Deonarain Brijlall | Mathematics | Excellence in Research

Prof Deonarain Brijlall, Durban University of Technology, South Africa

Prof. Brijlall Deonarain is a distinguished academic in Mathematics Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. With a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics (Topology), a PhD in Mathematics, and extensive postdoctoral training, Prof. Deonarain has dedicated his career to enhancing mathematics teaching. He has held various academic leadership roles, including acting head of department and faculty representative. His research interests focus on mathematics education, curriculum development, and learning theories. Prof. Deonarain has published several influential papers, such as on optimization problem-solving and pre-service teachers’ mental constructions. He actively contributes to mathematics education through grants and academic conferences. 📚🔢🎓

Publication Profile

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Education

Prof. Brijlall Deonarain has a diverse and extensive academic background. He earned his B.Sc. in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics from the University of Durban-Westville (UDW), South Africa, in 1984, followed by a B.Sc. (Hons) in Mathematics in 1985. He also pursued studies in Education, obtaining a UHDE in 1986 and a B.Ed (Hons) from UNISA in 1989. His technical expertise is highlighted by a National Technical Diploma in Electronics from Sastri Technical College in 1992. Prof. Deonarain completed his M.Sc. in Mathematics (cum laude) at the University of Natal in 1999 and his Ph.D. in Mathematics (Topology) from UDW in 2003. 🎓

Honors

Prof. Brijlall Deonarain’s career spans several decades of dedicated service in mathematics and education. Beginning as a part-time lecturer at the University of Durban-Westville in 1985, he later joined Stanger Secondary School in 1986, earning recognition for his service. His academic roles expanded to lecturer positions at Springfield College of Education and University of Natal (now UKZN), where he contributed significantly to mathematics education. Prof. Deonarain held key leadership roles, including acting head of departments and faculty representative. He was nominated as an evaluator for the Higher Education Quality Committee and participated in an Oxford Roundtable in 2008. 🌟📘

Research Support

Prof. Brijlall Deonarain led a project titled “A Real Analysis Module for FET BEd Graduates,” conducted between 2005 and 2012, in collaboration with Prof. A. Maharaj. The project explored the relevance of an undergraduate Mathematics module to the new FET curriculum. It focused on three objectives: researching the alignment of Real Analysis with FET school topics, testing a novel pedagogical approach for presenting the course, and analyzing student responses using learning theories. The research led to two SAPSE-accredited journal papers in 2011. Prof. Deonarain also contributed to an ongoing project with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and Witwatersrand University, developing innovative calculus teaching materials for teachers. 🧑‍🏫📊

Research Focus

Dr. D. Brijlall’s research primarily focuses on mathematics education and teacher education, particularly in the context of high school and pre-service teachers. His work explores the mental constructions of learners and teachers, investigating how they approach complex mathematical concepts like optimization, matrix algebra, and problem-solving. He uses frameworks like APOS theory (Action, Process, Object, and Schema) to study the understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. Dr. Brijlall’s research also delves into pedagogical content knowledge, especially for teaching probability and mathematical problem-solving. 📚👩‍🏫🔢

Publication Top Notes

An exploration of the common content knowledge of high school mathematics teachers

Exploring high school learners’ mental construction during the solving of optimization

High school learners’ mental construction during solving optimisation problems in Calculus: A South African case study

Pre-service teachers’ mental constructions of concepts in matrix algebra

An APOS study on pre-service teachers’ understanding of injections and surjections

Exploring the stages of Polya’s problem-solving model during collaborative learning: A case of fractions

Exploring the pedagogical content knowledge for teaching probability in middle school: A South African case study

Using an inductive approach for definition making: Monotonicity and boundedness of sequences

Exploring support strategies for high school mathematics teachers from underachieving schools

Chunhua Ou | Mathematics | Best Researcher Award

Prof Chunhua Ou, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

Prof. Chunhua Ou is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Memorial University, Canada, specializing in asymptotic analysis, applied differential equations, and mathematical modeling in biology. He earned his PhD in Mathematics from City University of Hong Kong in 2003. Prof. Ou has received multiple awards, including the “One of the Most Cited Articles” in Journal of Differential Equations (2012). His research focuses on reaction-diffusion equations, tumor growth, and population dynamics. He has taught various graduate and undergraduate courses and secured significant research funding. 🌍📚🔬🧬

Education

Prof. Chunhua Ou is a distinguished mathematician with a rich academic background. He earned his PhD in 2003 from the Department of Mathematics at City University of Hong Kong, where he conducted research on “Two Topics in Ordinary Differential Equations” under the supervision of R. Wong and James S.W. Wong. Prior to this, he pursued his Master’s studies at the Institute of Mathematics, Fudan University, from 1998 to 2000 before transferring directly into the Ph.D. program at CityU. Prof. Ou completed his BSc in 1989 from the Department of Mathematics at Peking University. 🎓🔢

Awards

Prof. Chunhua Ou has an impressive academic background with several accolades throughout his career. His article, one of the most cited (2007-2012) in the Journal of Differential Equations, highlights his contribution to the field. He received a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship from the Laboratory of Industrial and Applied Mathematics at York University in 2003. Prof. Ou was also awarded multiple tuition scholarships by City University of Hong Kong in 2000 and 2001. Additionally, he earned the Excellent Teaching Achievement Prize from Hunan Province, China, in 1997, showcasing his dedication to education. 📚👨‍🏫

Career & Achievements

Prof. Chunhua Ou is a distinguished academic with extensive experience, currently serving as a Full Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. His career has evolved from Assistant Professor to Deputy Head of the Department, reflecting his leadership in research and teaching. Prof. Ou has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious “One of the most cited articles (2007-2012)” in the Journal of Differential Equations. He has also received multiple teaching and research fellowships, underscoring his dedication to advancing knowledge in his field. 🌟👨‍🏫📜

Grands

Prof. Chunhua Ou has received substantial research funding from various prestigious agencies over the years. From 2023 to 2026, he secured $265,000 from the NSF as a main team member. His successful tenure with NSERC began in 2006, with a total of $65,000 allocated from 2006 to 2011, followed by $55,000 from 2011 to 2016, and $108,000 from 2016 to 2022. Currently, he is awarded $105,000 for 2022–2027, distributed as $21,000 per year. Additionally, Prof. Ou received $25,000 from IRIF of the Province in 2008–2010. These funds support his ongoing innovative research. 🧑‍🔬📅

Research Focus

Chunhua Ou’s research primarily focuses on mathematical modeling in biology, particularly in the fields of reaction-diffusion equations, traveling waves, and population dynamics. Their work includes studies on the global stability of monostable and bistable traveling waves, the persistence of wavefronts in delayed nonlocal reaction-diffusion equations, and the modeling of biological phenomena like chemotaxis, leukemia, and rabies dynamics. They explore topics such as minimal-speed selection in competition models and the influence of time delays and nonlocal effects in various biological systems. Their contributions provide valuable insights into the dynamics of spatially distributed populations and their long-term behavior. 📚🌍🔬🐾