Prof Aleks OWCZAREK
Professor
School of Mathematics and Statistics
- Room: 192
- Building: Peter Hall Building
- Campus: Parkville
Research Interests
- Enumerative combinatorics
- Exact solutions of lattice models
- Integrable systems
- Lattice polymer models
- Mathematical Physics
- Statistical Mechanics
Research Groups
Publications, Grants and Awards
You can find all publications, grants and awards on their Find an Expert page.
Extra Information
Professor Aleks Owczarek is a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Aleks undertook the role of Dean, Faculty of Science (August 2018 - December 2020), after eighteen months as Deputy Dean (February 2017 - August 2018).
Aleks was Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics for six years (2011-2016) and Associate Dean (Graduate programs), also known as Director of the Graduate School of Science, for more than seven years (November 2009 - January 2016). Aleks is a Fellow of the Australian Mathematical Society.
Aleks's area of expertise is mathematical statistical mechanics, which lies within the discipline of mathematical physics. In particular, he works in the area of phase transitions and critical phenomena of model polymer systems, using lattice walk models. Aleks's work endeavours to uncover the universal geometric and topological features of long chain molecules such as DNA in a variety of generic conditions. The models he studies arise naturally in discrete mathematics/combinatorics and in stochastic processes as well as in theoretical physics. He currently has two major projects. The first is on integrable lattice polymer models at the interface of algebra, analysis and combinatorics. The second is on next generation simulation of polymer networks with complex topologies.
Past Postgraduate Supervision
| Name | Thesis title |
|---|---|
| Debra BENNETT-WOOD | "Numerical studies of Self-avoiding walks" |
| Eduardo DAGROSA | "Statistical Mechanics of twist-storing polymers" |
| Paul FIJN | "The combinatorics and graph theory of stochastic interface and lattice path problems" |
| Will JAMES | "The enumeration of heaps and almost-convex polygons" |
| Heather LONSDALE | "Compact directed percolation near a damp wall" |
| Paul NIDRAS | "Critical behaviour of geometric cluster models" |
| Judy-anne OSBORN | "Combinatorics of pavings and paths" |
| Andrew RECHNITZER | "Some problems in the counting of lattice animals, polyominoes, polygons and walks" |
| Rami TABBARA | "Generalised directed walker models of adsorption and gelation" |
| Henry (Ling Heng) WONG | "Topics on Lattice Models in Statistical Mechanics" |
| Ruijie XU | "Interacting Quarter-Plane Lattice Walk Problems: Solutions and Proofs" |
Past Honours & MSc Students
| Name | Project title |
|---|---|
| Andrew OPPENHEIM | "Directed walkers on the square and triangular planar lattices" |
| Andrew RECHNITZER | "An investigation of Directed Percolation" |
| Rami TABBARA | "A generalised model of a semi-flexible polymer at an adsorbing wall" |
Responsibilities
- AMSI Advisory Board
- Deputy Dean
- Engagement at Melbourne Academic Leadership Committee
- Faculty of Science Indigenous Engagement Advisory Group (Chair)
- Faculty of Science Planning and Resources Committee
- Faculty Planning & Resources Committee member
- Faculty Promotions and Appointments Committees (Chair)
- MATRIX Board
- University's Westpac Fellowship Committee Buyers Committee (Business Services)