Maths for Industry Day showcases the power of mathematics in real-world applications

Our inaugural Maths for Industry Day showcased the role of mathematics in industry-driven research and innovation, with a spotlight on the vital contribution of our School.

Taking place in Sbarc|Spark, in the heart of Cardiff University’s innovation campus, the event attracted over 100 participants from academia and industry, including representatives from 20 companies and external organisations.

The event kicked off with a presentation by Dr Jonathan Thompson, Head of School, who provided a quick overview of the school's extensive activities in teaching and research. The School offers several educational programs that annually attract around 200 undergraduate students and 200 MSc students.

Dr Katerina Kaouri, Director for Impact and Engagement, and coordinator of the event, outlined the School’s industrial engagement. She detailed various avenues, including undergraduate and MSc industrial projects, PhD collaborations, career events, work placements, and jointly funded positions with industry.

Three esteemed industry leaders then delivered compelling presentation on successful collaborations with the School:

1. Dr Izabela Spernaes from ABCi shared insights into transforming healthcare services through mathematical modelling.
2. Kevin Parry, Chief Data Officer at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, discussed the impactful collaboration between Welsh Water and the School, on data science challenges.
3. Dan Peck from Crimtan explained how statistical modelling and algorithms are enhancing the efficiency of online advertising.

Subsequently, a vibrant panel discussion and Q&A session, moderated by Professor Paul Harper, engaged the audience with insightful questions.

After a networking break, various examples about impactful research at the School were delivered by Prof. Tim Phillips, Prof. Maggie Chen, and Prof. Jon Gillard, leading the Applied and Computational Maths group, Financial Mathematics group, and Statistics group; Prof. Owen Jones (Deputy Director for Impact and Engagement) chaired the session.

A series of lightning talks by Prof. Rhyd Lewis, Prof. Owen Jones, and Dr Geraint Palmer, enhanced the atmosphere of the event. The day concluded with a lunch and extended networking session, providing participants with the opportunity to engage further and explore potential collaborations. A poster exhibition by early-career researchers showcasing collaborations with industry was open throughout the event.

For more information, please e-mail the Maths Impact and Engagement team.