1978

The 1978 AMC

The first AMC, held in 1978 and sponsored by the Bank of New South Wales, later Westpac Banking Corporation, attracted about 60,000 students from 700 schools, including about 900 from 15 New Zealand schools.

A total of 12 medals were identified, and these were presented at a function at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (later the University of Canberra) by the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO QC.

Medallists are shown in this photo, with Sir Zelman and Sir Noel Foley, Chairman of the Board of the Bank of New South Wales. Back row from left David McAnally, Ezra Getzler, Neil Brown, Andrew Lenart, Sean Case, David Morley. Front row from left Brian Cheong, Nigel Peck, Thomas Bull, Daryl Williams, Wesley Phoa.

Matthew Dyer, who is not in the group photo, shows his medal.

The special guests walk to the presentation hall. Australian Governor-General is in the centre, with his secretary Sir David Smith behind his left shoulder then Dr Sam Richardson, Principal of CCAE and Dr Doug Waterhouse, Chairman of the CCAE Council.

The main four figures to the left are Jo Edwards, Peter O'Halloran, Sir Noel Foley, Chairman of the Bank of New South Wales and Dr Don Overheu, Head of CCAE's School of Information Sciences.

The medallists were:

* denotes perfect score

Notes

Of the two perfect scorers in this first AMC we can provide some follow-up.

Ezra Getzler went on to obtain a PhD at Harvard. He is now a full professor at North-Western University and this is his web page. He is one of Australia's most noted mathematicians.

David McAnally also went on to earn a University Medal at the University of Queensland in 1983, followed by a PhD in mathematical physics, also at the University of Queensland, and is shown here after graduating (in 1990).

In his professional career, David worked at the Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences at Kyoto University, in Japan - as well as working at the University of Melbourne, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Queensland. He researched areas such as Shor's algorithm. Tragically he died in 2006 at the age of 44 years.

David Morley was to obtain medals also in 1979 and 1980 and a perfect score in 1980. A brief regime on his later career can be found on the 1980 page.