The main aim of the annual Victorian Algebra Conference is to foster communication between algebraists in Australia. We interpret algebra quite broadly, including areas such as topological algebra, algebraic logic, graph theory and coding theory.
The VAC has a proud tradition of encouraging talks by students: typically about one third of the talks are presented by students. The conference aims to provide graduate students in algebra with the opportunity to give their first public presentation in a relaxed and supportive environment. Each conference, the most outstanding student talk is awarded the Gordon Preston Prize.
The 34th Victorian Algebra Conference will be held at the City Campus of La Trobe University, 360 Collins St, Melbourne on Tuesday November 22 and Wednesday November 23.
The zeroth Victorian Algebra Conference, at La Trobe University in 1982, was actually a workshop on lattice theory and universal algebra, which was organised by Brian Davey because he had two international visitors, Heinrich Werner (Kassel) and Hilary Priestley (Oxford). This workshop brought together Australian algebraists from a wide range of areas, and its success led Gordon Preston to suggest "We should do this every year". The Algebra Conference of Victoria (ACV) and later the Victorian Algebra Conference (VAC) has been held every year since.
33rd VAC: Western Sydney University 30 November–2 December, 2015
32nd VAC: Monash University 2–3 October, 2014
31st VAC: University of Melbourne 28–29 November, 2013
30th VAC: RMIT University, 29–30 November, 2012
29th VAC: La Trobe University, 1–2 December, 2011
28th VAC: Monash University, 4–5 November, 2010
27th VAC: University of Melbourne, 5–6 November, 2009
26th VAC: RMIT University, 2–3 October, 2008
25th VAC: La Trobe University, 23–24 September, 2007
24th VAC: Deakin University, 27–28 November, 2006
23rd VAC: University of Western Australia, 24–26 September, 2005 (incorporating a Workshop on Groups and Combinatorics)
22nd VAC: RMIT University, 27–28 November, 2004
21st VAC: La Trobe University, 29 September–1 October, 2003 (incorporating a Workshop on Universal Algebraic Methods in Semigroip Theory and Algebraic Logic)
20th VAC: Deakin University, 28–29 October, 2002
19th VAC: RMIT University, 22–23 November, 2001
18th VAC: La Trobe University, 23–24 November, 2000
17th VAC: University of Melbourne, 17 July, 1999
16th VAC: RMIT University, 5–6 November, 1998
15th VAC: Scotch College, 30–31 October, 1997
14th VAC: University of Melbourne, 1996
13th VAC: La Trobe University, 28–29 September, 1995
12th VAC: Swinburne University of Technology, 26–27 September, 1994
11th VAC: RMIT University, 20–21 September, 1993
10th VAC: Monash University (Caulfield), 10–11 October, 1992
9th ACV: University of Melbourne, 13–14 July, 1991
8th ACV/VAC: University of Melbourne, 27–28 September, 1990
7th ACV: La Trobe University, 21–22 September, 1989
6th ACV: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, 2–3 September, 1988
5th ACV: Monash University, 16–17 May, 1987
4th ACV: University of Melbourne, 25–27 August, 1986
3rd ACV: La Trobe University, May 1985
2nd ACV: Monash University, May 1984
1st ACV: University of Melbourne, 2–3 June, 1983
0th VAC: (Mini-Conference on Lattice Theory and Universal Algebra) La Trobe University, 16–18 August, 1982