A formal foundation for security architecture. Security of computer systems is essential for the maintenance of privacy, confidentiality and integrity of personal, commercial and government data, and the trustworthiness of the computational devices that are embedded in critical societal infrastructure. However, current theoretical understanding of secure systems development is poor. The project will develop our understanding of an emerging approach to the design of secure systems and develop ver ....A formal foundation for security architecture. Security of computer systems is essential for the maintenance of privacy, confidentiality and integrity of personal, commercial and government data, and the trustworthiness of the computational devices that are embedded in critical societal infrastructure. However, current theoretical understanding of secure systems development is poor. The project will develop our understanding of an emerging approach to the design of secure systems and develop verification methods that may be applied to guarantee systems security. Its outcomes will contribute to processes for certifying systems at very high levels of security, a requirement in defence and government settings that will become increasingly significant in the commercial sector.Read moreRead less
The architecture of networks: Characterisation and visualisation of complex systems as fluctuating networks. Complex systems comprise many mutually interacting components, characterised by a range of different interactions over time and space. They are dynamical systems, whose features are reminiscent of a web, with fluctuating links of varying strengths. The natural paradigm for such systems is a generic network, or a graph. A suite of novel measures from statistical physics, graph theory, top ....The architecture of networks: Characterisation and visualisation of complex systems as fluctuating networks. Complex systems comprise many mutually interacting components, characterised by a range of different interactions over time and space. They are dynamical systems, whose features are reminiscent of a web, with fluctuating links of varying strengths. The natural paradigm for such systems is a generic network, or a graph. A suite of novel measures from statistical physics, graph theory, topology, geometry, and computer graphics will be developed to characterise system/graph growth and stability. The aim is two-fold: first to reduce real complex systems (mainly financial systems) to computationally manageable structures (including direct visualisation) and second to construct realistic models of the evolution of such systems.Read moreRead less
Modelling and estimation techniques for the transmission and control of Tuberculosis with new and existing vaccines. Most Tuberculosis in Australia is seen in foreign-born people. Australia has an important role in providing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region in Tuberculosis control, which will have flow-on benefits to TB control in this country. Using mathematical models, this project will assess the use of vaccines for Tuberculosis in the developing world. Rising levels of extremely drug r ....Modelling and estimation techniques for the transmission and control of Tuberculosis with new and existing vaccines. Most Tuberculosis in Australia is seen in foreign-born people. Australia has an important role in providing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region in Tuberculosis control, which will have flow-on benefits to TB control in this country. Using mathematical models, this project will assess the use of vaccines for Tuberculosis in the developing world. Rising levels of extremely drug resistant infections make this a timely and important study with significant policy implications, both externally and in the Australian context. Read moreRead less
New mathematics of fractional diffusion for understanding cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. As Australia's population ages, cognitive impairment due to cortical ageing and neurodegeneration is looming as the nation's greatest health problem. The project will deliver new, more realistic, mathematical models for a mechanistic understanding of cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. This understanding is a vital first step in targeting drugs, e.g., to influence neuronal spine proper ....New mathematics of fractional diffusion for understanding cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. As Australia's population ages, cognitive impairment due to cortical ageing and neurodegeneration is looming as the nation's greatest health problem. The project will deliver new, more realistic, mathematical models for a mechanistic understanding of cognitive impairment at the neuronal level. This understanding is a vital first step in targeting drugs, e.g., to influence neuronal spine properties, for preventative health care. The project will maintain international collaborations, between applied mathematicians at UNSW, Sydney and biomathematicians and neuroscientists at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, providing ongoing training opportunities for Australian scientists in this cutting edge biomathematical research.Read moreRead less
Who acquires infection from whom across international borders? New approaches for control of emerging infections through understanding travel patterns. Mathematical modelling of data on travellers traversing Australia's borders and their contact patterns can be used to understand the pathways by which infectious diseases enter and spread in Australia. Currently available social contact data which informs models are inadequate and outdated. Gathering new data relevant to modern society will help ....Who acquires infection from whom across international borders? New approaches for control of emerging infections through understanding travel patterns. Mathematical modelling of data on travellers traversing Australia's borders and their contact patterns can be used to understand the pathways by which infectious diseases enter and spread in Australia. Currently available social contact data which informs models are inadequate and outdated. Gathering new data relevant to modern society will help control future infectious disease threats to our society. Our aim is to collect detailed, unique data on demography, behavioural and social patterns of travellers and residents, and use this to develop mathematical models to evaluate effective control measures for emerging infections in Australia. This study will make a unique contribution to national disease control policy.Read moreRead less
Optimum design of controlled drug delivery systems. Controlled drug delivery systems are ideal to achieve localised release of drugs at an effective rate for a prolonged period. They have the merit of optimising drug absorption by a body, relieving patients from frequent administration and high dosage of drugs which often result in drug wastage, patients' inconvenience and more importantly the side effects that can be fatal. The success of this project will (1) enhance the Australia pharmaceutic ....Optimum design of controlled drug delivery systems. Controlled drug delivery systems are ideal to achieve localised release of drugs at an effective rate for a prolonged period. They have the merit of optimising drug absorption by a body, relieving patients from frequent administration and high dosage of drugs which often result in drug wastage, patients' inconvenience and more importantly the side effects that can be fatal. The success of this project will (1) enhance the Australia pharmaceutical industry's competitiveness in the global market, (2) provide good medication for the treatment of various diseases, promoting good health of Australians, (3) lead to new mathematical models and solutions that are also applicable to such fields as resources and environmental systems.Read moreRead less
Implementing Feferman-Landin Logic. The objective of this project is to utilise computer based verification tools (such as PVS and Rewritting Logic) to develop a software engineering environment for specifying and verifying systems written in high-level programming languages such as Java, Scheme, and ML. The project will thus subtantially advance the use of formal computer based tools to develop reliable programs and specifications for life-critical systems. The project will also develop form ....Implementing Feferman-Landin Logic. The objective of this project is to utilise computer based verification tools (such as PVS and Rewritting Logic) to develop a software engineering environment for specifying and verifying systems written in high-level programming languages such as Java, Scheme, and ML. The project will thus subtantially advance the use of formal computer based tools to develop reliable programs and specifications for life-critical systems. The project will also develop formally
based interoperability between the PVS and Maude systems, two widely
used computer tools for reasoning about complex systems.Read moreRead less
Proof Theoretical Methods for Reasoning about Process Equivalence. The emergence of internet commerce has made the issue of secure computing more urgent than ever. A substantial part of the security issues with today's computer applications are due to design problems.
The principles of secure computation have not been fully understood and adequate tools for the construction of secure applications are still lacking. The understanding of the foundations of secure computation is essential in bu ....Proof Theoretical Methods for Reasoning about Process Equivalence. The emergence of internet commerce has made the issue of secure computing more urgent than ever. A substantial part of the security issues with today's computer applications are due to design problems.
The principles of secure computation have not been fully understood and adequate tools for the construction of secure applications are still lacking. The understanding of the foundations of secure computation is essential in building trusted computer applications. Process calculi and logic represent two promising disciplines in which the principles of analysis and design of secure systems can be studied systematically, out of which formal verification tools can be constructed.Read moreRead less
Refinement of Temporal and Epistemic Specifications in Asynchronous Systems. Designing distributed systems is a complex activity requiring rigorous mathematical models of designs and specifications. It is desirable for the mathematical notations to be as close as possible to intuitive notions used by designers. One such notion is the idea that components in a distributed system have states of knowledge. Previous work has developed a calculus enabling derivation of systems with global clock by s ....Refinement of Temporal and Epistemic Specifications in Asynchronous Systems. Designing distributed systems is a complex activity requiring rigorous mathematical models of designs and specifications. It is desirable for the mathematical notations to be as close as possible to intuitive notions used by designers. One such notion is the idea that components in a distributed system have states of knowledge. Previous work has developed a calculus enabling derivation of systems with global clock by series of correctness-preserving transformations from a knowledge-based specification. This project will generalize this work to a calculus for systems that lack a global clock, and implement a tool providing automated support for use of the calculus.Read moreRead less
Foundations of Executable Temporal Logic. In many computer applications, including those of temporal reasoning, distributed computations and knowledge representations, the concept of time is of central importance. Multiple granularity of time also plays a critical role as not all events are necessarily defined over a uniform model of time. This project will develop the foundations of executable logical representations, supporting multiple granularity of time. This will allow system developers a ....Foundations of Executable Temporal Logic. In many computer applications, including those of temporal reasoning, distributed computations and knowledge representations, the concept of time is of central importance. Multiple granularity of time also plays a critical role as not all events are necessarily defined over a uniform model of time. This project will develop the foundations of executable logical representations, supporting multiple granularity of time. This will allow system developers access to powerful logical techniques in those applications. In the process, fundamental problems in modelling multiple granularity of time will be identified, and application-independent solutions to those problems will be provided.Read moreRead less