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Mathematical Sciences Research (UoA10)

Find out about Newcastle University's research environment in the area of mathematical sciences, covering three major divisions.

Who we are

Newcastle University has a strong and balanced portfolio in the mathematical sciences.

Its long-standing philosophy has been to develop complementary areas of expertise. This allows inter-sectional research relationships to flourish alongside core disciplinary research.

What we do

The School has a broad base of mathematical science research, covering:

  • Pure Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Statistics
  • Physics (from 2017)

The School has made significant progress in line with the overarching strategy to pursue research.

We were able to expand our cross-disciplinary research output through close links with the new Physics section. We also worked in collaboration with the Newcastle Centre for Life and the Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit.

Integration and influence

The University has defined five pillars of strength, which we align our vaues with:

  • ageing and health
  • data
  • energy
  • cities
  • culture and the creative arts

The School leverages internal investment. This creates bridges between fundamental mathematical research and more applied areas.

Our NU Solve unit provides the front-door for both business and engagement collaborative projects. We enhance impact across all of the School's main areas of research.

Contributions to the economy and society

We have expanded business- and industrial-based research by:

  • appointing an academic Director of Business Engagement
  • creating NU Solve
  • appointing skilled support staff

Since the last REF, we supported over 100 industrial partners. We also attracted seven Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

NU Solve acts as a conduit between the School and the outside world. It offers support for our academics to engage with non-academic partners and other schools in the University. Since 2014, NU Solve has supported around 100 companies, including:

  • Shell
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • the Met Office
  • Sellafield
  • Proctor and Gamble
  • Pfizer

An important component of NU Solve work is to engage with students to increase the number of placements and internships.

Our industrial partners in the UK and abroad, include:

  • the Newcastle United Foundation
  • Nissan
  • Northern Gas Networks
  • Smartodds
  • Shell Amsterdam
  • Northumberland County Council

Outreach activities

The Applied Mathematics section have contributed to many local events to popularise science. They include:

  • STEMfest2019
  • Palace of Science
  • Bitesize Uni
  • Pint of Science

They also contributed to a series of videos which forms part of an exhibition on ‘Space’ at the Centre for Life Museum, in Newcastle.

We also organise many Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) events with external speakers. This has included the successful annual Wisdom meeting, which promotes women in mathematics.

Values and commitments

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is a major focus of the School. It has prompted many initiatives to improve diversity. We also want to promote more collegiality and an improved working environment for all staff. The School holds Athena SWAN bronze and will apply for silver at the next round.

The many initiatives fall under three broad categories:

  • recruitment
  • improving workplace culture
  • improving the pipeline

Promoting a diverse and inclusive community will remain a key focus. We ensure we achieve this at all levels, including postgraduate researchers and professors.

The School will continue its successful practices around recruitment. We'll promote diverse leadership and run regular EDI training and community-building activities.

We will continually assess and challenge our culture and practices. We will follow the School and institutional Athena Swan, Race Equality Charter and Stonewall action plans.

Research case studies

Forecasting Gas Demand

A mathematical sciences research team at Newcastle University has developed and implemented an original Bayesian statistics forecasting solution for gas demand within Northern Gas Networks (NGN), impacting upon 2.7 million homes and businesses. The research has delivered economic, operational and educational impact. This is effective over a large geographical scale within the gas distribution sector.

The research has corroborated impact in:

  • reducing gas bookings by 16%, resulting in capacity savings of over £1M per annum
  • maintaining reputation and avoiding charges of £1M per day during extreme weather conditions
  • optimising network inspection planning, avoiding wasted expenditure
  • mitigating gas storage errors, maintaining system balance and supply
  • increasing understanding and education within the gas distribution sector
Statistics-based Data Analytics for Industry - A Focus on Small and Medium Enterprises

A research team has delivered significant impacts within Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Our group of mathematics, statistics and physics researchers have worked to produce innovative design and application of statistical methods and data analytics.

Many impacts have been made, including:

  • economic
  • commercial
  • societal
  • environmental

within the marine, utilities, automotive, social housing, and service sectors, corroborated by evidence. Total benefits include:

  • increases in annual sales of greater than £4.5M
  • increases in annual exports of greater than £4M
  • increases in annual profits of greater than £1M
  • the creation of intellectual property
  • the creation of at least 13 new job
The creation of a data science and machine learning company

Newcastle University (NU) Mathematical Sciences research has created Jumping Rivers PLC. This is a Newcastle-based analytics company specialising in data science and machine learning.

The research has enabled commercial, economic and education impacts across many sectors throughout the UK and overseas. Jumping Rivers has met major objectives of the North East Strategic Economic Plan. This includes “creating more and better jobs” and providing growth within the digital sector.

Specifically, NU research has created an impact with corroborated evidence through:

  • establishing a new company
  • enabling an annual turnover by 2019/20 of £638K;
  • achieving a year on year increase in operating profits from £4K in 2016/17 to £184K

In 2019/20, impact has included;

  • creating 13 jobs
  • delivering solutions in sectors such as biotechnology (eg Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies)
  • utilities (Northumbrian Water Limited)
Safer roads and cost savings through statistical analysis

A Newcastle University Mathematical Sciences research team developed and applied novel Bayesian statistical methods to create software for:

  • predicting traffic collision hotspots
  • evaluating site-based road safety interventions

Corroborated impacts have occurred on a regional, national and global scale, including:

  • a significant contribution to reducing average annual traffic casualties from 514 to 436 in North Yorkshire. This means a saving of around £22.5M in accident prevention
  • influencing traffic and road safety policy in over 60 countries. This is through the International Transport Forum
  • impacting the design of a low emission zone in Lisbon, Portugal
    developing new software applications with a sales value of €1.1M for 140 global organisations in 40 countries. This is through PTV Group, Germany

The research benefits address the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals 3.6 and 11.2. They also help towards achieving the United Nations-supported global initiative of Vision Zero, “the aim of achieving a highway system with zero accidents or fatalities involving road traffic.”.