AIMS South Africa Newsletter December 2025

[African Institute for Mathematical Sciences]

SAMS Congress 2025 in Gqeberha (PE)       Researchers from AIMS South Africa at different career stages featured on the scientific programme — a Structured Master’s student, MSc research student, a Postdoc, and a Teaching Assistant each gave a talk, proudly representing our Research Centre. Well done to Morongwa Ralefeta, Meva Rakotondratoetra, Dr Brice Razakarinoro and Dr Opeyemi Oyewumi.      Through a sponsorship by the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University  some participants from Heidelberg University and AIMS Senegal joined us.     The visitors networked with congress participants and served on a panel discussion, hosted by the SAMS Women in Mathematics (WiM) Division, expertly chaired by Dr Eder Kikianty (WITS), with panelists Prof Anna Marciniak-Czochra, Emily Tempus (Heidelberg University), and Dr Elaine Raissa Fankem (AIMS Senegal).    Special thanks to Michael Winckler, Jacques Rabie, Sarah Steinbach and Gina Fourie for all the arrangements.      This congress also marked a milestone for the WiM Division: a first-ever plenary talk session. delivered by Prof Anna Marciniak-Czochra.       AIMS Partners with Wimmy to Launch Graduate Programme in Applied Data Science          AIMS South Africa is proud to partner with Wimmy, a specialised consultancy, to launch a new graduate programme in applied data science for top AIMS graduates.     Starting in January 2026, three junior data scientists will join Wimmy as part of an Industry Immersion Programme supported by the National Skills Fund.      Through this partnership, AIMS and Wimmy are joining forces to help exceptional young mathematicians transition from the world of theorems and formulas to real-world datasets and the complex challenges faced by healthcare organisations.    Read more       HIRAX Workshop Brings Global Collaboration to AIMS       From 19 to 21 November 2025, AIMS South Africa hosted a highly successful HIRAX workshop, hosted and organised by the HEPCAT group. The meeting was run in a hybrid format, welcoming around 30 participants in person at AIMS, alongside colleagues joining online from across the world.     AIMS is a proud partner institute of HIRAX, and this partnership has recently been renewed for a further five years — a testament to the strength and impact of the collaboration.     The success of this workshop reflects AIMS’s ongoing role as a hub for cutting-edge research and international scientific exchange on the African continent.     “We look forward to hosting future HIRAX workshops at AIMS in the coming years and to continuing to build this vibrant global research community,” said Prof. Amanda Weltman, SARchi in Physical Cosmology High Energy Physics, Cosmology & Astrophysics Theory (HEPCAT) group. AI, LHC Data, and New Physics: A Visiting Researcher’s Journey at AIMS       On 16 October 2025, Raktim Mukherjee began a two-month research stay at AIMS, supported by the Baden-Württemberg Stipendium through the partnership with the University of Heidelberg. His project was supervised by AIMS resident researcher Dr Claire David, together with Prof. Harrison Prosper from Florida State University, who co-supervised remotely.     Raktim’s research focused on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Experimental Particle Physics. Working with real data from the ATLAS experiment – one of the major detectors of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN – he investigated Graph Auto-Encoders for anomaly detection.    Read more    Students updates Students on the Mathematical Sciences stream completed the following courses in the recent block: Statistical Inference (Julia Mortera, retired Professor of Statistics, University of Roma Tre), Verified Computation (Hidetoshi Masai, Musashino Art University), and SAGE (Eric Andriantiana, Rhodes University). Prof Andriantiana joined the programme online for this course.  Julia Mortera    Hidetoshi Masai    Hidetoshi Masai Students on the AI for Science stream were taught Bioacoustics Foundations (Tom Denton, Google DeepMind; Eunice Manyasi, Strathmore University) and Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models (Shamsudeen Muhammad, Imperial College London; and Idris Abdulmumin, University of Pretoria).    AIMS South Africa thanks all lecturers for their valuable contributions to this teaching block and for enriching the academic experience of students across both streams.       Tom Denton          Eunice Manyasi       Shamsudeen Muhammad & Idris Abdulmumin    Social Clubs in Action at AIMS       Over December, AIMS student social clubs hosted a vibrant programme of activities that brought students together through culture, creativity, and outdoor adventure.     The Cultural Club led several engaging events celebrating diversity and connection. Through Cultural Discovery sessions, students explored the cultures of Uganda, Benin, and Ethiopia, with colleagues sharing stories, traditions, and personal perspectives. These sessions sparked lively discussion and set the stage for discovering more cultures in the weeks ahead.     A relaxed Karaoke Evening provided a chance to unwind, with students enjoying music spanning a wide range of tastes, while Movie Night featured the Nigerian film Breath of Life, following the story of Elisha and Timi. The screening offered a moving reflection on human connection and was enjoyed with popcorn and soft drinks.     In collaboration with the Media Club, Board Game Club, and Culture Club, students took part in a lively Scavenger Hunt across Muizenberg Beach, Zandvlei Park, St James, and Boyes Drive. The event challenged teams’ logic and problem-solving skills, with Mannondé Descos Gbaguidi and Biruk Daniel Eshetu emerging as the winning team.     There was also a hiking trip to Jonkershoek Nature Reserve in Stellenbosch, organised collaboratively by the clubs. Participants tested their resilience and teamwork on the trail to the Eerste and Tweede waterfalls.     Together, these activities showcased the strong sense of community, collaboration, and curiosity that characterises life at AIMS, even beyond the academic programme.    Quantum Computing Workshop       A video from the Quantum Computing Workshop recently held at AIMS South Africa is now available. The workshop was organised by Dr Ryan Sweke and funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.    Solving Societal Challenges: AIMS and UNIZULU Students Take Mathematical Sciences Beyond the Lecture Halls       In 2025, the AIMS South Africa House of Science concluded the year by showcasing how mathematical sciences can be brought directly into communities. Master’s students from AIMS South Africa (Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Google DeepMind Scholars and SA-National Skills Fund Scholars cohorts) and Honours students from the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) engaged public audiences in Muizenberg and Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of the Africa Scientifique: Leadership, Knowledge & Skills for Science Communication three-phased programme delivered in partnership with African Gong.    The students designed and delivered public engagement projects that translated abstract mathematical concepts into practical, accessible and empowering knowledge. These activities were part of Phase 3 of the Africa Scientifique Programme, which spanned six months of facilitated mentoring and science outreach support.    Read more    Alumni News    AIMS South Africa is delighted to share that one of our alumni, lecturer, and long-standing AIMS friend, Dimbinaina Ralaivaosaona, has been promoted to Associate Professor in Mathematics at Stellenbosch University.     This well-deserved achievement reflects Prof Ralaivaosaona’s outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and the broader mathematical sciences community. We extend our warmest congratulations and wish him continued success in this next chapter of his academic career.     AIMS South Africa is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni and the impact they continue to make across academia.    Teaching tip for lecturers!       Sorting    Two sets of objects that have different properties are mixed together. The task is to partition them into two sets and then add some more elements to each. Students need to recognize the general in the particulars and then create more examples. There may be more than one way to partition, so again do not expect unique answers—indeed, encourage diverse thinking.          ANNOUNCEMENTS    Applications for the AIMS South Africa Master’s in Mathematical Sciences (2026/27) are open! Full scholarships, world-class lecturers, 24/7 labs & a vibrant pan-African community. Apply: https://apply.aims-network.org/ Deadline: 15 March 2026          Apply       Apply for the AI for Science (2026–7) Master’s at AIMS South Africa! 40 fully funded Google DeepMind scholarships available.  Round 1 Deadline: 6 March 2026 Apply: https://ai.aims.ac.za          Apply

[Linda Camara]

Please note a correction to an item in the newsletter below: the Quantum Computing Workshop at AIMS South Africa was funded by DAAD, not by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

We apologise for the error.

A video from the Quantum Computing Workshop recently held at AIMS South Africa is now available. The workshop was organised by Dr Ryan Sweke and funded by DAAD.

Solving Societal Challenges: AIMS and UNIZULU Students Take Mathematical Sciences Beyond the Lecture Halls       In 2025, the AIMS South Africa House of Science concluded the year by showcasing how mathematical sciences can be brought directly into communities. Master’s students from AIMS South Africa (Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Google DeepMind Scholars and SA-National Skills Fund Scholars cohorts) and Honours students from the University of Zululand (UNIZULU) engaged public audiences in Muizenberg and Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of the Africa Scientifique: Leadership, Knowledge & Skills for Science Communication three-phased programme delivered in partnership with African Gong.    The students designed and delivered public engagement projects that translated abstract mathematical concepts into practical, accessible and empowering knowledge. These activities were part of Phase 3 of the Africa Scientifique Programme, which spanned six months of facilitated mentoring and science outreach support.    Read more    Alumni News    AIMS South Africa is delighted to share that one of our alumni, lecturer, and long-standing AIMS friend, Dimbinaina Ralaivaosaona, has been promoted to Associate Professor in Mathematics at Stellenbosch University.     This well-deserved achievement reflects Prof Ralaivaosaona’s outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and the broader mathematical sciences community. We extend our warmest congratulations and wish him continued success in this next chapter of his academic career.     AIMS South Africa is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni and the impact they continue to make across academia.    Teaching tip for lecturers!       Sorting    Two sets of objects that have different properties are mixed together. The task is to partition them into two sets and then add some more elements to each. Students need to recognize the general in the particulars and then create more examples. There may be more than one way to partition, so again do not expect unique answers—indeed, encourage diverse thinking.          ANNOUNCEMENTS    Applications for the AIMS South Africa Master’s in Mathematical Sciences (2026/27) are open! Full scholarships, world-class lecturers, 24/7 labs & a vibrant pan-African community. Apply: https://apply.aims-network.org/ Deadline: 15 March 2026          Apply       Apply for the AI for Science (2026–7) Master’s at AIMS South Africa! 40 fully funded Google DeepMind scholarships available.  Round 1 Deadline: 6 March 2026 Apply: https://ai.aims.ac.za          Apply

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Ms Linda Camara
Communications Manager
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences | South Africa
www.aims.ac.za
6 Melrose Road, Muizenberg, 7945, South Africa

Please note my office hours are as follows: Mondays 8.00am - 3.00pm,and Wednesdays 8.00 - 3.00pm;; as such I may not respond immediately to emails received outside these times.

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