Mr Kevin White

Kevin White has been a Mathematics lecturer at the University of South Australia, and its antecedent SA Institute of Technology since 1989, and is currently Program Director for the University's Bachelor of Science (LBSC) and Bachelor of Science (Honours) (LHSC).
He is based at Mawson Lakes, but is able to meet students, by appointment,
at City East (C7-10).

• Operations Research
  Linear Programming and Networks.

• Discrete Mathematics
  Mathematics for computing, discrete mathematics and computer mathematics are all names for the mathematics that has particular relevance to computing. Topics include algorithms and their complexity, logic, counting, and recursion.
  From 2006, the foundation course in this area is called Discrete Mathematics.

  A slightly different course, Mathematics for Computing (or Math for Computing (A)) was offered from 2000 until 2005.
  From 1994 to 1999, discrete mathematics was taught in the subjects Computer Mathematics and Computer Mathematics A.
  Links to Computer Mathematics (A) are still here for the nostalgic:
  Computer Mathematics (06531) Computer Mathematics A (06530)

• Operations Research
  Introduction to Stochastic Processes was a new course in 2004 (second half of year).
  It superseded Queueing and Simulation.

• Fundamental Computing.
  Foundations of Computing is offered jointly by the School of Computer and Information Science and the School of Mathematics and Statistics.
  It introduces the basic concepts of computer science and formal models of computing -- grammars, automata and Turing machines.

• Operations Research
  Introduction to Management Science is available offshore at Hong Kong Baptist University.

• Discrete Optimisation
  The honours course Integer and Linear Programming was last offered in semester 1 of 2003.

• Supervision of Honours and Final Year Projects.
  Kevin has supervised many student projects since 1987, most of them in the broad area of Combinatorial Optimisation.
  
  They include:
  An Investigation of Heuristics for Airport Recovery, Tatjana Skrpan, Honours 2003.
  The Travelling Salesman Problem: Good Solutions and Bounds, Tristan Vasilunas, 2003 (LBIM).
  Integer Programming Duality, Rhonda Salt, Honours 2002.
  Simulation of Court Scheduling, Kathrine Grillett, 1998.
  Package Routing in Transportation Networks, David Widjaja, 1996.
  Mastermind, Derek Spencer, 1995.
  Rogaining Problem Solution using Genetic Algorithms, Adam Gray, 1993.
  One, Two and Three Dimensional Packing Algorithms, Jamie Bowden 1993.
  To Play the Game of Mastermind, Hoang Quoc Thai, 1993.
  Reliability and Routing in Networks, Caroline Hood, Honours (University of Adelaide) 1987.
  
  Practical Training Projects of Visiting Students from University of Twente:
  Optimal Haulage Networks in Mining, Bernd Horsman, 1997 (with Adjunct Professor David Lee).
  A Minimum Mine Haulage Network Problem, Otto Koppius, 1995 (with Adjunct Professor David Lee).
  Rogaining Problem Solution using a Genetic Algorithm, Hassan van der Hoff, 1994.

• Honours Projects currently available.
  Combinatorial Optimisation
  Optimisation problems in which the feasible solutions are naturally integer valued or come from some other discrete set are referred to as combinatorial. Some of them, like the minimal spanning tree, are very easy to solve and some, like the celebrated travelling salesperson, are quite difficult.
  The problems give rise to many interesting solution techniques involving combinatorics, linear programming and primal-dual methods, and lean on properties like complexity of algorithms and unimodularity of matrices.
  According to the student’s interest, this project could focus on a particular problem or class of problems, or on a particular solution technique.

  Indigenous Mathematics
  “The rich and interesting field of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mathematical concepts has been generally ignored by anthropologists, linguists and other researchers.”(Harris, J.)
  There is a widespread belief that most Australian Aboriginal languages do not contain words for numbers larger than about four. However, there is much evidence of more extensive and practical counting systems, uses of pattern and order (Cooke, M.) and “ways of dealing with space, time, position [and] shape” (Harris, as above).
  How much does the average Australian mathematics graduate know about the indigenous mathematics of their country and how much should they know?
  This project involves an investigation of the literature on indigenous Australian mathematical concepts, and the preparation of teaching materials to be included as about 1 unit of an undergraduate course. There could be some interaction with the University’s Unaipon School or with other researchers in anthropology.

Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS), and Australian and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ANZIAM) Division.

Australian Society for Operations Research (ASOR), SA chapter.

Combinatorial Mathematics Society of Australasia (CMSA).

B.Sc. Hons. (Applied Mathematics), University of Adelaide, 1982.

M.Math. (Combinatorics & Optimization), University of Waterloo, 1984.

• For his candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Kevin has been studying Air Traffic Management and Perturbed Integer Linear Programming Problems. His supervisor is Professor Jerzy Filar.
• From 2002 until 2007, Kevin led projects on scheduling of trains on longhaul networks for the Rail CRC.

See my curriculum vitae.