Nalini Joshi (Australian Mathematician) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Mathematician
Nationality	Australian
Birthplace	Rangoon, Burma (now called Yangon, Myanmar)

Latest News about Nalini Joshi

01/01/2025

Professor Nalini Joshi AO was named the 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year at the NSW Premier's Prizes for Science & Engineering ceremony held at Government House in Sydney. This marked the first time a mathematician received the state's highest scientific honour, recognising her world-leading work in applied mathematics, including models for light signals in optical fibres and rogue waves in deep water. The award includes a trophy and AUD 60,000 cash prize, highlighting mathematics' role in addressing challenges in climate science, communications, and quantum technology.

Do you like Nalini Joshi?

You can vote only once.

Bio/Wiki

Bio	Nalini Joshi AO is an esteemed Australian mathematician and the Payne-Scott Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney, where she serves as Chair of Applied Mathematics. She is the first woman to hold a professorial position in mathematics at the University of Sydney. Known for her significant contributions to integrable systems, nonlinear differential and difference equations, and applied mathematics, Joshi has been instrumental in advancing mathematical biology and championing gender equity in STEM fields through her co-founding of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) program.

Bio

Nalini Joshi AO is an esteemed Australian mathematician and the Payne-Scott Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney, where she serves as Chair of Applied Mathematics. She is the first woman to hold a professorial position in mathematics at the University of Sydney. Known for her significant contributions to integrable systems, nonlinear differential and difference equations, and applied mathematics, Joshi has been instrumental in advancing mathematical biology and championing gender equity in STEM fields through her co-founding of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) program.

Physical Stats & More

Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Black

Educational Qualification(s)

Qualifications	Bachelor of Science (Hons.) majoring in pure and applied Mathematics from the University of Sydney (1980) PhD from Princeton University (1987) A Company Directors Course from AICD (2012)

Personal Life

Marital Status	Married

Relationships & More

Marital Status	Married

Family

Father	Served as a doctor in the Burmese army
Siblings	1 younger brother (works in arts administration for the Australia Council)
Spouse	A fellow Ph D student in geophysical fluid dynamics
Children	1 son, 1 daughter

Career

Positions Held	Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow/Lecturer at the Australian National University (1987-1990) Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) (1990-1996) Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide (1997-2002) Full Professor at the University of Sydney (2012 - Present) Chair of Applied Mathematics, University of Sydney (2002 - Present) Payne-Scott Professor of Mathematics, University of Sydney Director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Sydney (2006 - Present) Associate Professor and Australian Research Council Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide (1997-2002) Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union (2019-2022) Associate Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney (2010 - Present) Member of the IMU Executive Committee
Awards & Honours	1982: Awarded the University Medal in Applied Mathematics by the University of Sydney 1982: Received the Centenary Prize from the Australian Association of University Women 1997: Granted the Australian Research Council Senior Research Fellowship 2008: Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 2012: Awarded the Australian Research Council Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship 2015: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN) 2015: Honoured with the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Award 2016: Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for services to mathematics 2020: Awarded the George Szekeres Medal by the Australian Mathematical Society 2021: Received the ANZIAM Medal for contributions to applied mathematics 2025: Named NSW Scientist of the Year, becoming the first mathematician to receive the award 2015: 150th Anniversary Hardy Lecturer by the London Mathematical Society

Positions Held

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow/Lecturer at the Australian National University (1987-1990)
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) (1990-1996)
Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide (1997-2002)
Full Professor at the University of Sydney (2012 - Present)
Chair of Applied Mathematics, University of Sydney (2002 - Present)
Payne-Scott Professor of Mathematics, University of Sydney
Director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Sydney (2006 - Present)
Associate Professor and Australian Research Council Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide (1997-2002)
Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union (2019-2022)
Associate Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney (2010 - Present)
Member of the IMU Executive Committee

Awards & Honours

1982: Awarded the University Medal in Applied Mathematics by the University of Sydney
1982: Received the Centenary Prize from the Australian Association of University Women
1997: Granted the Australian Research Council Senior Research Fellowship
2008: Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
2012: Awarded the Australian Research Council Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship
2015: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN)
2015: Honoured with the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Award
2016: Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for services to mathematics
2020: Awarded the George Szekeres Medal by the Australian Mathematical Society
2021: Received the ANZIAM Medal for contributions to applied mathematics
2025: Named NSW Scientist of the Year, becoming the first mathematician to receive the award
2015: 150th Anniversary Hardy Lecturer by the London Mathematical Society

Social Media

Twitter	https://x.com/monsoon0
LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalini-joshi-ao-533b5b6/
Official Website	https://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/nalini/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Nalini Joshi spent her childhood in Burma, where she frequently explored her environment, fostering her curiosity and passion for learning.
2. She migrated to Australia with her family at the age of 12 and faced challenges due to her family's ethnic background.
3. At the time of migration, her father only brought four dollars with him due to strict currency limitations.
4. Nalini's father eventually gained accreditation to practice medicine in Australia shortly after their arrival.
5. She initially aspired to be an astronaut before transitioning to applied mathematics after realizing her strength lay in solving mathematical problems.
6. During her undergraduate studies, she was inspired by a lecturer who introduced her to integrable systems and soliton theory.
7. She made history as the first woman in her department to attain a professorial position and has held numerous leadership roles in academia.
8. Nalini co-founded the Science in Australia Gender Equity program to support women in STEM.
9. She served as President of the Australian Mathematical Society (2008-2010).
10. She was the first Australian Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union (2019-2022).
11. Her research focuses on integrable systems, including the Painlevé and discrete Painlevé equations, Riemann-Hilbert theory, integrable PDEs, lattice equations, solitons, exponential asymptotics, and resolution of singularities in dynamical systems.
12. Her work has practical applications in understanding how light travels through optical fibres and the formation of rogue waves in deep water, with implications for climate science and communications technology.
13. She is an honorary member of the London Mathematical Society and a member of the IMU Executive Committee.
14. Her current research focuses on quantum cryptography and the mathematical foundations needed to address challenges posed by quantum computing to digital security protocols.

Nalini Joshi Mathematician Australian Rangoon, Burma (now called Yangon, Myanmar)