School of Mathematics

UKRI/EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Mathematical Modelling, Analysis and Computation ("MAC-MIGS")

The University of Edinburgh's School of Mathematics, in collaboration with its Maxwell Institute partners at Heriot-Watt University, has been awarded around £6M by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for a new centre for training PhDs which is addressed to the formulation, analysis and implementation of state-of-the-art mathematical and computational models and methods. Mathematical models lie at the heart of the scientific and technological advances that are shaping our world; they are key to the design of new industrial products, for decision making in business and government, and for advancing scientific theories. Recent developments are transforming the capability and reach of mathematical models. The explosion in data, driven by the increase in large-scale scientific experiments, the rapid growth of the web economy, the proliferation of sensors and the widespread use of simulations, is bringing new data-driven methods to the fore. With the growth in computational power and its wide availability through cloud-computing technology, models can be designed to incorporate real-world data, and to tackle increasingly complicated problems with direct impact on an increasingly broad range of human activities. MAC-MIGS will train modelling experts who can develop and analyse mathematical models, translate them into efficient computer codes, and communicate the solutions with industry and government. MAC-MIGS will be based in new Bayes Centre on the University of Edinburgh's central campus, the heart of the £1B Edinburgh City Deal.

MAC-MIGS is operated under the auspices of the Maxwell Institute Graduate School and builds on the highly successful MIGSAA CDT in analysis and its applications. MAC-MIGS further involves collaboration with researchers from across the schools of science and engineering of both Universities, partnerships with the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre, the Scottish Financial Risk Academy, the DataLab and the Alan Turing Institute, as well as the involvement of over 30 industrial and governmental partners who have committed investments of almost £6M in additional support to the CDT beyond the core funding of UKRI. Some example collaborations include: Aberdeen Standard Investments for portfolio modelling and financial applications; Akzo Nobel for modelling coatings for ships and bacterial biofilms; Johnson Matthey and Proctor and Gamble for work on industrial materials and processes, the James Hutton Institute for environmental models of biodiversity; Forest Enterprise Scotland for work on invasive species, West Brewing for modelling of yeast sedimentation in brewing vessels, and NHS Scotland for projects in medical imaging. Students in the programme will receive advanced 4-year training in mathematical modelling, analysis, computational methods, and techniques of data analysis, as well as entrepreneurship training and responsible research and innovation. The CDT is committed to principles of equality, diversity and inclusivity. The CDT is already in the process of recruiting students for 2019 entry. Around 15 PhD studentships will be available in each year until 2024. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, since the demand for places is expected to be very high. The co-directors of the CDT are Benedict Leimkuhler, University of Edinburgh and Dugald Duncan from Heriot-Watt University. More details regarding the CDT, its aims, supervisors, partners and the applications process may be found at the website: http://www.mac-migs.org.uk