Maths DTP 2020 University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is training the next generation of mathematicians through a Doctoral Training Partnership funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. This grant provides the infrastructure—studentships, supervision, and training programmes—to produce PhD graduates in mathematics. The UK faces a persistent shortage of highly skilled mathematicians for roles in industry, finance, data science, and academia. Without sustained investment in doctoral training, the pipeline of experts who develop the mathematical models underpinning everything from weather forecasting to logistics optimisation would shrink. If successful, this programme will produce dozens of PhD graduates equipped to tackle complex quantitative problems. Their work could improve algorithms for supply chains, strengthen cryptographic systems for online security, refine climate models, or advance medical imaging techniques. Many of these applications operate invisibly: a better traffic flow model reduces congestion without the driver noticing; a more efficient manufacturing schedule cuts costs without the customer seeing it. This is primarily a training grant rather than a specific research project. The fundamental mathematical knowledge these students generate will be curiosity-driven, but past investments in mathematics PhDs have yielded breakthroughs in fields as diverse as machine learning, epidemiology, and quantum computing.