President's Column

摘要

As I signed off from my last report I encouraged everyone to look after each other and celebrate colleagues' successes by nominating them for prizes and awards. As an indication of the wonderful things that can happen, I am delighted to report that Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger AM FAA was awarded the 2019 Prime Minister's Prize for Science. This is the first time a mathematician has received the prize. It is a wonderful and appropriate recognition of Cheryl's achievements both in mathematics and beyond. Cheryl was the second female Professor of Mathematics in Australia, 20 years after the appointment of Professor Hannah Neumann at the ANU. Cheryl was the first Australian to serve on the IMU Executive Committee and is one of the country's most well-known and respected mathematicians. The prize is very welldeserved and helps to focus attention on mathematics as well as on Cheryl. See https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-10-17/2019-prime-ministers-scienceprizes- cheryl-praeger-venetoclax/11608390 for more information.