P001450 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-02-24 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001450b.htm person Van der Poorten Alfred Jacobus AM AACR2 16 May 1942 9 October 2010 Place of Birth Amsterdam, Netherlands Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Mathematician University Administrator Alf van der Poorten was a mathematician of international standing whose research focused on number theory. He was particularly interested in diophantine analysis, Baker's theorem, transcendental numbers, continued fractions and elliptic curves. Working with colleagues he made significant discoveries including the solution of Posit's conjecture on the rationality of Hadamard quotients, and on the Einstein constant. He also published commentaries on the work of other mathematicians including Euler and Fermat. Van der Poorten was Professor of Mathematics at Macquarie University from 1979 to 2002 and served on the University's Council. His involvement with the Australian Mathematical Society included a term as President and editorship of several of the Society's journals. During his presidency, Australia hosted the 5th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics. He was a member of mathematical review panels both in Australia and internationally, and was one of Australia's three delegates to successive International Mathematical Union quadrennial assemblies 1965 1965 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc(Hons)), University of New South Wales 1965 1965 Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of New South Wales 1965 1979 Career position - Member, Board of Directors, University Co-operative Bookshop Ltd 1967 1973 Career position - Member of Council, University of New South Wales 1968 1968 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of New South Wales 1968 1971 Career position - Lecturer in Pure Mathematics, University of New South Wales 1971 1974 Career position - Senior Lecturer in Pure Mathematics, University of New South Wales 1972 1972 Education - MBA, University of Sydney 1973 1977 Career position - Founding Editor, Australian Mathematical Society gazette 1975 1978 Career position - Associate Professor of Pure Mathematics, University of New South Wales 1979 1982 Career position - Chairman, Board of Directors, University Co-operative Bookshop Ltd 1979 1997 Career position - Associate Editor, Bulletin of the Australian Mathematical Society 1979 2002 Career position - Professor of Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics, Macquarie University 1980 1987 Career position - Head, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics, Macquarie University 1987 1991 Career position - Chairman, New South Wales Selection Committee, Australian-American Education Foundation (Fulbright Scheme) 1990 Career position - Consulting Editor, Mathematical journal 1990 2001 Career position - Member of Council, Macquarie University 1991 1996 Career position - Head, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics, Macquarie University 1991 2002 Career position - Director, Centre for Number Theory Research, Macquarie University 1996 1998 Career position - President, Australian Mathematical Society 1998 1998 Award - Doctorate honoris causa, Université Bordeaux, France 2002 2002 Award - George Szekeres Medal (jointly), Australian Mathematical Society 2004 2004 Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - for service to mathematical research and education, particularly in the field of number theory 2009 2010 Award - Honorary Member, Australian Mathematical Society The University of New South Wales (1958 - )

Member of Council 1967 - 1973

 Australian Mathematical Society (1956 - )

President 1996 - 1998; Honorary Member 2009 -2010

 Macquarie University (1964 - )

Professor of Mathematics -2002; Head, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics 1979 - 1996; Member of Council 1990 - 2001; Director, Centre for Number Theory Research 1991 - 2002; Member of Council 1990 - 2001

 George Szekeres Medal, Australian Mathematical Society (2002 - )

Awarded the Medal (jointly) 2002

 Australian Mathematical Society Gazette, Australian Mathematical Society (1974 - )

Founding Editor 1974 - 1977

 Bulletin of the Australian Mathematical Society, Australian Mathematical Society (1969 - )

Associate Editor 1979 - 1997

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Van der Poorten, Alfred Jacobus (19420516-20101009)

Trove

 'Van der Poorten, Alfred Jacobus (Alf)', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Van der Poorten, Alfred Jacobus (Alf) Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Kurt Mahler, 26 July 1903 - 26 February 1988 Coates, John Henry and Van per Poorten, A. J. Kurt Mahler, 26 July 1903 - 26 February 1988 1994 Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 39 265-97 Journal Article: Kurt Mahler 1903-1988 Coates, J. H.; van der Poorten, A. J. Kurt Mahler 1903-1988 1993 Historical Records of Australian Science 9 4 369-385 Book Section: Life and mathematics of Alfred Jacobus van der Poorten (1942 - 2010) Hunt, David Life and mathematics of Alfred Jacobus van der Poorten (1942 - 2010) 2013 Number theory and related fields Borwein, J.; Shparlinski, I.; and Zudilin, W. Newspaper Article: Lauded mind brought humour in numbers: Alf van der Poorten, 1942 - 2010 Brown, Malcolm Lauded mind brought humour in numbers: Alf van der Poorten, 1942 - 2010 2010 Sydney Morning Herald 20 December Journal Article: Emeritus Professor Alfred Jacobus (Alf) van der Poorten 16 May 1942 - 9 October 2010 Hunt, David Emeritus Professor Alfred Jacobus (Alf) van der Poorten 16 May 1942 - 9 October 2010 2011 Australian Mathematical Society gazette 38 1 33-6 Journal Article: The UNSW Cadets: pioneers at the birth of a new university Barber, Michael The UNSW Cadets: pioneers at the birth of a new university 2025 Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 158 1 32-49 Alfred Jacobus Van der Poorten - Records Private hands (van der Poorten, A.J.) Alfred Jacobus Van der Poorten - Records 1960 - 1988 Correspondence 1960-88; reports 1960-88; meeting records 1960-88; diaries; publication records 1965-88; conference records 1965-88; lecture notes 1960-70; scrapbooks 1960-88; photographs; a significant part of the collection comprises personal records particularly from his days in student politics but there also exists a large collection of offprints and preprints and correspondence with other mathematicians which incorporates all the reprints and some archival material owned by Kurt Mahler. 5.5 m