups who should legitimately be members of FASTS as the effectiveness of the AMSC is linked closely to FASTS.

FASTS continues to be a key group in terms of providing a broad umbrella group to lobby on behalf of mathematical sciences and links with other professional groups. It also provides the mathematical sciences with a voice in forums such as the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Council (PMSEC) and the Australian Science, Technology and Engineering Council (ASTEC). As FASTS Board member I will be involved in a meeting with John Stocker, the new Chief Scientist who has a key role in PMSEC and ASTEC, early in 1997.

The Chair of the NCM has always had observer status on AMSC and 1996 has also seen strong consolidation of the relationship between the AMSC and NCM and others in the Australian Academy of Science. The President of AMSC is a member of the NCM and, in 1996, also became an observer on the Australian Sub-committee of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ASICMI). The Chair of ASICMI has been an observer on AMSC for some time.

Basically, the AMSC maintains a strong core membership base, with expanding links to other groups, and potential new members though established channels or a new category of membership.

AAMT

The AMSC was given no details of the AAMT decision to leave AMSC so I invited the President, Mr Will Morony, to the first full meeting of the AMSC. I considered it necessary for the AMSC to try and maintain some dialogue with the AAMT if possible. However, the invitation was declined and the AAMT Executive has made every effort throughout the year to distance itself from anything to do with the AMSC.

Information has been sent to all the affiliates of AAMT and their journal editors on several occasions during the year. Some of the affiliates have thanked us for this. There were two meetings with affiliates. Toss Gascoigne (Executive Director, FASTS) and I met with the Mathematical Association of Victoria (MAV) and there is no doubt that good relations will continue between the AMSC and the MAV. There are several reasons for this which would be difficult to duplicate in other states.

Noel Barton and I met with the Mathematical Association of NSW and the lack of information and misunderstanding about the AMSC that emerged during that meeting was disappointing. It was a good meeting in that I think we did manage to convey some new information about FASTS and AMSC and perhaps begin a dialogue that may see better communications between MANSW and the AMSC.

My current assessment of the situation in regard to AAMT however is that the AMSC would be wasting its time to spend too much effort in trying to get them to rejoin. The current Executive of AAMT seems to view the AMSC as something to be in competition with rather than an additional voice for teachers. The AMSC does not have the time nor the resources to work with each affiliate.

Later in this report I discuss relationships with the media in 1996. I should note that, in a recent MERGA Newsletter, I said that I thought the way AMSC was using the media would be an additional problem in terms of AAMT rejoining. I also said I thought it was something that AAMT Council would have to resolve in the context that it was unlikely that the strictures AAMT have wanted in the past would even be considered now.

I believe information emanating from the AMSC that should reach teachers must, on occasions, be sent to the affiliates of AAMT or teachers are ultimately disadvantaged by not having the choice of whether to participate or not in some activities. I have in mind activities like the Symposium and the Forum. It is not necessary very often and I hope it can continue. When I have done it I have sent the material addressed to President and Councillors to try and ensure that it gets to as many key people in the State associations as possible.

The AMSC can be very proud of what has been able to do for mathematics teachers this year and I see no reason why that should not continue. We have given them a voice in many forums where I do not think they would have been represented otherwise. I would also note that four members of the current Executive and Board are members of the AAMT. Each of them has had, or has, an active role in an AAMT affiliate, three of them being involved in editing the MAV Conference book in recent years. They are all very knowledgable about teachers and teachers' concerns and with this expertise the AMSC can be confident in its ability to continue to support teachers in many ways.

Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME) and International Links

Both PME and ICME were held in Spain and I, and many other Australians, were able to attend both. PME is held every year but more people usually attend when it occurs around an ICME which is held every four years. This year was no exception.

Australia was one of a small number of countries invited to make a national presentation at ICME. This was coordinated by Jane Watson, Chair of ASICMI, and Jeff Baxter from the ASICMI committee. Members of AMSC contributed in a number of ways. I supplied some video material and was able to use the AMSC to assist with copyright release. Mathematical Sciences: Adding to Australia was also featured in the presentation. The review, and the very existence of the AMSC, attracted considerable interest as Australia seems to have learnt considerably more about organised lobbying for the mathematical sciences than other nations. The activities of FASTS and AMSC could well be the focus of future international networking.

Australia is to host the International Conference on Industrial and Applied Mathematics in 2003. This significant honour is largely due to the work of Noel Barton, our new President.

Mathematical Sciences: Adding to Australia: The Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research and Advanced Mathematical Services in Australia

The Review was completed and was being printed at the time of my 1995 report. Two major events drew attention to itóa launch organised by the Academy in January and a Symposium organised by AMSC and NCM at the University of New South Wales in February.

The launch was a happy event. The President of the Academy, Sir Gustav Nossal, had obviously read the report in some detail and was genuinely enthusiastic about the process and the contents. I saw him at the airport the next day and he again made the point of telling me what a great job the mathematics people had done.

In February, the AMSC and NCM Symposium had a program designed to draw attention to the Review and the contribution advanced mathematical sciences are making to Australia. Peter Pockley, a well-known science communicator, acted as consultant and an outstanding slate of speakers led to a very successful day.

A secondary-school student who was able to attend approached me at the end of the day and said students needed to have access to the kind of information she had been able to get through the Forum. This was also re-iterated by a number of academics present. Alf van der Poorten volunteered to oversee the editing of the papers and it is expected that the Academy, in conjunction with the AMSC, will publish the result early in 1997. This will be supplemented by various activities being coordinated by the Education Committee of the AusMS which include WWW pages and a new careers pamphlet.

FASTS

To a very considerable extent the efficiency of AMSC's political voice is tied to FASTS. FASTS issued a revised policy document mid-year. It was launched by the Minister for Science, Peter McGauran, and relationships with him have been excellent. There is little doubt that the budget for science could have been considerably worse. Both the government and opposition spokespersons on science addressed the FASTS policy meeting in November.

FASTS has on-going interaction with the media and the Executive Director, Toss Gascoigne, is very effective in this. In addition to his work for FASTS, he also runs media communication skills course which I highly recommend to anyone finding themselves dealing with the media on a regular basis.

FASTS is now represented on PMSEC and liaising with many other groups such as the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS). There is little doubt that the membership will continue to grow as will the activity and links with other groups.

There are many positives but FASTS is under-resourced for the tasks required of such an organisation in the current political climate. Members of the mathematical sciences have consistently been one of the more generous groups in terms of what individual members pay. If everyone in FASTS was paying the average of what the AMSC members are contributing (remembering that there are many AMSC members with multiple memberships), FASTS would be a much more effective body. Science could then compete with the very big lobby groups. The groups who did well in the last budget were the ones who could afford to commission research on the economic effects of some of the proposed cuts.

Australian science needs a highly effective, well-funded lobby group. Much is being achieved but, because I know it can be done better, I am also prepared to spend time talking to professional groups about the need to see their contribution to this area as important as their other activities. Many find this cultural shift in the way in which things are valued, and the tactics that must be employed to counter it, unpalatable. Unfortunately, at least in the short term, it is necessary to accept that this is the reality.

FASTS FORUM: Valuing Education: The Case for Mathematics and Science

As discussed above, there is no doubt considerable attention was paid to the FASTS policy document in the framing of the budget but the education section appeared to be ignored. I persuaded FASTS to have a National Forum in November but the limited resources of FASTS meant that the work was really up to me. Fortunately I was able to get the support of the Academy and this was invaluable.

Fairly early in this exercise I remembered how long it was since FASTS had actually run a forum of this type and the exercise has been something of a learning exercise for them. I have put together some notes on 'how to run a national event' and anyone contemplating such an exercise is welcome to a copy.

Early in the planning both Ministers for Education indicated a willingness to speak. Unfortunately President Clinton then decided to come to Australia and was in Canberra on the actual day of the Forum and neither attended. Both have been sent notes from the day and hopefully will reply early in 1997.

The Forum itself was very successful with about eighty participants, general agreement that there are many challenges facing mathematics and science education, and that there is a need to all work together on them. As the FASTS Board member with the educational background I now intend to try and build on the links made through the Forum in a continued effort to get more attention paid to educational issues. I believe FASTS is well placed to co-ordinate a broad network involving the Academies of Science and Technological Sciences, ANZAAS, Councils of Deans, ASTEC, National Industry Education Forum (NIEF), IEAust and others. I will be pursuing a number of links I made with industry people as a result of the Forum because science and mathematics education will do much better if industry has a clearer understanding of what, for example, a shortage of teachers means.

Meetings

I have taken the opportunity of visits to Canberra to set up various meetings in DIST and DEETYA. Various combinations of Noel Barton, Derek Robinson and Ian Sloan have accompanied me as we drew attention to the Review, the implications of things like the HECS changes, teacher shortages and the need to include mathematics in ASTEC studies. We are all agreed that the mix of education and discipline people (and being politically correct on gender) works well in these meetings. These meetings are AMSC lobbying on behalf of mathematical sciences independent of FASTS but are often reinforced by FASTS. It is part of the maturing of AMSC that it now knows how to go about this and can do it in a context that there is support for what we are saying by a wider group.

In regard to some of the major issues, particular attention has been paid to the Review recommendations about centres. In general the response has been that the recommendations have merit but don't meet existing guidelines. In regard to HECS, there is little doubt that lobbying by both AMSC and FASTS via Peter McGauran was the major reason for the proposed review on the impact on science and engineering enrolments. The impending teacher shortage is the subject of a DEETYA study but has not produced any positive actions to actually address the situation as yet. I am optimistic about better representation of mathematical issues in ASTEC and new opportunities presented by a new chair, John Stocker.

I received invitations to address various meetings including an education group of the Victorian Division of IEAust, the Education Board of the IEAust and the Council of Deans of Science. I represented FASTS at a NSW Board of Studies Symposium on 7-10 Science and at the AGM of the Business Higher Education Round Table (BHERT).

Mathematics and the Media

1996 could rightly be called the Year of Mathematics as far as the media is concerned. It would be impossible to list all the stories this year but the most pleasing aspect has been the nice balance between the good news stories about mathematical achievements and concerns about how to maintain a sound underpinning of mathematics education in schools and universities and for mathematics research. Stories have highlighted the difficulties facing science in general, the worrying issues relating to the supply of teachers and declining enrolments in courses dependent on mathematics.

Some highlights included the stories generated by the Symposium which included a piece in Column 8 on the front of the Sydney Morning Herald, mathematics being the featured discipline in the Higher Education Supplement (HES) in April, a long obituary on Paulos Erdos in the Campus Review, a story featuring Ian Sloan in the Australian following some data collected by the AusMS and two feature articles in the S & T section of the Canberra Times. I have selected these stories as they were all ones where AMSC was involved but illustrate the way in which AMSC and other bodies can work together and get media coverage. There were also many radio interviews and even the occasional television appearance.

Peter Pockley's help with the Symposium was invaluable. Toss Gascoigne has also given me tremendous support throughout the year and the 2-day science communicators course run by him and Jenny Metcalfe I attended has been very useful. None of the stories above 'just happened'. They all came about as a result of media releases or direct contact.

What has been achieved this year is a network of media people who know that there are good stories in mathematics and a network of people who will give them appropriate contacts. The Erdos story was a case in point. Warren Osmond (Editor of Campus Review) had been alerted that there was a good story but needed people to talk to for the story. I was able to put him in touch with Peter Taylor and it grew from that.

The media successes of this year are a considerable achievement. Like any profession, journalists can only do their job well if they have the tools to work with and can meet the demands of their employers that what they produce is going to be read or listened to. I am impressed by many that I have had the opportunity to work with. It must be recognised that English is often an ambiguous language and individuals can read their own meaning into something in ways not intended. Fortunately, there have been very few occasions where this has occurred this year.

When it does occur it invariably involves something being interpreted as criticism of teachers. This is unfortunate as in none of my dealings with the media or other groups has there been criticism of teachers. There is often criticism of what teachers are being told to implement and related issues. To interpret this as criticism of teachers is unhelpful when there are so many important issues to be addressed. The more people we have saying that mathematics is important, exciting, enjoyable etc but that there are some concerns the better.

The Future

In my report for 1995 I noted that AMSC must constantly remind government that science and technology in Australia are all ultimately dependent on teachers of mathematics. Twelve months later it has become even more important. Science and technology in Australia does not have a future until there is an answer to the question 'where are our future teachers of mathematics?' A combination of falling enrolments in science courses, HECS changes and an aging teaching forceócombined with perceptions of a career that is becoming more unattractive due to poor pay, career paths and lack of professional autonomy and professional developmentódoes not bode well for the future.

The first results from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) had two important findings that must be addressed. The first of these was that, in Australia, over 50% of the teachers of the 13-14 year cohort were unhappy in their careers. This very worrying figure means that at a crucial time in their schooling, when students are in their early years of secondary school and making future decisions on a basis of the subjects that interest them, many are likely to be turned away from mathematics by teachers who show little enthusiasm or joy in the teaching of mathematics.

The second important finding related to performance. The public reporting of the results indicated that Australian students were doing well. This was done by combining all countries that scored about the same as Australia and announcing that Australia was eighth rather than eighteenth. Reports largely ignored just how far Australian students are behind students in countries that are going to be our major competitors and trading partners in the years to come. These results also indicated that students in these high scoring countries learnt a lot more in twelve months that Australian students.

Comments from the Minister for Schools, Dr Kemp, did indicate that he realised the real implications of the findings on performance. It will, however, be very difficult to address unless issues related to teachers are solved. This will be neither easy nor cheap. The difficulties will be compounded if the universities, and many of the key professional groups, continue to be excluded from any real participation in matters to do with schools. This must be an issue pursued by the AMSC in 1997 as mathematics curriculum needs input from all those associated with AMSC as well as teachers and education ministries.

The other major issues that AMSC must continue to address relate to research in all aspects of the mathematical sciences and the public face of mathematics. Noel Barton is well placed to give leadership in this area.

As FASTS Board member I will continue to pursue the educational issues as FASTS is singularly lacking in people with an educational background. As mentioned earlier, I think there is potential to build on the links that have been made, particularly through the Forum, and look to a more coordinated, broadly based mathematics and science education lobby.

The AMSC has given me the chance to work with people from the sciences generally and the arts and humanities. I can only urge others in any branch of the mathematical sciences to look outside of their area and share what they are doing with others. The AMSC does give wonderful opportunities to meet and talk with people with common concerns who may never get to meet otherwise. Australia can not afford to have mathematics educators not working with the discipline people or vice versa. If there can be trust, openness and intellectual honesty then it is possible to agree to disagree but get on with the major task of looking after the mathematical sciences. The debates along the way can be wonderful and much can be learnt by all participants.

The future of AMSC seems assured. It will continue to operate both independently in liaising with government and other groups but also be part of a growing network of bodies working together to ensure the scientific and technological future of Australia.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the mathematical sciences community for the opportunity to have been President in the last two years. On occasions it has been stressful and it has involved a lot of time. It has also been immeasurably enjoyable. It has given me many opportunities I would never have had otherwise and I have made many friends throughout my involvement with the AMSC. While my formal involvement with AMSC continues for another year, I now look forward to moving on and working with other groups. I would cite one example of this, my close involvement with the educational committee of AusMS.

I thank the members of the Board for their support during the year and I am especially indebted to my colleagues on the Executive. Our new President, Noel Barton, will bring a fresh perspective to the Council and I thank him for his friendship and support. Tony Guttmann has been an efficient and supportive Treasurer and Marj Horne a conscientious secretary who always manages to find another hour in the day when it is needed. I thank them for all their work.

Ian Sloan, as Chair of the NCM, deserves special thanks from me and from the AMSC. Ian has been associated with the Council since the beginning and always available to discuss and assist with Council matters. However, it really only in 1996 that the AMSC and NCM have taken joint actions on the scale undertaken this year. This has involved Ian in considerable additional work but it has been very beneficial to the operation of both groups and to the public profile on the mathematical sciences.

Another person who deserves special mention is Derek Robinson who has additional tasks thrust upon him because of his Canberra location. Derek has been a wonderful colleague in various meetings in Canberra and a great asset to the Council on the occasions he has represented the Council at functions in Canberra. As Derek will become the new Chair of NCM in 1997, the close working relationship between the AMSC and NCM would seem to be assured.

Trish Nicholls and Rachel Meisner from the Academy have given AMSC and NCM much time and support this year through the Launch, Symposium and finally the Forum. They especially deserve my special thanks, as does Toss Gascoigne from FASTS.

There are many other people who have given me help, support and friendship during the year. Many people have said 'thank you'. To you all, a very big 'thank you' from me.

There are many issues of concern in the mathematical sciences as we go into 1997, and little of the optimism which the Strategic Review generated at the start of 1996. What we have got is a structure to address these issues and it is far more robust than it was. It needs continued nurturing and commitment but also recognition of the achievement that this represents by us all.

Jan Thomas

President 1995-1996