Maths projects to get EUR3m funding

06-05-2008

by Deirdre McArdle

Science Foundation Ireland funding worth EUR3 million has been awarded to mathematics projects at four universities around the country.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheal Martin was on hand to announce the funding, which is part of SFI's Mathematics Initiative. The initiative aims to develop tighter links between mathematicians and researchers in industries such as science, engineering, finance and education.

"SFI's Mathematics Initiative is a key driver in encouraging and supporting engagement and collaboration between mathematicians and those employed across a range of other disciplines. Such collaboration is essential in ensuring a flourishing environment between the worlds of academia and industry," said Minister Martin.

The funding will be divided between four projects based in University College Cork, Dublin City University, National University of Ireland Galway and University of Limerick.

Based at UCC and headed by Professor Finbarr O'Sullivan, the 'Statistical Methods of Biomedical Imaging' project will receive EUR990,818 over four years. The project has links with the healthcare sector and in particular could have positive repercussions for stroke and Alzheimer's patients in Ireland.

The 'Edgeworth Centre for Financial Mathematics', led by Dr John Appelby at DCU, will receive EUR995,260 over the next four years. The aim of this particular project is to highlight the relevance of maths in real-world financial problems.

Meanwhile, the 'De Brun Centre for Computational Algebra' at NUIG, led by Dr Graham Ellis, and the 'Bio-Statistics & Informatics (BIO-SI)' project at University College Limerick, led by Professor Gilbert MacKenzie, will each get EUR500,000 over four years. These projects focus on the engineering and biostatistics areas, respectively.

"The four research projects to successfully secure funding under this latest Mathematics Initiative have each illustrated vision, purpose and foresight in how Mathematics is applied to a variety of research areas. While diverse in their subject matter, the projects have, as a common theme, the enhancement of Ireland's reputation across all fields of mathematics," said Professor Frank Gannon, director general of SFI.