Hunt
![[David bhn]](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/n2kJ2SJkX241Zwpfu8KmqEi0nunyl6EwI9hhVWFOuTj-Cw9ppb11ZZKo__P_FtLkGyg4LrGq4X-qyjJHBoDkU02U_Fn1w0BzxSg8Aqr94j041DVs=w1280)
Associate Professor David Hunt , with UNSW Vice Chancellor Professor John Niland, receiving his BH Neumann Award from Professor Neumann at a function at the University of New South Wales on 4 November 1998.
![[David bhn]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s1tzyJ9UH5SDAgBnowJizmfbXWmFBXxtGwhgCcQp5r3qqy_PoYkcyMIALHi4ATdudK11zH_O5CZlJILWfjxG7BQm9V9sbc0jTQya9w8W_v3S-Q81=w1280)
David with daughter Sarah, wife Sonia and daughter Phillipa.
Citation
David started as an academic at the University of New South Wales in 1971 and throughout this period his work has been dedicated to working with young people, both at the University and secondary levels, who are gifted and talented in mathematics.
His earlier efforts involved coordinating the UNSW/IBM Competition (which still thrives) for a number of years.
He has been actively involved with the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee since 1985. His highlights would involve having been Australian Team leader in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997 and 1988, serving as academic coordinator of the International Mathematical Olympiad when it was held in Canberra in 1988, and being Director of Training since 1996.
With respect to his role as Team Leader, the results have been outstanding, particularly in the last two years, when Australia has beaten Japan and all western countries (except for the United States) on both occasions.
His role as academic coordinator at the Canberra Olympiad required him to supervise the entire assessment process, including development of marking schemes, supervision of teams working on each question, and ultimately ruling on all disputes, which frequently happen when leaders of other teams feel their solutions have not been duly appreciated.
David, as Director of Training, now leads a strong team of young, former Olympians and more seasoned teachers and academics have now got an extraordinary program in place of identifying talent around Australia and maximising its development. This program is so good that I am frequently asked by people from other countries, including countries with good traditions, what is the secret behind our success.
David has also had 13 years of continuous service as a member of the AMOC Senior Problems Committee, which develops the major examinations which our talented students undertake.
David's service to these activities goes well beyond the call of duty. As Director of Training, for example, he lives at the training schools for about 25 days of the year in addition to the time he commits to the IMO team while travelling.
In his University career he has served very strongly in an administrative sense, having terms of Director of First Year Studies, Deputy and Acting Head of the School of Mathematics at the University of New South Wales (often while maintaining a high commitment to the Olympiad program) and his CV shows his strong research background and contribution to teaching at UNSW.
Peter Taylor
04 November 1998