Science, Technology and Engineering

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Mathematics Staff Members

Research Interests

My research centres around universal algebra, lattice theory, and particularly the role of natural duality theory in both of these areas. I lead an active research group within the Department of Mathematics.

• Research Group on General Algebra and its Applications
• My publication list

Postgrads and Postdocs

My research group includes several postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows (ARC and La Trobe). I greatly enjoy the stimulation of working with graduate students. If you are interested in graduate studies in universal algebra or lattice theory, please email me.

Books

The three texts that I have published form my mathematical autobiography.

• Introduction to Lattices and Order
  with Dr Hilary Priestley (The University of Oxford),
  based on our undergraduate courses on lattices and ordered sets.
• Natural Dualities for the Working Algebraist
  with Professor David Clark (SUNY, New Paltz),
  presents all of the main results in the theory of natural dualities proved between 1980 and 1998.
• Dualisability: Unary Algebras and Beyond
  with Dr Jane Pitkethly (La Trobe University),
  reveals the surprising richness of duality theory within the seemingly simple class of unary algebras.

Other Interests

There are passions in my life other than my passion for mathematics. I am a late convert to juggling. I can do a little with most forms of juggling (balls, clubs, diabolo, scaves, rings), but my love is the devilstick. I have recently started a photo collection: devilsticking around the world.

Apart from juggling, I play the trumpet and the guitar and sing folk songs. I was an enthusiastic runner for many years. The highlight was running the Melbourne and Sydney marathons in 2000. After a knee injury forced me to give up running, I took up tap dancing instead.

For fourteen years from 1985 to 1999, I worked part time so that I could be at home with my children when they were babies and toddlers and then later could be more involved in their education. All three attended an alternative, parent-run primary school (the Learning Co-operative) and I was actively involved in the running of the school. I returned to full time work at La Trobe in January 1999.

Before you leave, please sign my guest book (which has existed since 27 December, 1996): Sign My Guestbook or View My Guestbook