Lancaster University will train 70 doctoral students to turn real-world industrial and charitable challenges into advances in statistics and operational research. The demand for data specialists who can build mathematical models to solve complex logistical, financial, and public-sector problems far outstrips supply. This centre directly addresses that shortage by embedding students in partnerships with blue-chip companies, small businesses, and third-sector organisations. Eighty percent of doctoral projects will receive co-funding and co-supervision from industry partners, and all students will complete industrial internships. If successful, the centre will inject a cohort of highly skilled graduates into sectors that depend on efficient decision-making—supply chains, energy grids, healthcare logistics, and public services. The research itself will produce documented, reproducible software and case studies that make the methods usable beyond academia. The centre will also open its summer schools, masterclasses, and research visits to all UK statistics and operational research doctoral students, acting as a national resource. The goal is not a single breakthrough but a sustained pipeline of people and tools that improve how organisations allocate resources and manage uncertainty.
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Lancaster University, together with a formidable consortium of industrial and third-sector partners, proposes a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) aimed at cultivating international research leaders in Statistics and Operational Research (STOR) through a programme in which real-world challenge is the catalyst for cutting-edge methodological advancement. Our partners face a challenging reality: the demand for highly-trained STOR data specialists consistently exceeds the available supply. This situation is exacerbated by the ever-growing significance of data in both the economy and society. Our proposal directly addresses this pressing demand, focussing on the priority area "meeting a user-need". The newly envisioned Centre builds upon the strengths and knowledge derived from an existing, internationally recognised EPSRC CDT. Expanding upon this foundation and with the input of an enlarged partner network, including blue-chip companies, SMEs, and third-sector organisations, we propose a Centre poised to recruit and train 70 students across five cohorts. This program will harness industrial and charitable challenges as inspirational springboards for conducting the highest calibre research. The new programme will innovate by * Developing a new MRes programme co-designed and delivered with our partners; * Including a comprehensive training programme on advanced, reproducible programming for STOR, co-ordinated by the Centre's dedicated, industry-funded, Research Software Engineer; * Embedding industrial and third-sector collaboration throughout the student experience; * Hosting seeded research clusters: vibrant, cross-cohort, cross-sector retreats to explore and develop early-stage challenges emerging from the shared interests of STOR-i and its partners; * Developing an ambitious doctoral exchange programme with highly regarded international university partners, comprising student exchanges, co-supervision and shared training activities. Our partners play an integral role in the Centre's plans, with 80% of doctoral projects adopting a CASE-like approach, receiving co-funding and co-supervision from industrial partners. All other students will engage in industrial research internships. Additionally, partners will lead problem-solving events, data immersion experiences, and contribute to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities such as leadership talks, fireside chats, and advanced programming training. The partnership is deeply committed to ensuring the broader impact of STOR-i as a national resource. To this end, the Centre will establish a suite of funded activities open to all UK STOR doctoral students. These include an annual STOR summer school with an emphasis on leadership skills, advanced programming, and a data dive focused on charitable endeavours. Additionally, students will have access to masterclasses and research visits. STOR-i will deliver a wide range of benefits and scientific outcomes to the end-user community, underpinned by three fundamental pillars: 1. People: Our CDT will inject 70 highly talented, diverse PhD graduates into the field, armed with the technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills essential for flourishing careers in STOR across a range of sectors. These graduates will serve as catalysts for innovation, driving cutting-edge research, and enhancing the UK's economic competitiveness. 2. Knowledge: The CDT will generate a wealth of cutting-edge research, disseminated in top STOR journals, and presented at major international conferences. This research will tackle substantial real-world challenges, yielding fresh insights and breakthroughs in STOR. 3. Impact: Our CDT will make a tangible difference in society and the economy by producing (i) case studies and (ii) a repository of documented and reproducible software, available to the public. This will facilitate widespread adoption of our research, leading to meaningful societal and economic impact.
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