Senior Lecturer
Dr Thomas Britz
Education
- PhD in Mathematics (Aarhus University, 2003)
Science
School of Mathematics & Statistics
I am part of the Combinatorics Research Group at the School of Mathematics and Statistics here at UNSW Sydney.
See below for more details, and see my CV for comprehensive details, as well as my publications linked to on the right on this page.
If you are interested in graph theory, combinatorics or discrete mathematics, then feel free to email me or drop by and have a chat with me about prospective research and/or thesis topics!
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND SERVICE POSITIONS
President of the Combinatorial Mathematics Society of Australasia (CMSA) (December 2021 –)
Editor of Parabola (November 2015 –)
Managing Editor for the Australasian Journal of Combinatorics (August 2011 – )
Area Editor for the Journal of Algebra, Combinatorics, Discrete Structures and its Applications (April 2014 –)
Referee for 51 journals and 2 conference proceedings (roughly 150 reports)
Reviewer for Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblatt MATH (roughly 200 reviews)
Grant proposal assessor for ARC DP, NISDRG, FRP, Vidi (28 reports)
PhD Opponent (1 PhD defense)
Academic Mentor, UNSW (2019 – )
First Responder, UNSW (July 2018 – )
Academic Advisor, MATH, UNSW (August 2010 – )
Member of UNSW Student Wellbeing Community of Practice, UNSW (January 2022 – )
Member of UNSW Data Science Hub (uDASH), UNSW (August 2021 –)
Member of the Sustainability Committee, MATH, UNSW (February 2020 –)
Member of the Education Excellence Committee, Science Faculty, UNSW (March 2018 – )
Co-organiser of the 42th Australasian Conference on Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing, UNSW, December 2019 (March 2018 – December 2019)
School liaison for the UNSW MathSoc, MATH, UNSW (Jan 2012 – 2018)
Chair of the Publicity Committee, MATH, UNSW (July 2014 – September 2018)
Lecturer's Representative for the School Standing Committee, UNSW (June 2011 – 2018)
Manager of Web and Social Media, MATH, UNSW (November 2017 – August 2018)
Member of the Computing Committee, MATH, UNSW (February 2018 – August 2018)
Member of the Research Committee, MATH, UNSW (October 2015 – July 2017)
Pure Representative on the Postgraduate Committee, MATH, UNSW (September 2013 – September 2017)
Chair of the School Standing Committee, MATH, UNSW (February 2014 – April 2015)
Member of the Policy and Resources Committee, MATH, UNSW (February – December 2014)
Organiser of Pure Departmental Seminar, School of Mathematics \&\ Statistics, UNSW (Aug 2010 – Jan 2013)
Co-organiser of the Joint Colloquium, School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW (Aug 2010 – Jan 2013)
Co-organiser of the 36th Australasian Conference on Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing, UNSW, December 2012 (March 2011 – December 2012)
Member of the Australian Mathematical Society (August 2018 – )
Life member of the Combinatorial Mathematics Society of Australasia (CMSA)
I also enjoy a range of outreach activities, to promote mathematical thinking, learning and enjoyment.
Phone
9385 7115
E-mail
Location
Room RC-5111, The Red Centre
School of Mathematics and Statistics
UNSW Sydney
Sydney NSW 2052
- Publications
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Teaching and Supervision
Research Grants
$510,115 total awarded by grants, including the following:
- ARC Discovery Grant: T. Britz,
"Chromatic polynomials, random graphs, and error-correcting codes: a unified approach to graph colouring problems”, $242,066, 2007–2009 - PIMS Postdoctoral Fellowship, 20,000CAD, 2003–2004
- Villum Kann Rasmussen Postdoctoral Fellowship, 350.000DKK (2004–2005)
- Carlsberg Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, 350.000DKK, 2006
-
UNSW Faculty of Science Silverstar Award, T. Britz, $25,000, 2013
Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Wellbeing, UNSW, 2021.
Science Dean's Award for Excellence in Student Wellbeing, UNSW, 2021.
Vice-Chancellor's Award for Contributions to Student Learning, UNSW, 2015.
UNSW Light Digital Uplift of MATH3411: $15,000, 2019.
I am interested in most areas of discrete mathematics and combinatorics. Most of my research has been so far in graph theory, matroid theory, coding theory, combinatorial polynomials, combinatorial matrix theory, partially ordered sets, matching theory, flow theory, and enumerative combinatorics. Most of my research is highly foundational and theoretical but I also enjoy applying combinatorial methods and results to other areas, so far including big data in medicine, bioinformatics, criminology, ecology, electrochemistry, law, linear algebra, and psycholinguistics. I also very much welcome the opportunity to solve tangible real-life problems and have consulted for a variety of companies.
If you have any problem that might benefit from some math- or problem-solving skills, then please email me!
I have designed, created and lectured the HDR/Honours courses
Aspects of Combinatorial Optimisation (at Kumamoto University, 2011)
Combinatorial Enumeration and Optimisation (AMSI Summer School 2012, with Prof. Ian Wanless).
MATH5505 - Combinatorics (UNSW 2016, 2018)
An Introduction to Combinatorics (Aalto University, 2017)
and written course material for, and lectured, the courses
MATH151 - Finite Mathematics (University of Victoria, BC, Canada)
MATH1081 - Discrete Mathematics
MATH1131 - Mathematics 1A
MATH1241 - Higher Mathematics 1B
MATH3411 - Information, Codes and Ciphers
MATH3521 - Algebraic Techniques in Number Theory
In total, I have lectured semester courses for 7,000 students.
I have also tutored numerous courses, for 2,000 students.
Here is quick access to some of my maths teaching and outreach videos.