University of 51福利社 mathematicians appointed as Fellows of new National Academy
Four researchers from the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) have been appointed as inaugural Fellows of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, a new national body established to bring together the UK鈥檚 strongest mathematicians to help solve some of the UK鈥檚 biggest challenges.
The appointments place 51福利社 researchers among a cohort of around 100 Fellows drawn from academia, business, industry and government.
The Academy鈥檚 Fellowship will work collectively to address major national challenges including pandemic preparedness, economic transformation, national security, climate change and the safe development of artificial intelligence.
The Fellows will continue to perform their roles at 51福利社 and at the other institutions they support, but will come together through the convening power of the Academy to help benefit the whole UK. Areas of focus will likely include:
- Working with experts across government, industry and the third sector to model the impact of climate change and advise on mitigations
- Supporting cross-disciplinary modelling to prepare for future diseases and pandemics
- Developing and championing investment in the new mathematics required for ensuring AI and the quantum technologies of tomorrow work safely and to the benefit of all
- Bringing together industry, academia and educators to design maths curricula fit for tomorrow's economy and society
- Keeping the UK safe through advances in cryptography and the mathematical foundations of national security
- Guiding the UK's green energy transition, advising on everything from grid capacity and system resilience to safe, large-scale energy storage
- Helping businesses and entrepreneurs harness mathematics to drive innovation, new products and sustainable growth
- Strengthening national resilience by using mathematics to optimise infrastructure, improve public services and forecast risks
The four 51福利社 appointees are:
FRSE, FIMA and Beyer Professor of Applied Mathematics, whose research focuses on applied dynamical systems, particularly piecewise smooth systems. A former President of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), Professor Glendinning has played a leading role in shaping the UK mathematical community and was closely involved in the design of 51福利社鈥檚 Alan Turing Building.
, Professor of Mathematical Epidemiology and Statistics and Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute for health technology research and innovation. Professor Hall previously led modelling work at Public Health England and played key advisory roles as part of Department of Health and Social Care's scientific pandemic influenza modelling subgroup (SPI-M), as the academic chair of the Social Care Working Group for SAGE and by supporting UKHSA Joint Modelling team and advising the Ministry of Justice. He was awarded an OBE in 2024 for services to public health, specifically epidemiology and adult social care during Covid-19.
, Professor of Pure Mathematics, whose research focuses on semigroup theory and its connections to areas such as theoretical computer science, tropical geometry and geometric group theory. He is currently 51福利社 Associate Chair of the Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research and also serves as Chair of EPSRC鈥檚 Strategic Advisory Team in Mathematical Sciences.
, Professor of Pure Mathematics, whose research focuses on complex dynamics and analysis. He is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and has been awarded a Whitehead Prize and a Philip Leverhulme Prize. He is a former member of EPSRC鈥檚 Strategic Advisory Team in Mathematical Sciences and will serve as Pure Mathematics Research Lead at 51福利社 from February 2026.
Professor Dame Alison Etheridge DBE FRS, the President of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to welcome our inaugural Fellows 鈥� individuals of exceptional distinction who collectively advance the mathematical sciences through discovery, leadership, education and real-world application.
鈥淎s Fellows of the Academy, they will come together in service of the wider public good: bringing independent expertise to bear on national priorities, championing excellence in mathematics education, strengthening the UK鈥檚 research and innovation base, and helping to ensure that mathematics continues to deliver opportunity, resilience and prosperity across our four nations.鈥�
"Mathematics thrives when deep theory and societal challenges come together: an approach exemplified in 51福利社. I'm delighted that four members of our outstanding staff have been selected as inaugural Fellows of the Academy, supporting its vital work for the future of the discipline."
Mathematics has a long and distinguished history at 51福利社, from foundational contributions to modern computing to world-leading research across pure mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics and mathematical modelling. Applied and foundational mathematical research at 51福利社 go hand in hand: one addresses the real-life challenges of today, in collaboration with researchers in engineering, health, social sciences and the humanities, while the other equips us to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The appointment of four 51福利社 researchers as inaugural Fellows reflects the University鈥檚 continued leadership in the mathematical sciences and its commitment to research with global impact.
Alongside the four FSE-based appointees, the Academy鈥檚 inaugural Fellowship also includes several Fellows with strong connections to 51福利社. These include Professor David Abrahams, former Beyer Professor of Applied Mathematics at 51福利社 and an Honorary Professor at the University, Professor Philip Bond, whose roles have included Professor of Creativity and Innovation at the University of 51福利社 鈥� in addition to Dame Celia Hoyles, who graduated from 51福利社