Maths institute receives £5m funding boost
An institute that is recognised internationally for promoting the mathematical sciences has been awarded £5 million to transform the scope of its work.
The award will help the institute foster collaborations between researchers, support equality and diversity initiatives and increase the impact of mathematical innovations.
The International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS) – a joint venture between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University – received the funding from UK Research and Innovation.
It is part of a £300m investment by the UK Government in the mathematical sciences.
Maths hub
The institute, which is based in the Bayes Centre, attracts leading international mathematicians to Edinburgh to attend a range of events.
It has close ties to the Maxwell Institute Graduate School, which combines mathematical research and graduate training at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.
Support schemes
The new funding will enable ICMS to run research workshops across the UK and increase its support for small research groups developing new ideas. It will also help the centre to further aid researchers’ career development.
A programme will be established to facilitate visits by international mathematical researchers to the UK, and to maximise their impact while they are here. The new funding will allow researchers to spend up to three months based at a UK university. The programme will primarily focus on low- and middle-income countries.
Research careers
The centre will also use the additional support to invest in schemes encouraging more people to pursue careers in mathematical research.
These will include initiatives to encourage the progression of students from taught to research degrees, funding schemes for early- and mid-career researchers and networking opportunities for graduate students.
The new funding will help the mathematical sciences community to be the best that it can, and transform individual mathematicians’ lives. We will continue to address inequality and create an inclusive environment in which all mathematical scientists are valued.
Related links
International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS)
Study mathematics at the University of Edinburgh
Graduate study at the Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences
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