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IMI is delighted to announce the awarding of a £2m UKRI grant to fund the formation of the Mathematical Innovators in the Digital Space (MInDS): a national network of Mathematical Innovation Research Associates (MIRAs) from the Universities of Bath, Warwick, Queen’s Belfast, and Oxford, in partnership with the national Mathematical Sciences Knowledge Exchange Hub.

As host to the UK’s first and largest team of MIRAs, IMI leads the way in the development of  highly skilled mathematical Research Technology Professionals (RTPs). Our team has a broad spectrum of specialisms, as well as experience leading and working with cross disciplinary teams.  As part of the MInDS national network, they will meet the increased demand for advanced mathematical and computational skills that continues to surge across industry, government and academia.

What will MInDS do?

MInDS is a major national initiative that will

  • Provide a national platform to support and grow a community of MIRAs across the UK;
  • Develop a career path to meet demand for skilled data science and applied maths professionals;
  • Ensure MIRAs become a central part of the UK’s strategy to drive innovation and address complex challenges of our data-intensive future.

There are currently more than 20 staff around the UK who have MIRA-style roles, and we aim to significantly increase this number by 2029.

How will MInDS do it?

The major component of the MInDs budget is £860K of co-funding which will be made available to UK Mathematical Sciences departments to support new MIRA positions.  MInDs will run activities around the UK to develop the growing MIRA community, including training, sandpits, networking events and MIRA congresses. MInDS will also work in collaboration with the Academy for Mathematical Sciences to develop a template for career progression.

The MInDS network will deliver wide-ranging benefits including enhancing research Impact; driving economic growth; influencing policy; and fostering public engagement.

Sarah Hainsworth, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at the University of Bath, said: “I’m thrilled that the IMI is leading the MInDS UKRI Network+ project, expanding the research technical roles pioneered by our Mathematical Innovation Research Associates across the UK. Mathematics is fundamental to digital and data-driven applications and MIRAs are key to turning it into real-world impact.”

If you wish to find out more about how you can work with IMI and the MInDS network, please email imi@bath.ac.uk.