A Waikato University mathematician has won an international maths prize for new researchers in combinatorics - a branch of maths concerning the study of discrete objects.
Dr Nick Cavenagh won the 2008 Kirkman medal for his work in combinatorial designs and what are known as Latin Squares, like Sudoku puzzles, Latin trades and graph decompositions.
Combinatorics is commonly used in the design of statistical experiments in order to minimise error, particularly when many different factors are influencing the data.
Other applications include cryptography and digital watermarking.
Up to three Kirkman medals are given internationally each year on the basis of a solid body of published research to scholars who have earned PhDs in the last four years.
Dr Cavenagh said the best thing about the medal was the opportunities that may come with it, such as obtaining external research funding and attracting research students.
Dr Cavenagh has been at Waikato University since November last year, and previously held positions in Charles University in the Czech Republic and New South Wales and Monash universities in Australia.
- NZPA
Waikato professor wins international maths medal
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