Te Pūnaha Matatini investigators awarded $1.65 million

Te Pūnaha Matatini investigators awarded $1.65 million in funding

Te Pūnaha Matatini investigators have attracted $1.65 million in funding from the Marsden fund to carry out a diverse range of research in mathematics, engineering, computer science and public policy.

Professor Andy Philpott’s work focuses on optimal decision-making under uncertainty in relation to hydroelectric reservoirs. With Marsden funding of $500,000, he will explore decision-making for planners who must try to estimate future water inflow but have no way currently of allowing for the risk of a very dry year.

Professor James Sneyd receives $550,000 to explore the dynamics of calcium models. Calcium is vital for a range of physiological processes and the team is developing new mathematical techniques to improve understanding.

Associate Investigator at Te Pūnaha Matatini, Dr Simone Linz, receives $300,000 to develop sophisticated mathematical tools and algorithms to analyse and search spaces of phylogenetic (evolutionary) networks.

Economic models predict that migration is driven by financial incentives such as higher expected income in the destination country. New research by Dr Isabelle Sin from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research in Wellington and investigator at Te Pūnaha Matatini, along with Associate Professor Ran Abramitzky from Stanford University, has attracted $300,000 in Marsden funding to compare immigration decisions by analyzing changes in New Zealand student support policy.

The two aspects of this research will examine decisions on migration looking at New Zealand’s student loans scheme and how the wealth of students affects both domestic and international migration.

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