John Hutchinson
Research
I am a mathematician in the MSI at the ANU. I did my PhD in mathematical logic, but afterwards published in a number of other fields: geometric measure theory, fractals, elliptic systems, theoretical numerical analysis for geometric problems, and random fractals. See Research.
I had the good fortune to publish a paper on fractals at the right time, which ended up being in the top 10 most highly cited paper in most years 2000-2010, according to the American Mathematical Society.
Currently I am interested in understanding more about quantum computing, A.I. and machine learning, and the social consequences thereof.
Teaching
I enjoy teaching. My notes were well received by students and some of them are still used in MSI courses. I designed the course and wrote the books Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics for selected Year 11-12 high school students, and Introduction to Analysis for upper level second year university mathematics students. For this and other course material see the links in the upper menubar: High School, Undergraduate, and Graduate.
I was elected by students at large to give the symbolic ANU 2010 Last Lecture: Mathematics, Free Will and the Human Condition, in the Great Hall at University House.
History of Mathematics at ANU
This is a brief commentary for the period 1974 – 2014, my informal retirement speech. For a detailed history of Australian mathematics from pre 1788 see Counting Australia In by Graeme Cohen.
Curriculum Vita
Available here.
Recent Material
History of Foundations of mathematics from 1870 and the crises involving infinity and various paradoxes to current times. Slides and annotated bibliography.