A major feature of Applied Mathematics Conferences has been the (postgraduate) student presentations with the best, as judged by a panel of academic participants, being awarded the T.M. Cherry Prize consisting of money and a certificate. At the 31st AMC (held in Busselton, W.A.) the students decided to "reintroduce" the Cherry Ripe Prize, for the best presentation by an established academic, as judged by a panel of students. (The students were unaware that the first Cherry Ripe Prize, according to the memories of older conference delegates, was awarded during AMC70, at Lorne, for the worst presentation by an established academic.) This presentation was made at the conference dinner following the more illustrious student prize. Unlike the student prize, which is presented to the winner by the chair of the judging panel (after that panel has been introduced at the dinner) only one member of the student panel came forward to present the Cherry Ripe Prize, David Marlow. As with the student prize, David read out the panel's short list of high recommendations: Steve Barry, Natasha Boland, Neville de Mestre, Larry Forbes, Brian Gray and Andy Coyle and then named the winner, Natasha Boland, who accepted her Cherry Ripe. He stated that the other members of the judging panel wished to remain anonymous, to protect their prospective careers.

In introducing the prize David told diners why such a prize was needed. The manner in which he did this provided great entertainment for all diners...

Winners of the Cherry Ripe Prize