Professor Peter J. Smith
Head School of Creative Media
RMIT University
20 August 2004

1. How would you describe the project/s you are currently working on to a non-scientist?

I am a visual artist (35 solo exhibitions) and a mathematician (Phd in Statistics) and work simultaneously in both areas. I am appointed as a Professor across both disciplines--Mathematics and Art. I am currently Head of the School of Creative Media (film and TV, Multimedia, Creative writing, Photography,Animation etc) at RMIT University but was previously Head of the Department of Statistics and Operations Research at the same university.

My research as a statistician is in the area of Censored Data; that is, data that provide incomplete information. I use statistical regression models to renovate such data as a basis for making achorate predictions of lifetimes: of cancer patients; of escalator cogs; batteries etc. I am particularly interested in diagrams that depict such renovation as an exploratory tool for scientists eg scatterplots and boxplots. I was the first to use the term 'renovated scatterplots' for censored data.

2. Where, as a scientist, do you see the creativity in your work and/or life?

There are connectiions in my work to the visual arts through mathematics and statistics as text, in the form that scientists use when teaching at blackboards. Handwritten formulae on blackboards contain the essence of information and meaning in a very graphic form. I often do paintings that cap the essence of blackboard writing and look like blackboards ( see www.peterjamessmith.com where there are landscapes etc as well, but generally with overlaid text.) Text in visual art is the key. One can convey the idea of a straight line by freehand drawing it--ruler and compass is not necessary.

I have even published a new statistical result in my research area (in the form of a theorem and its proof) on a painting in an exhibition, as the first point of publication, only much later recording it as a new published result in a scientific journal.

That was very thrilling creating a new piece of science while making an artwork.

I do believe that we have to go beyond geometry (as it is manifest as design in architecture) to tease out the connections between mathematics and art. Thats why I go via text.

3. When you embark on research, do you start with a defined goal or does the goal emerge through the process?

My research as a statistician is naturally in a very narrow field.You chip away at a defined area and make tiny contributions at a time over many years. Overall, there is hope that this process results in something of substance. The goal has been always to get new mathematical results in the area of Regression with Censored Data. In this sense there is a creative endeavour of exploring down alleyways where you are not sure of where they will lead, or the implications that they uncover.

This approach is similar in my painting, where progress is made through so-called practise-based research. The way forward is seen through careful reflection on past ouuvre.

4. With regard to your research, how would you describe the processes and outcomes in terms of the concepts 'natural' and 'artificial'?

The processes are Theorems and Proofs--using deductive logic. This is conceptual rather than artificial.

5. Where do you gain inspiration and support for your work?

Through (hopefully on an international scale) producing one or two of the most important results in my area. Even though the area is small, the importance is big relative to the area.

6. How are possible applications from your research determined?

Practical applications are always sought by statisticians--I have a research grant with a bank doing modelling of the lifetimes of loans using my regression methods.

Clearly, I have applied my results graphically as an artist. However, conveying meaning has always been important to me, unlike the work of the Swiss artist Bernar Venet, who uses pieces of mathematical text in installations and paintings in order to obscure meaning.

7. Do you share a language with other scientists (across cultures)? If so, please describe how this language works.

Mathematical language is universal.

8. Does your work encompass or involve a possible benefit (tangible or intangible) to society? If so, how would you describe this benefit to non-scientists?

Statisticians are very important--it is by gathering data (and analysing it) that we come to know about the world. This is a slightly different view that the concensus: that statistics is of use only by politicians to lie with.

9. Would you describe your future world view as pessimistic or optimistic? Why?

Absolutely optimistic: we are in an era of late postmodernism-irony is dead. Many of my students in this school are after the 'authentic' experience.

10. Do you believe you share this future world view with other scientists (in your field) or would you describe this view as personal?

Personal, because I bridge two disciplines.