UK-Africa Postgraduate Advanced Study Institute in Mathematical Sciences (UK-APASI)

由英国、非洲和其他感兴趣的伙伴组成的研究联盟寻求为基本的全球问题和撒哈拉以南非洲(SSA)地区(安哥拉、博茨瓦纳、莱索托、马拉维、莫桑比克、纳米比亚、南非、斯威士兰、坦桑尼亚、赞比亚和津巴布韦)面临的问题提供创新的数学解决方案。统计数字非常清楚：(1)非洲前五大致命性疾病是艾滋病毒/艾滋病、包括肺结核在内的下呼吸道感染、腹泻疾病(与水传播疾病和卫生条件差有关)、疟疾和中风；(2)尽管投资巨大，但犯罪活动(谋杀、性犯罪、袭击、抢劫、劫持汽车等)。在南部非洲，特别是在南非，野生动物的生存和发展仍然是国家和国际关注的问题；(Iii)南南非各国政府和国家公园在设计有效的野生动物管理和保护方法方面面临着重大挑战；(Iv)南南非各大学数学系近80%的教职员工至多拥有硕士学位，在某些情况下，许多高级教职员工没有博士学位。这些数字令人震惊，特别是对于历史上处于不利地位的机构。我们的使命是通过在数学科学方面开展跨学科和跨机构的研究，为这些全球挑战提供替代的以研究为主导的量化解决方案，重点放在六个关键研究方向：(1)传染性热带疾病：以科学证据理论为支持的疾病控制政策；(2)生物系统的数学建模：从数据到模型再返回；(3)数值分析和高性能科学计算；(4)撒哈拉以南非洲的犯罪建模；(5)公共政策数学和(6)数据分析、模型和参数估计的统计方法。我们方案的成果包括：(I)以严格的数学理论为基础的创新的量化解决方案；(Ii)培训新一代非洲年轻科学家，使他们具备灵活和胜任的建模、验证、解释和向决策者传达建模结果的技能；(Iii)通过经过严格检验的科学方法和解决方案影响政府和非政府组织。开展这些研究活动的方式是通过一个数学科学研究生高级研究所和两个密集的系列讲习班，目的是培训非洲未来的领导人使用最先进的数学、数值和统计方法，使他们能够从数据中得出新的模型，进行严格的数学和数值分析，然后完成整个研究周期，利用严格的统计方法使模型和参数与数据相适应。这使得研究人员可以根据不同的生物假设及其数学翻译从广泛的模型中进行选择，选择符合数据并能够在这些条件下进行参数估计的最佳模型。我们将与南部非洲数学科学协会(SAMSA)和MASAMU计划合作，提供我们的研究和教学活动(见双方的支持信)。SAMSA代表SSA的40多所大学，并主办了一次年度会议，许多SSA的研究人员都参加了会议。其中一个研究生高级研究所和讲习班将围绕SAMSA年度会议展开，以便接触到这项提议所支持的更广泛的社区。MASAMU计划主要由美国国家科学基金会资助，仅供美国教职员工使用，将补充我们的研究和培训活动。

The research consortium between, the UK, Africa and other interested partners seeks to provide innovative mathematical solutions to fundamental global problems and questions faced by the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe). The statistics are overwhelmingly clear: (i) The top five killer-diseases in Africa are HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory tract infections including Tuberculosis, diarrhoea diseases (linked to water borne diseases and poor sanitation), malaria and strokes; (ii) Despite significant investments, crime activities (murder, sexual offences, assault, robbery, hijacking of cars, etc.) in Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa, continue to be of national and international concern;(iii) Governments and National Parks across SSA are faced with significant challenges in designing efficient methods for wild-life management and conservation;(iv) Almost 80 percent of faculty staff in Departments of Mathematics at Universities across SSA hold at most a Masters degree and in some cases, many senior faculty staff members do not possess a PhD. The figures are astonishingly depressing particularly for Historically Disadvantaged Institutions.Our mission is to offer alternative research-led quantitative solutions to these global challenges by carrying out interdisciplinary and inter-institutionally research in mathematical sciences focusing on six key research strands:(1) Infectious Tropical Diseases: Towards disease control policies supported by scientific evidence theory; (2) Mathematical Modelling of Biological Systems: From data to models and back; (3) Numerical Analysis and High Performance Scientific Computing; (4) Crime Modelling in Sub-Saharan Africa; (5) Mathematics for Public Policy and (6) Statistical Methods for Data Analysis, Model and Parameter Estimation. Outcomes of our programme include (i) innovative quantitative solutions based on rigorous mathematical theories, (ii) training of a new generation of young African scientists agile and competent in skills for model building, validation, interpretation, and communicating modelling results to policy makers, and (iii) influence government and non-governmental organisations through rigorously tested scientific methods and solutions. The mode for delivery of these research activities is through one Postgraduate Advanced Study Institute in Mathematical Sciences and two intensive Workshop Series aimed at training the future leaders of Africa on the latest state-of-the-art mathematical, numerical and statistical methods that allow them to derive new models from data, carry out rigorous mathematical and numerical analysis and then to complete the full research cycle, fit the models and parameters to data by use of rigorous statistical methods. This allows the researchers to select from a wide range of models based on different biological assumptions and their mathematical translations, the best model that fits data and be able to carry out parameter estimation under these conditions. We will partner with the Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA) and MASAMU program to deliver our research and pedagogical activities (see letters of support from both). SAMSA represents over 40 Universities across SSA and hosts an annual conference to which many of the SSA researchers are in attendance. One of the postgraduate advanced study institute and workshop will revolve around the SAMSA annual conference in order to reach a wider community beyond that supported by this proposal. The MASAMU program, funded primarily by the National Science Foundation for USA faculty staff only, will complement our research and training activities.