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Maths and Manufacturing

Monday April 30 2012

Organisers: Colm Connaughton (Mathematics), Dave Mullins (WMG) and Tom Nichols (Statistics/WMG)

Talks will be held in Room B3.02, Mathematics Institute, Warwick University

Aims:

This MIR@W Day is unlike the usual MIR@W events based around a particular research theme. This primary purpose of this afternoon is to bring together researchers from the Mathematics Institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group and the Department of Statistics to informally explore areas of research where closer interaction could be mutually beneficial. This is in part intended to explore how research in the three departments can complement Warwick's Global Priority Programme on Innovative Manufacturing, in particular with respect to the forthcoming EPSRC Manufacturing – Maths interface call for proposals. Thus the emphasis is on discussion and forming relationships with colleagues rather than on formal research presentations.


Programme:


12:00-12:05 Welcome from the organisers
12:05-12:50

Overview of research in Mathematics, Statistics and WMG

  • Richard Dashwood (WMG)
  • Colin Sparrow (Mathematics)
  • Mark Steel (Statistics)
12:50-13:00 Brief introductions
13:00-14:00 Lunch in the Mathematics Common room
14:00-14:20

Mathematical challenges from an industrial perspective

Will Searle (Axillium Research)

14:20-14:40

Industrial challenges from a mathematical perspective

Robert MacKay (Mathematics)

14:40-15:30

Introduction to discussion topics (see below)

  • Statistical inference, inverse problems and prediction - Paul Jennings (WMG), Oleg Zaboronski (Mathematics) , Tom Nichols (Stats/WMG)
  • Large datasets: visualisation and data mining - Alan Chalmers (WMG), Leon Danon (Mathematics), Tim Davis (Stats)
  • Applications of dynamical systems and partial differential equations - Sumit Hazra (WMG), Bjorn Stinner (Mathematics), Vassili Kolokoltsov (Stats)
  • Optimisation, scheduling and discrete algorithms - TBC (WMG), Bo Chen (DiMAP/WBS)
  • Probabilistic models and coarse-graining - Darek Ceglarek (WMG) , Stefan Grosskinsky (Mathematics) , Sigurd Assing (Stats)
  • Something we haven't thought of yet?
15:30-16:00 Tea and coffee in the Mathematics common room
16:00-17:00

Discussion group "break-out" sessions

Locations:

  • Statistical inference, inverse problems and prediction - B3.02
  • Large datasets: visualisation and data mining - Mathematics common room
  • Applications of dynamical systems and partial differential equations - Mathematics mezzanine
  • Optimisation, scheduling and discrete algorithms - Complexity common room
  • Probabilistic models and coarse-graining - Complexity mezzanine
  • Something we haven't thought of yet?


17:00-17:45 Summary of discussion groups by group facilitators.
17:45-18:30 Wine and snacks in the Mathematics common room
   


Discussion groups:

The organisers have attempted to group the research interests expressed by academic staff in WMG, Mathematics and Statistics together under some fairly general themes. These themes will form the basis for the discussion groups which will occupy the latter half of the afternoon. The objective of these discussions, which will take place in parallel, is to get interested staff talking intensively around these themes to identify concrete problems at the interface of mathematics, statistics and engineering where mutually beneficial interaction could be envisaged. Each group has been assigned a number of facilitators who will take responsibility for introducing the topic and reporting the results of the discussions back to the whole group.

The list of themes, corresponding facilitators and location for the discussions are listed here:

  Theme Facilitators Location
Topic 1 Statistical inference, inverse problems and prediction Paul Jennings (WMG),Oleg Zaboronski (Mathematics) , Tom Nichols (Stats/WMG) B3.02
Topic 2 Large datasets: visualisation and data mining Alan Chalmers (WMG), Leon Danon (Mathematics), Tim Davis (Stats)
Mathematics common room
Topic 3 Applications of dynamical systems and partial differential equations Sumit Hazra (WMG), Bjorn Stinner (Mathematics), Vassili Kolokoltsov (Stats)
Mathematics mezzanine
Topic 4 Optimisation, scheduling and discrete algorithms TBC (WMG), Bo Chen (DiMAP/WBS)
Complexity common room
Topic 5 Probabilistic models and coarse-graining Darek Ceglarek (WMG), Stefan Grosskinsky (Mathematics) , Sigurd Assing (Stats)
Complexity mezzanine
Topic 6 Something we haven't thought of yet? Suggestions encouraged!
   


Some notes:

  • "mutually beneficial interaction" is intended to span the full spectrum of possible outcomes. At one end of this spectrum is the direct application of existing ("well-known") mathematical or statistical methodologies to solve engineering problems. At the other end is the formulation of novel mathematical or statistical problems of a theoretical nature which take their inspiration from engineering problems.
  • It might be that some of these themes do not produce natural areas of overlap in terms of the research interests and expertise of the relevant academic staff. This is a valid outcome.
  • Identifying a particular problem as being relevant and do-able will not constitute a personal commitment to work on it (although we would of course be very pleased if useful collaborations did emerge spontaneously from these discussions!)

Outputs

  • Feedback from the discussion groups was fed into the EPSRC workshop on Maths and Manufacturing on May 02 which was attended by Colm Connaughton, Robert MacKay and Darek Ceglarek.
  • Particular problems which were identified as promising areas for future intereaction will be followed up and refined in further discussions between smaller groups of interested researchers in the coming weeks.
For further information contact:

MIRaW Programme Secretary
Mathematics Institute
Zeeman Building
University of Warwick
Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

E-mail: MRC at warwick dot ac dot uk