Mathematicians at Bristol have launched a two-year pilot initiative connecting mathematical scientists with business, industry and government. Led by Professor Daniel Lawson with Innovation Research Associate Dr Miquel Perello Nieto, the team helps organisations to address key problems with mathematical innovation.
Current live and developing projects range from understanding the role of agentic AI in commercial processes to generating an app that empowers patients in healthcare management.
Professor Lawson comments: “Mathematics is the language of complex reasoning. Better reasoning about consequences of decisions is central in providing solutions to pressing societal and commercial issues, and the new MII team enables organisations to access the University’s expertise and address their real-world problems.”
“By pairing external partners with an experienced innovation researcher, we can help to simplify key challenges and develop informed, rigorous solutions. Each project is problem-centric, with potential outputs spanning patent and software development, analytical toolkits, policy documents, or simply improved decision making.”
Professor Oliver Johnson, Head of the School of Mathematics, adds: “The Mathematics Innovation Initiative (MII) is a significant development in our impact and collaboration space. I look forward to seeing external organisations benefit from Bristol’s Mathematical Sciencesresearch, while accelerating the impact of research in Mathematics.”
The initiative builds on several similar schemes across leading UK universities for Mathematics and draws from Bristol’s nationally recognised expertise in Mathematical Sciences*.
Professor Anthony Mulholland, Head of the School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, comments: “This initiative provides new and existing organisational partners with access to rapid and responsive research expertise. Mathematical scientists and engineers already bring technical, process and decision-making benefits to a range of sectors, and the new MII at Bristol is set to increase this capacity for collaborative innovation.”
Maths at Bristol has longstanding industry connections, with an engaged Industrial Advisory Board and list of confidential and public partnerships that include QinetiQ, LV, the Office for National Statistics and GSK.
Bristol mathematics expertise includes:
- Forecasting and probability
- Risk, uncertainty and assurance
- Machine learning and AI
- Modelling (mathematical and statistical)
- Fluid mechanics
- Simulation
- Training and decision support
All projects are supported through an agile research partnerships team, which includes Industrial Partnerships Manager Helen Mawdsley and Research Officer Jane Dawson. The pilot has received funding through Bristol’s Faculty Strategic Research Accelerator grant and national fund, the Mathematical Innovators in the Digital Space (MInDS).
Contact industrial-maths@bristol.ac.uk to enquire about collaboration opportunities with your organisation.
*The School of Mathematics is ranked 4th in the UK for Mathematical Sciences research based on independent analysis by Times Higher Education