Alina Ostafe
Address:
School of Mathematics and Statistics
The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Sydney NSW 2052
Australia
Office: 5104, Red Centre
Education
-
2010: PhD., Institute of Mathematics,
University of Zurich,
Switzerland
- 2007: MSc.,
University of Bucharest,
Romania
Employment
-
January 2023 - : Associate Professor,
School of Mathematics and Statistics,
UNSW Sydney, Australia
-
July 2018 - December 2022: Senior Lecturer,
School of Mathematics and Statistics,
UNSW Sydney, Australia
-
October 2016 - June 2018: Lecturer,
School of Mathematics and Statistics,
UNSW Sydney, Australia
-
October
2013 - September 2016: Postdoc,
School of Mathematics and Statistics,
UNSW Sydney, Australia
-
October
2010 - September 2013: Postdoc,
Department of Computing, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
-
September
2007 - September 2010: Research/Teaching Assistant,
Institute of
Mathematics, University of Zurich
- September
2005 - August 2007:
Research Assistant,
Institute of Mathematics
"Simion Stoilow"
of the Romanian Academy,
Bucharest, Romania
Research Interests
-
Number Theory (Diophantine problems; Polynomials and rational functions over local and global fields; Finite fields; Arithmetic statistics of matrices)
- Arithmetic Dynamical Systems
Curriculum Vitae
You can find more information in my CV (last updated on 20 August 2024).
Editorial Duties
Grants
- 2023-2026: Australian Research Council Discovery Project (with I. Shparlinski)
- 2020-2022: Australian Research Council Discovery Project (with I. Shparlinski)
- 2018-2020: Australian Research Council Discovery Project (with J. Roberts and I. Shparlinski)
- 2017: UNSW Start-up Grant
- 2015, 2016, 2017: UNSW Science Faculty Research Grant
- 2014: Workshop AMSI/AustMS-AMSI/ANZIAM funding (with B. McKay, J. Roberts and I. Shparlinski)
- 2013-2016: UNSW Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2012-2013: Swiss National Science Foundation Grant-139679 for Advanced Researchers
- 2010-2012: Swiss National Science Foundation
Grant-133399 for Prospective Researchers
Seminar Organisation
Conference Organisation
- 9 - 14 November 2025, Arithmetic Statistics for Algebraic Objects, MFO, Germany
(joint with L. Bary-Soroker and P. Sarnak)
- 23 - 27 June 2025, Prime Numbers and Arithmetic Randomness, CIRM, Luminy, France
(joint with C Elsholtz, J. Rivat, C. Swaenepoel and T. Stoll)
- 28 August - 2 September, 2022, Specialisation and Effectiveness in Number Theory, BIRS, Banff, Canada
(joint with C. Stewart, R. Tichy and J. Wang)
- 3 - 5 June 2020, Number Theory Online Conference 2020 (online)
(joint with F. Breuer, M. Coons and T. Morrill)
- 30 September - 3 October 2019, Number Theory Down Under 7, UNSW Sydney, Australia
(joint with J. Roberts, I. Shparlinski and L. Zhao)
- 28 March - 2 April 2016, Dynamics and Graphs over Finite Fields: Algebraic, Number Theoretic and Algorithmic Aspects, CIRM, Luminy, France
(joint with M.-C. Chang, J. von zur Gathen and F. Pappalardi)
- 2 - 6 February 2015, Workshop on Algebraic, Number Theoretic and Graph Theoretic Aspects of Dynamical Systems, UNSW Sydney, Australia
(joint with B. McKay, J. Roberts and I. Shparlinski)
- 19 - 23 May 2014, Polynomials over Finite Fields: Functional and Algebraic Properties, CRM, Barcelona, Spain
(joint with J. von zur Gathen, J. Gutierrez, D. Panario, A. Topuzoglu)
- 9 - 13 December 2013, Finite fields and their applications, RICAM, Linz, Austria
(joint with H. Niederreiter, D. Panario and I. Shaprlinski)
- 5 - 10 May 2013, The Art of Iterating Rational Functions over Finite Fields, BIRS, Banff, Canada
(joint with N. Boston, I. Shparlinski and M. Zieve)
Preprints
- P. Habegger, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, Integer matrices with a given characteristic polynomial and multiplicative dependence of matrices, Preprint, 2024.
- M. Afifurrahman, V. Kuperberg, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, Statistics of ranks, determinants and characteristic polynomials of rational matrices, Preprint, 2023.
- A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, On the sparsity of integer matrices with a given discriminant, Preprint, 2023.
- A. Mohammadi, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, On some matrix counting problems, Preprint, 2023.
Publications
- A. Berczes, Y. Bugeaud, K. Gyory, J. Mello, A. Ostafe and M. Sha, Multiplicative dependence of rational values modulo approximate finitely generated groups, Math. Proc. Cambr. Phil. Soc. (In press).
- A. Berczes, Y. Bugeaud, K. Gyory, J. Mello, A. Ostafe and M. Sha, Explicit bounds for the solutions of superelliptic equations over number fields, Forum Math. (In press).
- A. Ferraguti, A. Ostafe and U. Zannier, Cyclotomic and abelian points in backward orbits of rational functions, Adv. Math. (In press).
- K. Bulinski, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, Counting embeddings of free groups into
$\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ and its subgroups, Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Classe di Scienze (In press).
- A. Ostafe, I. Shparlinski and F. Voloch, Weil sums over small subgroups, Math. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 2024, v. 176, 39-53.
- A. Ostafe, I. Shparlinski and F. Voloch, Equations and character sums with matrix powers, Kloosterman
sums over small subgroups and quantum ergodicity, Int. Math. Res. Not. 2023, v. 16, 14196-14238.
- A. Ostafe, On a Problem of Lang for Matrix Polynomials, Bull. London Math. Soc., 2022, v. 54, 1552-1567. [ Erratum]
- R. Dietmann, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, Discriminants of fields generated by
polynomials of given height, Israel J. Math. (In press).
- D. Ghioca, A. Ostafe, S. Saleh and I. E. Shparlinski, On sparsity of representations of polynomials
as linear combinations of exponential functions, J. London Math. Soc., 2022, v. 105, 2076-2103.
- F. Barroero, L. Capuano, L. Merai, A. Ostafe and M. Sha, Multiplicative and linear dependence in finite fields and on elliptic curves modulo primes, Int. Math. Res. Not., 2022, v. 20, 16094-16137.
- A. Ostafe, L. Pottmeyer and I. Shparlinski, Perfect powers in value sets and orbits of polynomials, New York J. Math., 2021, v. 27, 903-917.
- D. Ghioca, A. Ostafe, S. Saleh and I. E. Shparlinski, A sparsity result for the Dynamical Mordell-Lang Conjecture in positive
characteristic, Bull. Aust. Math. Soc., 2021, v. 104, 381-390
- A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, On the Skolem problem and some related questions for parametric families of linear recurrence sequences, Canadian J. Math., 2022, v. 74, 773-792.
- L. Merai, A. Ostafe and I. Shparlinski, Dynamical irreducibility of polynomials in reduction modulo primes, Mathematische Zeitschrift, 2021, v. 298, 1187-1199.
- A. Berczes, A. Ostafe, I. Shparlinski and J. H. Silverman, Multiplicative dependence among iterated values of rational functions modulo finitely generated groups, Int. Math. Res. Not., 2021, v. 12, 9045-9082.
- A. Ostafe and M. Young, On algebraic integers of bounded house and preperiodicity in polynomial semigroup dynamics, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc., 2020, v. 373, 2191-2206.
- A. Ostafe, M. Sha, I. Shparlinski and U. Zannier, On multiplicative dependence of values of rational functions and a generalisation
of the Northcott theorem, Michigan Math. J., 2019, v. 68, 385-407.
- C. D'Andrea, A. Ostafe, M. Sombra and I. Shparlinski, Modular reduction of systems of polynomial equations and
algebraic dynamical systems, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc., 2019, v. 371, 1169-1198.
- A. Ostafe, Polynomial values in
affine subspaces of finite fields, Journal d'Analyse Mathematique 2019, v. 138, 49-81.
- A. Ostafe, M. Sha, I. Shparlinski and U. Zannier, On abelian multiplicatively dependent points on a curve in a toru, Quat. J. Math, 2018, v. 69, 391-401.
- C. D'Andrea, M.-C. Chang, A. Ostafe, M. Sombra and I. Shparlinski, Orbits of polynomial dynamical systems modulo primes, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 2018, v. 146, 2015-2025.
- D. Gomez-Perez, A. Ostafe and M. Sha, The arithmetic of consecutive polynomial sequences over finite field, Finite Fields and Their Appl., 2018, v. 50, 35-65.
- A. Ostafe, On roots of unity in orbits of rational functions, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 2017, v. 145, 1927-1936.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, Orbits of
Algebraic Dynamical Systems in Subgroups and Subfields, Number Theory - Diophantine problems, uniform distribution and applications,
Festschrift in Honour of Robert F. Tichy's 60th Birthday, Springer, 2017, 347-368.
- A. Ostafe, On some extensions of the Ailon-Rudnick theorem, Monatshefte fur Mathematik, 2016, v. 181, 451-471.
- D. Gomez-Perez, J. Gutierrez and A. Ostafe, Common composites of triangular polynomial systems and
hash functions, J. Symb. Comp., 2016, v. 72, 182-195.
- A. Ostafe and M. Sha, On the quantitative dynamical Mordell-Lang conjecture, J. Number Theory 2015, v. 156, 161-182. (Corrigendum, J. Number Theory, 2016, v. 164, 433-437)
- A. Ostafe and M. Sha, Counting dynamical systems over finite fields, Dynamics and Numbers 2014, Contemp. Math., 2016, v. 669, 187-203.
- D. Gomez-Perez, A. Ostafe and A. Topuzoglu, On the Carlitz rank
of permutations of $\F_p$ and pseudorandom sequences,
J. Complexity, 2014, v. 30, 279-289.
- D. Gomez, A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, On irreducible divisors of iterated polynomials,
Revista Matematica Iberoamericana, 2014, 1123-1134.
- A. P. Nicolas, A. Ostafe, D. G. Perez and D. Sadornil, Stable polynomials over finite fields,
Revista Matematica Iberoamericana, 2014, v. 30, 523-535.
- D. Gomez, A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, Algebraic entropy,
automorphisms and sparsity
of algebraic dynamical systems and pseudorandom number generators,
Math. Comp., 2014, v. 83, 1535-1550.
- A. Ostafe, Iterations of rational functions: Some algebraic and arithmetic aspects,
Finite Fields and Their Applications. Character Sums and Polynomials, De Gruyter, 2013, 19-232.
- A. Ostafe and A. Winterhof, Some applications of character sums,
Handbook of Finite Fields, CRC Press, Eds. G. Mullen and D. Panario, 2013, 170--185.
- A. Ostafe,
Pseudorandom vector sequences of maximal period generated by polynomial dynamical systems,
Designs, Codes and Cryptography, 2012, v. 63, 59-72.
- J. Cilleruelo, M. Z. Garaev, A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, On the concentration of points of polynomial maps
and applications,
Mathematische Zeitschrift, 2012, v. 272, 825-837.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, On the power generator and its multivariate analogue,
J. Complexity, 2012, v. 28, 238-249.
- O. Ahmadi, F. Luca, A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, On stable quadratic polynomials,
Glasgow Math. J., 2012, v. 54, 359-369.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski,
Exponential Sums over Points of
Elliptic curves with Reciprocals of Primes,
Mathematika, 2012, v. 58, 21-33.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski,
Multiplicative Character Sums and Products of
Sparse Integers in Residue Classes,
Period. Math. Hungarica, 2012, v. 64, 247-255.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, Degree growth, linear independence and periods
of a class of rational dynamical systems,
Arithmetic, Geometry, Cryptography and Coding Theory 2010,
Contemp. Math., 2012, v. 574, 131-143.
- A. Ostafe, D. Thomson and A. Winterhof, On the Waring problem with
multivariate Dickson polynomials,
Finite fields and applications, Contemp. Math., 2012, v. 579, 153-161.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski,
On the Waring problem with Dickson polynomials in finite fields,
Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 2011, v.139, 3815-3820.
- S. R. Blackburn, A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski, On the distribution of the subset sum
pseudorandom number generator on elliptic curves,
Unif. Distrib. Theory, 2011, v. 6, 127-142.
- A. Ostafe, I. E. Shparlinski and A. Winterhof,
Multiplicative character sums
of a class of nonlinear recurrence vector sequences,
Intern. J. Number Theory, 2011, v.7, 1557-1571.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski,
Twisted exponential sums over points of elliptic curves,
Acta Arith., 2011, v. 148, 77-92.
- A. Ostafe and I. E.
Shparlinski,
Pseudorandomness and dynamics of Fermat quotients,
SIAM J. Discr. Math., 2011, v. 25, 50-71.
- A. Ostafe, E. Pelican and I. E. Shparlinski,
On pseudorandom numbers from multivariate polynomial systems,
Finite Fields and Their Appl., 2010, v.16, 320-328.
- A. Ostafe, I. E.
Shparlinski and A. Winterhof,
On the generalized joint linear
complexity profile of a class of nonlinear pseudorandom
multisequences,
Adv. in Math. of Communications, 2010, v.4, 369-379.
- A. Ostafe
and I. E. Shparlinski,
On the length of critical orbits
of stable
quadratic
polynomials,
Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 2010, v. 138, 2653-2656.
- A. Ostafe and I. E. Shparlinski,
Pseudorandom numbers and hash
functions
from iterations of multivariate polynomials,
Cryptography and Communications, 2010, v. 2, 49-67.
- A. Ostafe,
Multivariate permutation
polynomial systems and
nonlinear pseudorandom number
generators,
Finite Fields and Their Appl.,
2010, 144-154.
- Z. Chen, A. Ostafe and A. Winterhof,
Structure of pseudorandom numbers derived from Fermat quotients,
Lect. Notes in Comp. Sci., Springer-Verlag,
Berlin, 2010, 73-85.
- A. Ostafe,
Pseudorandom vector sequences derived from triangular polynomial systems with constant multipliers,
Lect. Notes in Comp. Sci., Springer-Verlag,
Berlin, 2010, 62-72.
- A. Ostafe and
I. E. Shparlinski,
On
the degree growth in some
polynomial dynamical
systems and
nonlinear pseudorandom number
generators, Math. Comp.,
2010, v. 79, 501-511.
- R. Ferguson, C. Hoffman, F. Luca, A.
Ostafe and I. E.
Shparlinski,
Some
additive combinatorics
problems in matrix rings,
Revista Matematica Complutense,
2010, v.23, 501-513.
Becoming a PhD student: What does it take?
During 2018 - 2021 I organised an annual information session dedicated to students in years 3+, which aims to give some insight into the application process for PhD positions in Australia and overseas.
- 2021: Session for 2nd year students: Ray Li (University of Cambridge), Link to slides , Link to recording
- 2020: Session for 2nd year students: Ray Li (UNSW), Link to slides
Session for 3rd & 4th year students:
Applying in Australia: Ian Doust (UNSW), Link to slides
Applying in USA: Ray Li (UNSW), Link to slides
Applying in UK: Marley Young (University of Cambridge), Link to slides
- 2019:
Applying in Australia: Ian Doust (UNSW), Link to slides
Applying in USA & UK: Marley Young (UNSW), Link to notes
- 2018:
Applying in USA & UK: Peter Bradshaw (UNSW), Link to notes
Applying in Australia: David Warton (UNSW), Link to slides
Teaching
- 2024: MATH3431 (Number Theory)
- 2023: MATH2099 (Linear Algebra), MATH5645 (Algebraic Number Theory)
- 2022: MATH1141 (Algebra), MATH2099 (Linear Algebra)
- 2021: MATH2099 (Linear Algebra), MATH5645 (Algebraic Number Theory)
- 2020: MATH1141 (Algebra), MATH5725 (Galois Theory)
- 2019: MATH1141 (Algebra), MATH5645 (Algebraic Number Theory)
- 2018: MATH1141 (Algebra), MATH1131 (Calculus), MATH5725 (Galois Theory)
- 2017: MATH1141 (Algebra), MATH5645 (Algebraic Number Theory)
- 2015: MATH5645 (Finite Fields and Applications) - jointly with I. Shparlinski and A. Zumalacarregui