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The 2001 J.H. Michell Medal

The Selection Panel for the 2001 J.H. Michell Medal proposes that the Medal be awarded to Dr Nigel Bean.

CITATION FOR THE J.H. MICHELL MEDAL

Nigel Bean completed his BSc at the University of Adelaide before moving to Cambridge University where he was awarded a PhD in 1993. Since then Nigel has occupied various research and teaching positions in the University of Adelaide and he is now Deputy Director of the Teletraffic Research Centre.

Nigel works in applied probability and stochastic modelling with particular application to telecommunication network modelling. His work with a number of collaborators has become well-known internationally.

Nigel's early work involved control mechanisms for broadband telecommunication networks. Today there are many applications of his results showing that robust controls can be effective without the task of estimation imposing an undue workload on the network.

A number of significant contributions have been made by Nigel in the field of dynamic and equilibrium behaviour of loss networks. One proposed method for maximal profit dimensioning and tariffing in loss networks is very appropriate in today's deregulated telecommunications market.

His more recent work involves matrix-analytic models and quasi-birth-and-death processes or QBD. A series of papers culminated in 2000 with a full quasistationary analysis for the general level-dependent QBD.

Nigel is known for his versatility and a rare ability to capture and explain the non-trivial behaviour of complex systems. His work is reported in 20 published research papers and has been presented at a variety of conferences. We are pleased to have this opportunity to recognise Nigel Bean as one of Australia's finest young applied mathematicians and to award him the JH Michell Medal for 2001.

Any mistakes should be reported to anziamweb@austms.org.au
Last update: 21/02/01