This year's secondee projects span the modelling of black holes to understanding networks in refugee camps. Although very different, they all utilise or promote the use of mathematical science for real-world applications.
The projects are great examples of how the mathematics, when applied to other disciplines, can foster innovative research which yields new insight.
Academic staff seconded to the IMI in the 2018 – 2019 academic year:
| Secondee | Department | Title of secondment project |
|---|---|---|
| Professor David Coley | Architecture & Civil Engineering | Networks in refugee camps |
| Dr M. Begoña Delgado-Charro | Pharmacy & Pharmacology | Development of a compartmental skin model to predict local bioavailability of actives in complex dermatological products |
| Dr Richard James | Physics | Transmission trees from biological data |
| Professor Marcelle McManus | Mechanical Engineering | Spatial and temporal impact assessment: Creating a dynamic life cycle assessment model |
| Dr Carolin Villforth | Physics | Modelling black hole accretion variability |
| Dr Christian Yates | Mathematical Sciences | The maths of life and death |
Dr Carolin Villforth, Department of Physics, said: “I am really looking forward to my IMI secondment. Astrophysics datasets are getting more and more complex, and unlike most other disciplines, we typically can’t observe how systems evolve. Instead, we have to interpret individual snapshots and infer time evolution.
Our scientific understanding is therefore limited by the methods we use to analyse observational data. I’m looking forward to working with the IMI to apply new methodologies to help model time evolution without being able to observe it directly.”
Professor Marcelle McManus, Department of Mechanical Engineering, said: “I am developing a mathematical model that can accurately determine the environmental impacts of products and services throughout their lifetime. I aim to determine when the environmental impacts of a product or service occur; both instantaneously and cumulatively, by using a life cycle assessment. I wouldn’t be able to do this work without IMI's help. “ Find out more about our new secondees and their interdisciplinary work.
Interested in being seconded to IMI?
Learn more about the IMI's Secondment Programme.
Collaborate with IMI
IMI supports cross-campus research activities which would benefit from collaboration with the mathematical sciences. Contact us to discuss your research ideas and how we can help.