Apart from a couple of years at Oxford the rest of my mathematical career has been at the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK. Until recently I was the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department (for a period of 20 years) and sat on various committees within the University, many involved with teaching and learning. My mathematical interests are summarised below and within the links to other pages on this site.
Bifurcations with Symmetry
My main area of research leading on from the work I did for my PhD thesis, also known as Equivariant Bifurcation Theory, I am interested in both the theory (in particular of coupled networks of cells) and interesting applications (such as arrays of hydrophones and insect locomotion). Read more here.
Insect Locomotion
A topic I have been interested in since the final year of my undergraduate degree, and the topic of my MSc. dissertation. Research into how insects walk has applications in robotics but is also of great interest to biologists since the mathematics can try to unravel how the so called Central Pattern Generator may be wired up, and how it may have evolved over time. Read more here.
Feedforward Networks
Many aspects of animal physiology involve the longitudinal propagation of rhythmic time-periodic patterns in which linear chains of neurons oscillate in synchrony or with specific phase relations. The main aim of this work is to describe a general method for constructing networks in which periodic dynamics of a specified network propagates synchronously, or phase-synchronously with a regular pattern of phase shifts, along a feedforward chain in a stable manner.Read more here.
Mathematics in Industry
I have also been involved in the use of mathematics in solving industrial problems, most recently through the European Study Groups with Industry. Problems have been from a wide range of diverse topics such as chlorination of swimming pools to scheduling of plane departures at Heathrow Airport. Read more here.
Gifted and Talented
Involvement in Gifted and Talented going back over 10 years, mostly through the University’s G&T organisations NAGTY (National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth) and now IGGY (International Gateway for Gifted Youth). Involvement has been though running summer school courses in both the UK and abroad, blended and online provision, workshops and consultations. Read more here.
Education in Second Life
There is a large and vibrant educational community in Second Life and other virtual worlds which I have been part of for a number of years. As part of this I maintain an island for the Mathematics Department with a mixture of mathematical sculptures and tutorials, and an active sandbox. The beauty of Second Life is the ability for students to explore three-dimensional objects in an immersive environment that is both flexible, and free. Read more here.
Lecture Modules
Within the department I have been teaching several large (up to 350 plus students) core undergraduate modules as well as a 2nd/3rd year module covering basic techniques in systems of nonlinear ODEs from an application driven point of view. Read more here.
Related posts:
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