20 October 2026
8-12 March 2027
Creswick, Victoria
Apply now to join a team of outstanding Australian PhD-level students to tackle some of the most challenging open questions from the Simon Marais Mathematics Competition (SMMC) using the latest AI models and techniques.
The workshop at MATRIX will bring together talented PhD students to explore some fundamental questions at the intersection of mathematical sciences and AI:
1. Human–AI collaboration: How can AI augment human mathematical understanding and problem-solving?
2. Ethical and interpretable AI: How can we use AI responsibly and extract meaningful, interpretable insights from its application to challenging mathematical problems?
3. The future of mathematics: How are AI models changing the way we approach research and discovery in the mathematical sciences?
Working collaboratively, participants will investigate what becomes possible when human mathematical expertise, creativity and critical thinking are combined with the capabilities of the latest AI models.
The workshop is supported by sponsors Betashares and the Simon Marais Mathematics Competition.
Participants will be provided with free full board and lodging at MATRIX and given the opportunity to meet with Betashares representatives and explore internship opportunities.
Work with leading mathematicians
Over five intensive days at MATRIX, a selection of twenty outstanding students will be invited to work with leading academic mentors: Yulia Alexandr, Norm Do, Sean Gardiner, Liam Hodgkinson, and Geordie Williamson; augmented by postdoctoral research associates.
Eligibility
Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD in the mathematical sciences or a related discipline at an Australian university, or, if not enrolled, demonstrate an equivalent level of research competency.
Applications from enrolled students at mathematics and statistics departments and related disciplines are encouraged. Preference may be given to applicants from MATRIX partner and member institutions.
Are you ready to take on the challenge?
Are you curious about how ethical use of AI impacts on mathematical sciences research and do you combine strong mathematical insight with practical skills such as coding? Yes? This is for you!
Supervisors! Please share this opportunity with talented PhD students who enjoy tackling challenging problems and are curious about how AI could become part of their research toolkit.
Closing date and application guidelines
Applications close on Friday, 13 November 2026.
https://www.matrix-inst.org.au/matrix-challenge-workshop-2027/
MATRIX contact:
Tom Keegan
Senior Executive Officer, MATRIX
E. tomk@matrix-inst.org.au
P. +61 3 8344 1343
