Russell
Citation
![[Russell]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WV1KJJQP3CYGb89nsgazyLcUFelra6HhsQDlsPNCai9ipoqG7PhHJbooofkjZqy888aVoqwsgs5eBzi2fBdxFe1fWnOi1wLZdUBPlCRB9Gx3i-z3=w1280)
Professor Allen Russell (left) with his Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Robinson, before being presented with his award by Professor Neumann at a function at Monash University on 15 October 1997.
Citation
Allen Russell is an outstanding example of a Bernhard Neumann Award recipient, with most of his activities external to the Trust.
His main contribution has been in the running of the Victorian IBM Competition over a period of 25 years. This competition attracts all the most talented students in the state and asks the students to solve a number of problems at a very advanced level.
In 1972 he commenced this work in a supporting role with Derek Holton and John Rickard. Derek is now the leading figure in what we call mathematics enrichment in New Zealand. John is now Dean of Monash's Faculty of Business and Economics. He gradually took over running the whole competition after Derek and John had each taken periods of leave, John left at the time for an appointment at Griffith University and Derek went to New Zealand.
Since Allen took over as principal organiser he has expanded the competition, which now runs in three rather than two divisions.
The competition is the largest state-wide competition in Australia, and attracts about 4,500 entries from about 130 secondary schools in the state.
Many of the winners have gone on to represent Australia in the International Mathematics Olympiad and become medal winners.
Running this competition involves each year hundreds of hours' work each year on a voluntary basis, selecting the problems, inviting entries, processing entries assessing the many scripts, notifying prize-winners, preparation of certificates and running an annual prize-giving function. The time scale of one competition tends to stretch over the full year.
Allen has participated in other events and for a number of years ran enrichment classes in the August school holidays, and has taken a role in the Victorian part of the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Program. He also went to Canberra in 1988 to help in the running of the International Mathematical Olympiad when it was held there.
He has also been a member of the Board of Examiners for the Victorian Year 12 Pure Mathematics over a period of some 26 years.
I now have pleasure in handing over to Bernhard to present this Award.
Peter Taylor
15 October 1997