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Research area

Mathematical sciences

A person with their back to us works out a maths equation on a chalkboard

From developing next generation batteries to informing pension planning, our research helps address scientific, engineering and social challenges. Our academics are leaders in the areas of pure and applied maths, theoretical physics, operational research and statistics.

Research highlights

String-theoretic techniques (in the foreground) can be employed to understand the strong nuclear force and related data from neutron stars and collider experiments (in the background).

Shining a light on neutron stars with string theory

AI, big data and analytics
Engineering
Space
Southampton research is pushing forward the frontiers of our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature by revealing insights into the interiors of neutron stars.

New method boosts COVID-19 contact-tracing in Thailand: A model for global outbreak control

Health and wellbeing
Future societies and communities
A team of researchers, led by Dankmar Böhning and supported by Rattana Lerdsuwansri and Patarawan Sangnawakij from Thammasat University, has developed a powerful new method to measure the effectiveness of contact-tracing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand.
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Applicable Resurgent Asymptotics: towards a universal theory. An Isaac Newton Institute Programme

Future societies and communities
AI, big data and analytics
Engineering
An innovative Southampton initiative, that brought together mathematicians and theoretical physicists from around the world, is helping shed light on complex challenges in mathematics and physics.
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How teaching children about epigenetics could save the NHS - and the planet

Future societies and communities
Health and wellbeing
Environment, sustainability and clean growth
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Disorder is Good – Taming disorder in self-assembled materials with topology

AI, big data and analytics
Environment, sustainability and clean growth
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Computer games with superpower help children with amblyopia or lazy eyes

AI, big data and analytics
Digital
Health and wellbeing
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Discovering how to save cardiac patients' lives with deep learning

AI, big data and analytics
Health and wellbeing
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Eliminating cloud shadow impact on Earth observation imagery

Space
Environment, sustainability and clean growth
AI, big data and analytics
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Research institutes, centres and groups

Pure Mathematics

Collaborating around the world to contribute to research in algebra, analysis, geometry and topology.

Statistics

Our research is focussed on three themes: design and analysis of experiments, statistical modelling, and biostatistics. As part of the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute (S3RI), we have close links with statisticians and stochastic modellers across the University, especially those in the Division of Social Statistics and Demography.

Mathematical Modelling

The modelling group focuses on mathematical modelling across science and engineering, including physics (from the physics of quanta and strings to that of liquid crystals), chemistry (modelling lithium-ion batteries and solar cells), engineering (controlling sound direction), biology, medicine and healthcare (from stem cell population dynamics to medical imaging and healthcare models).

String Theory and Holography

The group works on all aspects of fundamental physics - string theory; quantum field theory; applications to gravity, black holes, cosmology, particle physics, condensed matter and quantum information.

Gravity

Research conducted by the Southampton Gravity group focuses on gravitational waves, general relativistic spacetimes around black holes, and the properties of ultra-dense matter in neutron stars, such as superfluidity and superconductivity of nuclear and quark matter.

Centre for Defence and Security Research

Our multi-disciplinary research responds to the breadth of defence and security requirements, delivering leading edge capability to both government and to our industrial partners.

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