Dr Shannon Algar
Postdoctoral research fellowUniversity of Western Australia
I am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Western Australia. My research covers broad areas of Complex Systems, Swarm Intelligence, Reservoir Computing and Time Series Analysis. As an applied mathematician, my focus is on application of these techniques to real-world problems.
My path through Physics and Engineering degrees as well as spending some time as a consultant engineer in industry, has allowed me to have broad applied mathematics knowledge, rather than singular expertise. My engineering background instilled an engineering mindset in the way I think about and approach problems. Namely, I am well adept to systems thinking, understanding connectedness, recognising constraints, implementing trade-offs for optimised results, and communicating these concepts in a clear and concise manner.
Science communication and outreach are very important to me and I seek opportunities to give my time, effort, and skills, particularly to underrepresented groups in mathematics. The fundamentals behind my own research can be grasped by anyone if pitched at the right level and I am frequently afforded the privilege of promoting the mesmerising wonder of a self-organising swarm or the baffling ability of swarms to solve complex problems. For example, I recently performed at the Perth Fringe show `The Uncertainty Principle Presents: Science After Dark'.
My interest in swarms is not limited to my research- I am a trained apiarist with a 20,000 strong hive kept in my backyard!
State: Western Australia
Senator: Slade Brockman