The 2026 edition of MISG, the Mathematics in Industry Study Group, was held from February 16 to 20, 2026 at the Perth campus of the University of Western Australia. MISG is an annual workshop that brings together applied mathematicians, statisticians, scientists, and engineers from universities, government, and industry. Participants from Australia, New Zealand, and other countries work together to solve real technical problems faced by businesses and industry.

Prof. Cesana joined study group “Bushfires and Landscape Mosaic” at MISG 2026, UWA Perth Bushfires shape Australian landscapes.
https://mathsinindustry.com/bushfires-and-landscape-mosaic/
They influence which plants survive, how vegetation recovers, and how patchy patterns form across the land—patterns that also affect future fire spread.

As part of the Bushfires and Landscape Mosaic project with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, I explored how fire and vegetation interact across connected landscapes.

I focused on two plant strategies: resprouters, which survive fire and regrow from existing tissue, and reseeders, which die but regenerate from soil-stored seeds. I built a spatial model of connected landscape patches where plants grow and compete between fires, and fire acts as a sudden disturbance. The model also includes seed maturation and dispersal between patches.

The results show how fire frequency, seed supply, and landscape connectivity together drive post-fire recovery, offering useful insights for biodiversity conservation and land management in Australia.

MISG 2026