DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
DEPARTMENT OF
APPLIED MATHEMATICS
Mathematics at LJMU in the top 5
Our Mathematics Programmes ranked 5th from 68 Universities
entered in the Guardian League Table for 2020, which was published
on 7th June 2019. This follows last year’s ranking of 9th showing a
significant improvement and consolidating our Department’s position
at the head of the subject specific table, 1st in the Northwest and
ahead of mathematics departments in well-known institutions.
LJMU Mathematics Society
This year the society has been run by Jack Malabar, Ellie Parker, Alex Mort, Holly Wilson, Charleigh
Blyth and Monica Ribeiro. They have kept up the socialising side and have organised a night
out every 2 weeks, with all years (and even lecturers) being invited. This year, the society have
organised exciting events such as the annual Christmas meal and the Halloween Quiz.
The Society also organises academic and professional events. This year, students held placement
information sessions, where LJMU Mathematics Alumni were invited to share advice on what
employers look for, as well as help prepare for interviews. The Society also has links with local
companies who offer Analytics Developer placements for LJMU students.
Maths Field Trip
In March 2019 we ran our third Maths Field Trip in which we took the learning outside the
lecture theatre to the coast of Anglesey, Wales. The field trip was based at Anglesey Outdoors
and consisted of a mixture of entertaining maths talks, interactive quizzes and socializing and
down-time. We also enjoyed our own version of the popular show, “Taskmaster”. This year, both
students and staff braved the elements, putting their courage to the test while rock traversing,
which included a rope crossing of the coastline over a very choppy sea.
ljmu.ac.uk
Maths Support Centre
The Mathematics programme was ranked 17 from 66
Departments nationally, from 20th and 21st in the previous
two academic years in the Guardian League Table.
Maths Pop Quiz 2019
Maintaining this high ranking among all Mathematics
Departments in the country, beating many Russell group The LJMU Applied Maths Department were delighted to
universities, shows the consistency of quality teaching and host and sponsor the Liverpool Mathematical Society’s
student support as well as research in the Department. Pop Maths Quiz. Held this year on Saturday 2nd March
2019, the event attracted over 120 sixth-formers from
over 11 North West schools/ colleges supported by LJMU
Maths students and Liverpool Maths Society members.
This year’s winners were:
1ST PRIZE Stockport Grammar School team 1;
2nd PRIZE Runshaw College team 2;
3rd PRIZE Liverpool Bluecoat School team 3;
JOINT 4th PRIZES Runshaw College team 1 and
Runshaw College team 3.
LJMU Amazing Teaching
Mathematics Student Conference
Awards
The culmination of a year’s effort saw final year Mathematics
students deliver talks and present posters on their final year The LJMU Amazing Teaching Awards exist to celebrate
projects at the Mathematics Student Conference. outstanding individuals and teams who make a significant
During this annual undergraduate conference, now in its fifth and lasting impact on students at the University. This year,
year, LJMU students are challenged to present their project two members of the Applied Mathematics department
findings in three minutes in a plenary session, followed by a received awards for their contributions. Dr Steve Webb,
one-to-one question and answer session on their poster. who is a Reader in applied mathematics, won the award
for ‘Best Personal Tutor’, while second year Maths &
The prize for best poster went to Courtney Thompson. The Finance student, Oliver Round, won the award for ‘Best
prize for best talk went to Charlotte Apted. Course Representative’.
Vincent Kwasnica from the department also was
shortlisted and made the final three for the ‘Amazing
Teacher Award’.
ljmu.ac.uk
Research within the Department
The Department of Applied Mathematics has three species (red) establishes itself in a native (green)
research specialisms - Machine Learning, Mathematical habitat). Dr Steve Webb uses a range of mathematical
Biology and Data Science. and computational techniques to explore drug efficacy
and safety, cellular biology and infectious diseases.
The Machine Learning Group aims to extract knowledge
His research includes a systems toxicology approach
from data and make predictions with minimal human
to identifying and treating paracetamol overdose (Fig
intervention. There is no doubt that machine learning
1B, visualizing patient expected outcome following
is reshaping our world, however, correct application of
paracetamol overdose). Dr Stewart Chidlow’s research
machine learning is not straightforward, as there is little
encompasses mathematical modelling of the glucose
guidance on selecting the most appropriate algorithm
regulatory system, with particular interest in how blood
to best suit the task and data. Dr Ivan Olier’s research
glucose concentrations change during exercise in diabetic
addresses these fundamental aspects of machine
populations.
learning. He has successfully applied his research in
several domains such as drug discovery, genetics and The Data Science Research Group builds on 25 years
public health. Recently, he has developed an automatic of research expertise with a significant component of
quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) selection realworld applications. Dr Gabriela Czanner joined the
model, to help scientists design novel drugs more department this year as a Senior Lecturer in Statistics and
efficiently. Data Science. Her research interests are in developing
decision support systems for clinicians from longitudinally
collected clinical images, particularly ophthalmology.
Gabriela is currently working on statistical predictive
models for low-cost screening of glaucoma.
The Mathematical Biology Group is highly
interdisciplinary with links to a number of pharmaceutical,
cosmetic and agrochemical industries. Dr Ivo Siekmann
investigates how different components of living cells
communicate by releasing calcium using mathematical
models, as well as the influence of stochastic fluctuations
on the survival of species in ecosystems (Fig 1A, Invasive
Postgraduate Researcher Awards
This year, two PhD students received awards in recognition
of their academic and community efforts. Terry Allen (left)
was awarded a ‘Community Contribution Recognition Award’,
acknowledging his volunteering work with the Brilliant Club
Charity, which exists to increase the number of pupils from
under-represented backgrounds progressing to highly-selective
Universities. Patrick Riley (right), picked-up two awards at the
Faculty Research Week, the first award for Best Poster and the
second award for Best Impact.
ljmu.ac.uk
Undergraduate Study International Student
The Department currently offers two exciting undergraduate degree Opportunities:
programmes: BSc (Hons) Mathematics and BSc (Hons) Mathematics with
Finance. Both of these are available with a foundation year. “Go Abroad”
The Department provides support for students
to explore the opportunity to work or study
abroad. Currently, the department has 6
Postgraduate Study students participating in the programme: One
The Department is keen to offer opportunities to students to study for a student is heading to Kanagawa University,
postgraduate degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) as well as the in Tokyo, Japan, as a sandwich year; another
degree of Master of Science (MSc), in the newly formed Data Science student will be working in Ho Chi Minh City,
Masters. Vietnam, two students are bound for summer
school at the Changshu Institute of technology,
The Department currently has seven PhD students researching on China, and two students will be in Indonesia at
subjects ranging from data analytics to designing optimal treatments for the Universitas Airlagga as part of the Better
drug overdose. Several of our PhD students are linked to industry, Futures Summer Schools Programme.
aiming to answer some of the biggest questions that we as a society
face today.
This year marks the second year for the
Data Science MSc. Last year, 14
students enrolled into the programme
which has been developed to train students in the new field of Data
Science. It combines lectures, practical experience and an extended
research project, delivered by experts from the Applied Mathematics (Dr
Sandra Ortega Martorell) and Astrophysics departments.
Student Awards Second Year Third Year
Outstanding Achievement Institute of Mathematics
The Department strives to in Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)
Award
provide a stimulating and n Harry Bone
challenging programme where our n Christopher Edgar n Annabel Sansom
n Courtney
students can gain mathematical First Year Outstanding Contribution to Thompson
understanding and analytics skills. the Mathematics Student
Outstanding Achievement Community Tom McClennan Prize
The Undergraduate Prizes are in Mathematics
n Charlemagne Blyth n Terry Christie
designed to recognise students n Aditya Majumdar n Jack Malabar n Claire Eccles
who have performed well in their n Fionn McNally n Alex Mort
n Adam Tyler
studies but also contributed to n Ellie Parker Outstanding Achievement
n Monica Roberts in Mathematics
student life within the department, David Wynne Prize
Machado Ribeiro
allowing us to celebrate some of n Sonal Mistry
n Daniel Davies n Holly Wilson
n Catriona Thomson
the many outstanding students in
the Department. The 2019 prize
winners are:
For more information about our teaching and research see our Departmental web-page:
www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/faculties/faculty-of-engineering-and-technology/department-of-applied-mathematics
ljmu.ac.uk
You can also read
