Professor Aidan Sims
Professor
- BMath/BCompSci, University of Newcastle, 1999.
- BMath Hons (Class I, University Medal) University of Newcastle, 2000.
- PhD (Mathematics), University of Newcastle, 2004.
- Graduate Certificate in the Practice of Tertiary Teaching, University of Newcastle, 2005.
Science
School of Mathematics & Statistics
I completed my PhD in Operator Algebras under Iain Raeburn at the University of Newcastle in 2003. After a brief fixed-term lectureship at Newcastle, I moved to a permanent lecureship position at the University of Wollongong funded by an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2007. I was promoted to a professorship in 2012, served as Head of School (2018-2021) and was made a Distinguished Professor in 2023. In 2025 I moved to 黑料网大事记 to lead the newly formed Quantum Mathematics Research Cluster.
I have served on the Council of the AustMS (2015-2017), as its Vice President (2022-2023) and as its President (2025-2026). I have also served for over 10 years on the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute's Research Committee.
I have been an associate editor of the Bulletin of the AustMS and the Journal of the AustMS since 2015, and of the Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications since 2019.
E-mail
Location
School of Mathematics and Statistics
黑料网大事记 Sydney
Anita B. Lawrence Centre Room 6102
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
National competitive grants.
- 2005鈥2008, A. Sims, Operator algebras associated to product systems, and higher-rank-graph algebras, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant (Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship) DP0557243, $221K.
- 2006鈥2009, and A. Sims, Pictures for operator algebras: higher-rank graphs, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP0665131, $279K .
- 2009鈥2011 A. Sims, Co-universal operator algebras, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP0984399, $176K.
- 2009鈥2011, and A. Sims, Operator algebras associated to groupoids, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP0984360, $255K. (As of January 2010, this grant is held by Aidan Sims and David Pask; Sims is lead CI.)
- 2010鈥2014 A. Sims, Operator algebras as models for dynamics and geometry, ARC Future Fellowship FT100100533, $562K.
- 2012鈥2014 A. Sims and A. Rennie, Invariants for dynamics via operator algebras, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP120100507, $435K.
- 2012鈥2014, and A. Sims, Cohomology, symbolic dynamics and operator algebras, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP120100389, $330K.
- 2015鈥2017 A. Sims, Equilibrium states and fine structure for operator algebras, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP150101595, $345K.
- 2015鈥2017, A. Sims, and , Groupoids as bridges between algebra and analysis, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP150101598, $311K.
- 2018鈥2020, A. Sims, and , Taming infinite dimensions: quasidiagonality and nuclear dimension, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP180100595, $347K.
- 2020鈥2022, A. Sims, , , and , There and back again: operator algebras, algebras and dynamical systems, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP200100155, $461K.
- 2022鈥2024, A. Sims, Noncommutative analysis for self-similar structure, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP220101631, $384K.
- 2025鈥2027, A. Sims, , , , and , A new twist on product decompositions: twisted algebras for Zappa鈥揝z茅p products, ARC Discovery鈥揚rojects grant DP250100297, $574K.
Other funding.
- 2012, and A. Sims, Graph C*-algebras, Leavitt path algebras and symbolic dynamics, AMSI workshop funding and AustMS Special Interest Meetings grant, $13.5K.
- 2016, , and A. Sims, Refining C*-algebraic invariants for dynamics using KK-theory, MATRIX@melbourne research program, total funding $25K.
- 2017, , , A. Sims, , and , Operator algebras: Dynamics and Interactions, Centre de Recerca Mathem脿tica, Universitat Aut貌noma de Barcelona, total funding 鈧89K.
- 2019, , , A. Sims and , Higher-rank graphs: geometry, symmetry, dynamics, International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Edinburgh and Heriott鈥揥att University, total funding 拢41K.
- 2023, , , A. Sims, and Algebra, Geometry and C*-algebras, International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Edinburgh and Heriott鈥揥att University, total funding 拢43K.
- 2024, , , A. Sims and , Cartan subalgebras in operator algebras, and topological full groups (24w5175), Banff International Research Station, total funding CAD$50K.聽
- UOW Vice Chancellor's Researcher of the Year,聽2015
- Fellow of the Australian Mathematical Society,聽2015
- Australian Mathematical Society Medal, 2016
- Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, 2025
I am broadly interested in Quantum mathematics聽by which I mean the general theory of functional analysis, operator algebras and noncommutative geometry and their links to quantum physics and quantum information theory. More specifically, much of my research is concerned with abstract algebras and聽C*-algebras associated to:
- combinatorial structures such as directed graphs and higher-rank graphs;
- algebraic objects such as groups, semigroups and small categories with suitable cancellative properties;
- generalised C*-dynamical systems as captured by聽product systems of Hilbert bimodules; and
- topological dynamics encoded by locally compact 茅tale groupoids and Fell bundles over such objects.
One major theme of my research is the extent to which such objects explicitly encode the structural properties of the associated C*-algebras including features like ideal structure, stable finiteness and pure infiniteness, KMS-state structure and invariants such as K-theory and KK-classes. A second major theme involves seeking to go in the other direction, determining and also the amount of algebraic or C*-algebraic data that is required to reconstruct the underlying generating object. This has led to connections with聽Dixmier鈥揇ouady theory and work on deformations of C*-algebras by cohomological data. Since the advent of Renault's theorem about Cartan pairs of C*-algebras and the subsequent introduction of Steinberg algebras associated to聽茅tale groupoids, I have been pursuing a research program that investigates groupoids and related data as a unifying coordinatising framework for both abstract algebras and C*-algebras, and as, in the words of Abrams, a Rosetta stone for translating structural theorems about one of these classes of objects into the context of the other.