Highlight of work of Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences in applied mathematics and use of modelling to predict when equipment will need to be replaced in advance of failure, plus the use of statistics in everyday life. News of Students Association EGM in response to announcement of cuts in student maintenance, and community outreach to local Dundee secondary schools.

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0.40 Jimmy Black speaks to Professor Ian Colligan of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences about the skills and employment opportunities gained by Mathematics graduates from the department. He speaks about the teaching approach in the department being an Applied Mathematics approach – one of problem solving and mathematical modelling, and how it is applied to all sorts of real-life situations e.g. Treasury modelling.
5.55 Jimmy Black speaks to John Darpener in the Operational Research Section of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences about the modelling being used in replacement strategies being researched by him and his colleagues for replacing equipment in advance of failure (e.g. engine / machinery parts) and also ensuring they are not replaced too soon.
8.30 Statistician Gilbert Rutherford’s area of expertise is probabilities. He explains why at least 2 people in a room of 23 people or more will share the same birthday, and why statistics affect everyone’s life, especially in the areas of retail and marketing.
11.55 Quiz– students from the Business Studies Department: Alastair Duncan, Lauren Pealie, Ruth MacBurney, and Grant Mackay. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
18.00 Brian Lindsay’s News Round-up. Emergency meeting of the Students Representative Council to discuss the implications of the government budget proposals to cut student grants by 10%. The grant would be cut from £2200 to £1975. After the meeting, DIT Students Association President Rachel Thomas said the student dropout rate in Scotland had increased by 188% since the introduction of the student loan scheme, and that this further attack on the student maintenance grant would push more students into debt and would undoubtedly force many more to withdraw from their courses. A demonstration march against the proposals will be held on Wednesday in Glasgow, supported by the DIT Students Association, which will provide transport for anyone wishing to attend.
18.55 Community outreach: pupils from Grove Academy and St Johns Academy visited for practical sessions on Applied Physics, and Professor John Milne is delivering a lecture on Mechatronics to 200 school pupils from throughout Tayside. DIT’s Euro students will be meeting the Dundee Lord Provost at the Dundee Chamber of Commerce.
19.20 End of term is approaching, and the final blowout at the students’ union on the Marketgait is the “Snowball Night”, with usual drinks promotions and entertainments.
19.30 Sports – DIT football team won 4-2 away to Grove with Fitzpatrick scoring a hat-trick and Terry Thomas scoring the 4th goal. The team now has 11 points from 10 games, putting them near the top of the table. The Hockey Team won 3-0 against Robert Gordon University.
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