Office Address:
Willow Court, West Way, Minns
Business Park. Oxford OX2 0JB
+44 (0) 1865 244011
hello@smithinst.co.uk
Quality Policy | IT Security | Health and Safety Policy | Environment Policy | Business Continuity | Privacy Policy | This website uses cookies | Terms of Use
© Smith Institute 2024. All rights reserved. Website by Studio Global
Smith Institute Ltd is a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales number 03341743 with registered address at 1 Minster Court, Tuscam Way, Camberley, GU15 3YY
Harry joined the Smith Institute in April 2025 as a Senior Project Manager, having previously worked as a Programme Manager at The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for AI and Data Science.
Harry has a track record of delivering projects across academia, industry, third sector and government. For example, supporting the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as managing international development projects across multiple regions.
Outside of work, Harry is a keen (if not always successful) sports enthusiast, usually found running, hiking, or being humbled on the football pitch, badminton court, or squash court.
Email: harry.meacher@smithinst.co.uk
Rob Wolf joined Smith Institute in April 2025 as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer.
With a career beginning in the early 90’s, Rob was coding commercially before the internet began. Over the next three decades experience gained as a Software and Database Developer, IT and Project Manager, a full stack ASP.NET web developer led Rob to where he is now – a Machine Learning Specialist.
Rob’s experience in Machine Learning started in 2015 working on car number plate recognition for automated parking systems. Rob has worked extensively in the renewable energy sector and electrical infrastructures, building successful cable fault detections systems using bi-directional LSTM modelling. From 2019 to 2020 Rob spent time at Oxford University studying AI on the Edge (IOT) and has gained a qualification on waveform harmonics and EMT from the IET. Rob’s experience spans the rebuilding of ML ops infrastructure in both the private and public sector.
Rob’s hobbies include Motorcycling, Motorsports, Socialising, running two YouTube channels (Resurrection Retro and Twingo Channel) and vintage gaming and electronics. Rob plays the piano and trumpet to a high level and sung with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Rob’s two dogs Saffie and Jack keep him entertained as does his travelling to music gigs, events and concerts with his partner, Mike.
Email: robert.wolf@smithinst.co.uk
Fin joined the Smith Institute in January 2025 as a Mathematical Intern.
He holds an MPhys from the University of Oxford, where he specialised in mathematical and theoretical physics. His Masters thesis studied higher-form symmetries in quantum field theory and their application to dark matter physics. Following his studies, he worked at the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, where he focused on using methods from machine learning to solve problems in string theory and algebraic geometry. He is interested in the role of artificial intelligence for scientific and mathematical discovery.
Outside of work, Fin loves cooking, playing electric guitar and drums and going to the gym.
Eden joined the Smith institute in January 2025 as an Administrative Assistant
Having obtained a Law with Criminology degree in September 2023, Eden has worked in various roles, including retail & sales management as well as completing an internship in Marketing and Operations at an Oxford Summer School.
Outside of work, Eden enjoys making art, and loves to travel and experience new cultures.
Email: eden.noka@smithinst.co.uk
Alex joined the Smith Institute in January 2025 as a Mathematical Consultant.
He holds a PhD in robotics from the University of Oxford, where his research was on planning under uncertainty for long-horizon missions in unknown environments. His undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney spanned mechatronic engineering, physics, and computer science, all of which remain keen interests. He has previously worked as a visiting robotics researcher at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a software development intern at Atlassian.
Outside of work, Alex loves spending time outdoors: he enjoys triathlon, and most weekends can be found running or volunteering at parkrun. His other interests include fantasy and sci-fi books, video games, board games, speedcubing, and learning about all things tech.
Sajida joined Smith Institute in January 2025 as a Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprentice.
Sajida completed her A-Levels in Mathematics, Chemistry & Biology. Her role provides the opportunity to gain practical experience while contributing to meaningful projects, with each day presenting new challenges and possibilities to enhance her skills.
Sajida is passionate about technological innovation and its ability to drive positive change in the world. Outside of work, Sajida loves to experiment with recipes, learn new languages, swim, and spend time with my friends and family.
Email: sajida.ema@smithinst.co.uk
Dheepan joined the Smith Institute in January 2025 as a Mathematical Intern. He has obtained his BSc. Physics from Durham University and MSc. Physics from Imperial College London with a specialization in particle physics.
Dheepan's master's thesis revolves around the process of utilizing machine learning (ML) to identify particle signatures in large particle colliders. Specifically, he used ML methods to search for theoretical particles called Axion-Like particles (ALPs) at the Large Hadron Collider. Previously, he has gained experience in using computational techniques for high-precision calculations needed in particle theory to produce verifiable results to compare with experimentalists.
Outside of work and study, Dheepan enjoys playing badminton and swimming. He also tutors physics and mathematics problems to high school students as a part of Oxford University's Department of Physics.
Email: dheepan.singaravel@smithinst.co.uk
Before joining Smith Institute in January of 2025, Catalina worked as an Assistant Professor at The London Interdisciplinary School.
She holds a PhD from the University of Oxford, which focused on the analysis of higher order parabolic partial differential equations modelling thin liquid films and phase separation in binary alloys. Previously, she completed a MSc in Applied Mathematics and a degree in Mathematical Engineering at the University of Chile.
Outside of work she enjoys reading fantasy, painting and making fancy coffees at home.
Email: catalina.pescereyes@smithinst.co.uk
Xander Burbidge joined the Smith Institute in January 2025 as a Business Development Manager
They have a Master of Arts in History and International Relations, and a Master of Laws in Climate Change Law and Sustainable Development, both from the University of Aberdeen.
Prior to joining the Smith Institute, they worked as Partnerships Development Manager at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence, with a focus on energy and engineering.
In their spare time, Xander enjoys working backstage at the local amateur theatre and going for country walks with the dog.
Xander uses they/them pronouns.
Email: Xander.burbidge@smithinst.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/xanderburbidge
Chiara joined the Smith Institute in October 2024 as a Project Manager.
She has a BSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology, a MSc in Biomedical Sciences, and is a PRINCE2Agile certified Project Manager. Prior to joining the Smith Institute, she worked as a PM at Agenus within the field of immune-oncology, and before transitioning to project management, she was a lab-based scientist working in the field of cancer research.
In her spare time, Chiara enjoys gardening, good food, going on walks with her dog, Dante, and finding out about new nerdy things with her husband, Jonny. Together, they play videogames, go to Comic Cons, play D&D and explore the world looking for beautiful hidden gems.
Email: chiara.caiusi@smithinst.co.uk
Thierry joined the Smith Institute as a Mathematical Consultant in November 2024. He holds a PhD in Non-Equilibrium Quantum Spin Chains from the University Henri Poincaré (France).
His research has taken him to the Department of Physics at Virginia Tech, where he focused on Non-Equilibrium Stochastic Processes and Evolving Complex Networks. He then joined the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, where he applied his expertise in biophysics to develop models for gene expression.
For 12 years, Thierry worked as an Assistant Professor and Course Director at the Centre for Fluid and Complex Systems at Coventry University. A complete list of his published work can be found on Google Scholar: Thierry PLATINI - Google Scholar.
Outside of his academic pursuits, Thierry enjoys canoeing and rock climbing.
Germán joined the Smith Institute in September 2024 as a Mathematical Intern.
Germán began his MSc in Operations Research & Analytics at the London School of Economics and Political Science in September 2023 and for his MSc dissertation, he was selected by the Aalto University in Finland to work on a traffic management project. Germán completed his BSc in Industrial and Mechanical Engineering at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, where he focused his degree on operations research and gained valuable experience in optimisation. During his undergraduate studies, he contributed to the Centre for Optimisation and Applied Probability research group by co-authoring two conference papers and by publishing one of his course projects in the Journal of Air Transport Management.
Outside of work, Germán enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends, and reading
email:german.pardo.gonzalez@smithinst.co.uk
Marta joined the Smith Institute in October 2024 as a Mathematical Intern.
She obtained her BSc in Mathematics from Sapienza University of Rome and her MSc in Mathematics from the Technical University of Munich. In her studies she focused on Optimisation, Statistics and Machine Learning. During her Master she also worked as a research assistant in Reliable AI and as a Data Analytics Intern in the insurance sector.
Outside of work Marta can be found baking, travelling and watching musicals.
Email: marta.piperno@smithinst.co.uk
Drew joined the Smith Institute in October 2024 as an Digital Solutions Engineer Apprentice.
Since the completion of his A-Levels in Computer Science, Music Technology and Business - he is now actively working towards a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions.
Outside of work, Drew spends most of his time at the gym, muay thai or go karting with friends
Email: drew.broadbent@smithinst.co.uk
Jack joined the Smith Institute in September 2024, coming from 9 years of Defence and Aerospace. Jack has led projects ranging from manufacturing components in pursuit of high speed flight, to setting up international joint ventures to enable localised test & evaluation. Jack has a Masters in Chemistry from the University of York and has always sought to be part of highly STEM related teams.
In his spare time, Jack enjoys spending time with his young family, walking the dog, and occasionally getting to sit down with nothing to do.
Email: jack.whittaker@smithinst.co.uk
Stanislav Zhydkov joined the Smith Institute as a Mathematical Consultant in October 2024. He completed his PhD at the MathSys CDT at the University of Warwick, focusing on multi-agent systems, particularly those involving networks and social choice. On his academic and professional journey, Stas developed a wide range of interests, in particular, AI, game theory and philosophy.
Outside of work, Stas is passionate about playing, analysing and designing games of all sorts. He also enjoys playing and watching football.
Email: stanislav.zhydkov@smithinst.co.uk
Sam is a third year DPhil student at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford University, where he studies mathematical models of collective cell migration. Prior to this, he studied Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at the University of Cambridge and for a BSc in Theoretical Physics at the University of Edinburgh.
Sam joined the Smith Institute as a Mathematical Intern in October 2024. In his spare time, Sam enjoys learning about new areas of maths (currently graph theory), learning German, and watching Everton play (and usually lose) every weekend.
Email: samuel.johnson@smithinst.co.uk
Alessio joined the Smith Institute in September 2024
Previously, he completed a PhD at the University of Bristol in computational statistics, focusing on stochastic optimisation. He also holds an MEng in Computer Science, also from the University of Bristol involving research into programming language theory and computer aided theorem proving. He has previously worked as a software and data engineer in the natural language processing and banking sectors.
In his free time, he enjoys going to gigs, reading, and running.
Email: alessio.zakaria@smithinst.co.uk
Josh joined the Smith Institute at the end of August 2024 as an IT Support Apprentice, after completing A-Levels. Josh is currently working towards a Level 3 IT Support qualification.
Outside of work Josh enjoys listening to, creating and collecting a variety of music, playing video games, board games, and spending time with his family.
Email: josh.hall@smithinst.co.uk
Kshitiz joined the Smith Institute in September 2024 as a Mathematical Intern. He obtained MSci in Mathematics from Imperial College London where he focused on Differential Geometry and Algebra. His masters thesis involved applying Invariant theory from Algebraic Geometry to Group Invariant Machine Learning.
Outside of work, Kshitiz enjoys hiking and painting.
Email: Kshitiz.Acharya@smithinst.co.uk
Alice joined Smith Institute in August 2024. Alice is a MSc student at the University of Oxford studying Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science. Having completed her undergraduate studies in Computing, Mathematics and Analytics at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Alice's current research interests are mainly in topological data analysis, with a particular focus on persistent homology for stratified spaces, as well as geometric deep learning. Prior to this Alice worked in software engineering and automated planning.
Alice is passionate about research distillation and work in various outreach initiatives. Outside of work, Alice can often be found reading, running, painting, or weightlifting!
Email: alice.petrov@smithinst.co.uk
Roo joined the Smith Institute in July 2024.
Previously, they worked as a data scientist across the water industry and insurance sector. Drawing on their background in mathematics, they have specialised in both operational research and artificial intelligence, implementing technical solutions in collaboration with the likes of Google to create significant developments within industry.
Outside of work, Roo enjoys designing and sewing clothes and playing the piano, violin and guitar.
Email: roo.lewis@smithinst.co.uk
Karina joined Smith Institute in August 2024 as a Mathematical Intern.
Karina is in the final year of her PhD in Applied Mathematics at Imperial College London. Her research focuses on numerical methods, particularly finite element methods, for atmospheric fluid dynamics used in numerical weather prediction and climate projection. Prior to this, Karina obtained an MSc in Mathematics from the University of Bonn.
Outside of work, Karina enjoys playing chess, swimming, and playing the piano.
Email: karina.kowalczyk@smithinst.co.uk
Chris joined Smith Institute in 2024.
He holds a bachelor of science in astronomy and astrophysics from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. During his degree he worked at the historic Sydney Observatory as an astronomer and astronomy educator.
He has worked with both the Australian Astronomical Observatory, developing techniques to identify nearby transient objects in deep sky images, and the CSIRO on terahertz-wave imaging and analysis techniques.
After moving to the UK, he worked for a time as a high school physics teacher, before moving into the world of data science and data engineering.
Outside of work, Chris is an avid aviation nut, and enjoys learning to operate many different historic and modern fighter aircraft in flight simulators. He is also (very slowly) working towards earning his private pilot’s license.
Email: chris.bagnall@smithinst.co.uk
Email: abi.easton@smithinst.co.uk
Tegan Joined the Smith Institute in April 2024 as Business Operations Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design and has spent recent years honing her skills in Business Operations within the digital IT services sector.
Outside of work, Tegan enjoys spending time outdoors walking her dog, gardening, paddleboarding, and socialising with family and friends. She also has a passion for travelling and exploring new places both abroad and in her converted campervan.
Email:tegan.beard@smithinst.co.uk
Eva joined Smith Institute in April 2024.
She is working alongside Judy Reynolds, Claire Petworth and Steph Thurston, providing administrative support to the team.
Eva has experience working in the charity sector, management support and retail.
In her spare time she enjoys reading, playing too much Zelda, enjoying nature (weather permitting), and finishing her Master of Arts Literature Studies dissertation.
Email: eva.morris@smithinst.co.uk
Jackie joined the Smith Institute in April 2024 after ten years managing technical projects, eight of which have been leading large/complex projects. Prior to joining the Smith Institute, Jackie worked across R&D, new technology development, and innovation in the Tech industry, as well as Oil & Gas.
During a 2.5 year career break Jackie worked as a ski instructor, teaching on the slopes in Austria, Australia, and Switzerland. She has since hung up her skis, and swapped speeding on snow for long distance triathlons. With two sheep dogs and a demanding training schedule Jackie spends a lot of time outside battling the British weather.
Email: jackie.frary@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Lincoln Wallen is Chief Technology Officer at British technology company, Improbable.
After joining DreamWorks Animation in 2008 as Head of Research and Development, he was promoted to CTO in 2012, a position he held for the next 5 years. Lincoln was formerly CTO of Electronic Arts Mobile where he was instrumental in shaping EA’s approach to the mobile business, which saw EA deliver a strong portfolio of mass market mobile games, as well as games delivering a next-generation consumer experience. Prior to joining EA, Lincoln was with Criterion Software and MathEngine.
His early career involved 20 years of professional IT and mathematics research, including two years as BP Venture Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, and latterly as a Reader in Computer Science at the University of Oxford. In 2012 Lincoln was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh.
Terri Lucas joined the Smith Institute board in 2019 as an independent non-executive director. She is an experienced executive director, Board advisor and non-executive director, with deep commercial expertise in the private and not-for-profit sectors. Terri joins from global consulting firm Mercer where she led the Growth Leadership Team, and sat on the UK Leadership Board and the Diversity and Inclusion Council from 2015 until 2019. Prior to that, she spent 13 years with pensions and benefits consulting businesses, Hymans Robertson and Aon Consulting in senior sales and marketing roles, with a seat at the management committee table of Hymans Robertson.
Terri previously served a three year term on the Council of the Confederation of British Industry, the advisory panel of Winmark’s marketing director network and was a founder of Aspire Circle, Bristol, a group to help women and girls fulfil their full potential. Terri has a number of pro bono roles, including being a mentor for The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and is an ambassador for Women on Boards, a network supporting women into non-executive director, trustee or executive leadership roles.
In her spare time, Terri enjoys adventurous travel, photography, food, health and wellbeing, fund raising and working through her bucket list. She received a degree in English Literature from The Open University.
Graeme Hobbs was appointed Chair of the Board of the Smith Institute in May 2018, having served as Non-Executive Director since February 2016. Until July 2015, Graeme was the Chairman of Motorola Solutions UK Ltd, the Country Manager for Motorola Solutions UK, and the Government Affairs lead and regional director for Europe and Africa.
He is a Fellow of both the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Graeme is also the non executive Chairman of Bristol is Open Ltd, a joint venture between University of Bristol and Bristol City Council focused on smart city applications. Graeme has a number of pro bono roles including Chair of the Audit Committee and Lay member of Council for Southampton University, a Trustee of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and Chair of the Blue Lamp Trust.
Prof Mike Giles was appointed to the Smith Institute Board in 2019 as a non-executive director. He is head of the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford for the period 2018-2022 where he works in computational finance. Mike’s research focus is on improving the accuracy, efficiency and analysis of Monte Carlo methods for a variety of applications.
Mike is also interested in various aspects of scientific computing, including high performance parallel computing, and he has worked extensively on the exploitation of many-core GPUs for a variety of applications. This led to Mike’s establishment of JADE, the first national GPU computing facility for Machine Learning.
After a BA in Mathematics at Cambridge, Mike’s MSc and PhD were in Aeronautical Engineering at MIT, addressing challenges in computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Mike collaborated with Rolls-Royce for more than 20 years, first at MIT and later in the Oxford University Computing Laboratory, developing CFD methods for the analysis and design of gas turbines, culminating in HYDRA which is now Rolls-Royce’s primary CFD code.
Dr David Allwright joined the Smith Institute in 2000.
He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and worked as a Research Fellow on control theory at the Universities of Cambridge and Toronto.
David’s technical interests then expanded at Topexpress Ltd to include signal processing, acoustics, vibration and other areas of fluid and solid mechanics, and then further, to other wave phenomena and probabilistic and Markov models at the University of Oxford and the Smith Institute. David joined the Smith Institute’s Scientific Board when it was established in 2014.
Rebecca is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Southampton. She works on applications of mathematics to evolutionary biology, biophysics, stochastic dynamics, and dynamics on social networks.
Most recently she has been working on how emotional and social feedback affect rates of cooperation in strategy games, and on the evolution of transgenerational effects in response to changing environments. She is also interested in what makes researchers creative and why, and how collaboration and interdisciplinarity lead to new ideas.
She has also performed stand-up comedy inspired by her research.
Alison Etheridge OBE is Professor of Probability at the University of Oxford where she holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics and a Fellowship at Magdalen College. She has previously held research fellowships in Oxford and Cambridge and positions in Berkeley, Edinburgh and Queen Mary University of London.
Her interests have ranged from abstract mathematical problems to concrete applications with much of her recent research concerning mathematical models of population genetics.
Richard Craster is Professor of Applied Mathematics at Imperial College. His research interests span across Fluid Mechanics and Elasticity/ Electromagnetism, primarily motivated by Engineering and Physics applications, and is often performed in close collaboration with scientists from those disciplines.
In Fluid mechanics, Richard’s interests are in fluid flows on the microscale concentrating on thin film theories, the effects of surfactants , electrokinetics and coupling between elastic substrates and fluid flow.
In Solid Mechanics and Electromagnetism Richard’s current interests are in wrinkling and buckling of thin elastic plates, fracture mechanics, trapped modes, slow waves in optics and high frequency homogenization theory for microstructured media.
Prof Alan Champneys is Professor of Applied Non-linear Mathematics and Head of Queens School of Engineering at the University of Bristol.
Alan’s research interests include understanding complicated dynamics (e.g. chaos) in physical systems and their application across engineering to aircraft and structural dynamics, power electronics, fluid-structure interaction, numerical bifurcation algorithms for periodic orbits of large systems and localised phenomena. In 2014 he gave the Alan Tayler Lecture at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
Coralia Cartis is Associate Professor of Numerical Optimisation at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.
Her research interests include algorithm design, analysis and implementation of large-scale optimisation problems in a number of applications.
Coralia was previously a member of the Industrial Mathematics Knowledge Transfer Network Scientific Committee.
Dr Jakob Blaavand joined the Smith Institute in September 2015 and was appointed Director of Mathematics in 2018. He completed his DPhil in differential and algebraic geometry at the University of Oxford, and taught undergraduates there and at Aarhus University, Denmark, for a total of 7 years.
He has given over 30 public lectures popularising mathematics, on topics including knot theory and the maths of Google.
After six years of guiding the Smith Institute as lead on optimisation, he left the company to join Danish Crown in Denmark.
While working at the SI, Jakob and colleagues published a paper on the use of mathematical optimisation tools in spectrum management to quantitatively evaluate the consequences of spectrum policies through scenario analysis: Unlocking the value of spectrum using optimization tools.
Dr David Allwright joined Smith Institute in 2000.
He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and worked as a Research Fellow on control theory at the Universities of Cambridge and Toronto.
David's technical interests then expanded at Topexpress Ltd to include signal processing, acoustics, vibration and other areas of fluid and solid mechanics, and then further, to other wave phenomena and probabilistic and Markov models at the University of Oxford and Smith Institute.
Dr David Wyncoll joined the Smith Institute in January 2017.
He previously worked as a Senior Statistician in the flood management group of HR Wallingford providing statistical support across the company, particularly focusing on estimating the likelihood of large-scale coastal flooding.
David holds an MMath in Mathematics from the University of Bath and a PhD in Statistics from Lancaster University on extreme value modelling and sequential Monte Carlo algorithms.
His interests outside of work include travelling the world and playing rock music on electric bass and guitar.
Dr Francis Woodhouse joined the Smith Institute in August 2019. Francis previously spent six years working in applied mathematics and biophysics research at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Western Australia, including three years as a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He holds MMath and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge.
In his downtime Francis is fond of consuming cryptic crosswords and classical music, ideally with a cup of coffee.
Dr. Tom Wilson joined the Smith Institute in January 2023. He holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Exeter, where he conducted research on the radiative transfer modelling of T Tauri stars. His work aimed to improve the current understanding of stellar evolution for Sun-like stars by comparing synthetic and observed atomic hydrogen spectra. Additionally, Dr. Wilson holds an MPhys degree from the University of Exeter, which he earned for his research on the direct imaging of exoplanets.
Tom is also an experienced mountain leader and first mate on tall ships. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, sailing, and reading.
Email: tom.wilson@smithinst.co.uk
Craig joined the Smith Institute in October 2020 as an IT Apprentice, supporting Nigel and Caroline in various IT capacities while pursuing a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions. Over the course of his apprenticeship, Craig's role steadily evolved, with increasing responsibilities in developing digital solutions for both client and internal projects. By 2024, having completed his degree, Craig transitioned into the role of Digital Solutions Engineer, where he now focuses on designing and implementing technical solutions to meet the diverse needs of the Institute and its clients.
Outside of work, Craig is passionate about technology in all its forms. He is an avid sailor, participating in dinghy and yacht races. He also enjoys all things Sci-Fi.
Dr Rachael Warrington joined the Smith Institute in October 2016. Before this, she was carrying out PhD research on modelling the effects on building temperatures of phase change materials (things that melt and solidify). She did this work at the University of Cambridge, where she also completed an MMath degree.
Outside of work, she enjoys knitting, dressmaking (her favourite project so far has been making her wedding dress), and being part of her local church.
Dr Ruth Voisey joined the Smith Institute in November 2021. She was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2023 and sits on the Board of Directors. Prior to her current role, Ruth was Technical Director and Head of Innovation Strategy from 2021-2023. This has positioned her perfectly to realise her clear vision and deep understanding of where we need to take our services to meet the needs of the future.
Before joining Smith Institute, Ruth spent seven years in Research at Dyson. She led global multidisciplinary teams, in acoustics and machine learning, to explore new markets and guide technologies from low to high technology readiness level for maximum impact.
Ruth has a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Manchester. Ruth is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and sits on their Professional Affairs Committee.
Music and festivals have always played a big part in her life. She used to work in festival production, but now just gets to enjoy them. Glastonbury is a firm favourite.
Email: ruth.voisey@smithinst.co.uk
Stephanie Thurston joined the Institute in August 2021 to provide HR support to the Institute’s staff and is CIPD qualified and a Mental Health First Aider.
Steph started her HR career in GSK plc but more recently has been supporting not-for-profit start-up organisations and a leading independent school.
Steph enjoys walking her two dogs in the beautiful Berkshire countryside and spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys theatre, musicals and live music.
Dr Heather Tewkesbury joined the Smith Institute in 2001, she was appointed Chief of Strategic Relationships in 2023. Prior to her current role, Heather was Chief Executive Officer from 2017-2023 and Business Development Director from 2006-2017.
Before joining the Smith Institute, Heather worked as a Modelling Development Manager for Cadbury Trebor Bassett, applying mathematics across all areas of the business.
Heather holds a PhD in modelling heat transfer from the University of Birmingham. She is a Chartered Mathematician, Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, sits on the advisory board for NAMS (National Academy for Mathematical Sciences) and was an impact assessor for the 2014 and 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
Her interests outside of work include playing violin and viola (but not at the same time), making cakes for friends and family, coldwater swimming and kayaking.
Melissa Tate has spent her career working at the intersection of sales, marketing and product – with companies spanning educational technology, fintech, smart mobility and more.
She has an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington in Seattle.
Melissa joined the Smith Institute in 2021 to lead the Commercial Team and is laser-focused on tailoring Smith Institute products and services to meet customer needs.
In her spare time, she runs after two children and enjoys walks, skiing and learning the ukulele.
Email: melissa.tate@smithinst.co.uk
Jay joined the Smith Institute in September 2022.
He holds an MSc in Statistical Science from the University of Oxford, and previously studied a BSc in Mathematics at the University of Leeds. As part of his MSc dissertation, he worked in the prestigious Simon Myers Group, assisting their research into genetic interactions.
Outside the office, Jay enjoys cycling, mixing music, and travelling. He spent a year in Australia as part of his degree and would love to go to Central and South America next.
Jay is a Mental Health First Aider for the Smith Institute after completing training with MHFA UK in November 2023.
Email: james.tarrant@smithinst.co.uk
Louise Rhys joined the Smith Institute in January 2024 as a Business Development Manager.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Drama from Rhodes University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of South Africa, specialising in Mathematics and is a part-qualified Management Accountant.
Prior to joining the Smith Institute, Louise gained 15 years of experience in the education sector, where she delivered lessons in numbers, life and logic to students between the ages of 11 and 18, as well as helping to train other staff members and delivering several school timetables. She also spent four years working for a financial services consultancy, helping to deliver and audit financial models.
In her spare time, Louise can usually be found outdoors, where she enjoys gardening and amateur entomology. She has been a member of the RHS for many years and will be once again taking part in the Big Butterfly Count in the summer.
Email: louise.rhys@smithinst.co.uk
Judy Reynolds joined the Smith Institute in 2010.
She provides executive support for our CEO, Board and REMCO, liaises between Directors, staff and the Scientific Board, and manages the HR and Administrative team. She organises both internal and client-facing events and ensures the smooth running of our business.
Email: judy.reynolds@smithinst.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 244011
Claire joined the Smith Institute in December 2019. She is working alongside Judy Reynolds, providing administrative support to the team.
Claire previously worked for the global FMCG company Reckitt Benckiser, but since starting a family, has gained an art degree and employment with her local Pre-school.
Claire enjoys walking her extremely energetic springer spaniel, spending time with her family, reading, taking photographs and creating a little bit of art when she finds the time!
Email: claire.petworth@smithinst.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 244011
Nigel joined the Smith Institute in March 2017 in the role of IT Officer, supporting hardware and software management and all things IT.
Nigel has a BA in English and Philsophy from the University of Wales and a PGCE from the University of Bristol, specialising in English and English as a Foreign Language. He has worked in many diverse jobs, including teaching English in Germany, designing school computer systems and running an IT support company.
Outside work, Nigel enjoys listening to birdsong as he runs through the Oxfordshire countryside, playing the tuba with a local brass band, reading lots and going to the theatre.
Email: nigel.marsh@smithinst.co.uk
Charl started as Director of Innovation and Operations at Smith Institute in January 2024. He holds a Masters in Organisational Leadership from Regent University (USA), where he specialised in Strategic Planning and Organisational Development, in addition to his studies in the fields of coaching, information systems and auditing. Charl has contributed to academia as lecturer in the field of Brand Leadership and served as a Non-executive Director on the board of a data science organisation.
Charl is a keen golfer and loves exploring unchartered wilderness – which, ironically, is exactly where he usually finds himself on the golf course.
Email: charl.van.loggerenberg@smithinst.co.uk
Hannah joined the Smith Institute in August 2021 as an IT Apprentice, supporting Nigel and Caroline in an IT capacity, and will work towards a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions.
Outside of work she enjoys online gaming with friends and spending time with her two dogs. She loves watching films and frequently going to the cinema, especially to see superhero films since she has recently taken a liking to reading comics.
Email: hannah.lewis@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Robert Leese was appointed as Chief Technical Officer in May 2017, and was previously Chief Executive of the Smith Institute and a member of its Board of Directors since 1999.
He previously held Research Fellowships at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and a visiting position at Brown University.
Robert holds a PhD in mathematical physics from the University of Durham and has been a Fellow of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, since 1993. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and a member of the Peer Review College of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Robert and and colleagues have published a paper on the use of mathematical optimisation tools in spectrum management to quantitatively evaluate the consequences of spectrum policies through scenario analysis.
Email: robert.leese@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Georgina Lang joined the Smith Institute in February 2016. Previously she worked as a mathematician at a research and development consultancy, applying mathematical modelling techniques to a broad range of engineering and scientific applications.
Georgina holds an MMath and DPhil in mathematics from the University of Oxford, where her research focussed on modelling the mechanical behaviour of biological tissues.
Kieran joined the Smith Institute in April 2021. Before this, he completed his PhD at the University of Warwick, focusing on mathematical modelling and data-science problems in intelligent transportation systems. During his PhD, he worked with Thales, Jaguar Land Rover and Transport for the West Midlands on various transportation problems. Prior to this he completed a BSc in mathematics at Coventry University, and an MSc in mathematics for real world systems at the University of Warwick.
Outside of work he enjoys board games and football.
Edward Jones-Healey joined the Smith Institute as a Mathematical Intern in July 2021. After completing a 6 month internship he continued working for the Smith Institute part-time as an intern whilst finishing his PhD. He completed his PhD in quantum algebra and representation theory at the University of Manchester in November 2023, and is now working for the Smith Institute as a Mathematical Consultant. He also holds Masters degrees in Theoretical physics and Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and University of Manchester respectively.
Outside of work he enjoys trail running and climbing
Jacob Hands joined the Smith Institute as a graduate in 2023. They hold a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Oxford, specialising in topology, set theory, and formal logic.
Outside of work, they enjoy tabletop games, cryptic crosswords, and speaking the minimalist constructed language Toki Pona.
Email: jacob.hands@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Madeleine Hall joined Smith Institute in September 2023. She studied maths at the University of Edinburgh, before doing a masters in bioinformatics and a PhD in mathematical biology, both at Imperial College London. Her PhD research combined biofluid dynamics, computational micromechanics and the genetics of behaviour.
In her spare time, she is part of the team behind Chalkdust magazine, “the magazine for the mathematically curious”. Outside of maths, she can be found running, swimming or doing yoga.
Alex Evans joined the Smith Institute in August 2017 following the completion of his PhD at the University of Cambridge focused on modelling uncertainty in porous media flows. Prior to this, he earned his MMath degree from the University of Oxford.
In his spare time he enjoys playing real tennis and, when the weather allows, cricket.
Email: alex.evans@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Caroline Edwards joined the Smith Institute in 2008.
Caroline holds a PhD in structural topology optimisation and an MSc in Modern Applications of Mathematics both from the University of Bath.
Caroline’s areas of interest include numerical analysis, linear solver techniques, linear elasticity and finite element modelling.
Outside of work Caroline enjoys baking cakes, ice-skating, travelling to new places and hopes to make it to the Southern Hemisphere one day.
Dr Tom Dobra joined the Smith Institute in July 2021. He holds a PhD in fluid dynamics specialising in internal waves within the oceans, with experimental and theoretical work undertaken jointly between the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge. Prior to this, he completed his MMath at the University of Cambridge. During his PhD, he has taught fluids, programming and mathematical methods to engineering students and more recently privately tutored for GCSE and A-level maths.
Most weekends, Tom competes in orienteering and has represented Great Britain in TrailO since 2015. He also runs several times per week and enjoys trips to the mountains for hillwalking and skiing.
Email: tom.dobra@smithinst.co.uk
Rachel Dalton joined Smith Institute in January 2021 as CFO. Rachel qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte & Touche in 2000. She has spent her career working in both the not-for-profit and commercial sectors. Rachel holds a BSc in Mathematics & Psychology from Royal Holloway, University of London and an MSc in Development Finance from the University of Reading. In her spare time Rachel enjoys running and travelling.
Email: rachel.dalton@smithinst.co.uk
Jack joined the Smith Institute in August 2021 as an IT Apprentice following the competition of his A-Levels, and will work towards a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions.
Outside of work, Jack enjoys playing a variety of online and board games with friends and taking his dog for long walks. He is also an avid follower of Formula 1.
Email:jack.cowmeadow@smithinst.co.uk
Charles Choyce joined the Smith Institute in September 2019.
He holds an MMath in Applied Mathematics from the University of Warwick with a speciality in Fluid Mechanics and Dynamical Systems.
During his masters he worked on traffic flow modelling, specifically investigating the effects predictable from the introduction of autonomous vehicles to our roads.
Outside the office Charles enjoys cooking, travelling and is an avid amateur artist
Adam Brummitt joined the Smith Institute as Marketing Manager in August 2022.
Before this, he worked at a marketing agency focusing on strategy development for business-to-business clients in the technology sector.
Outside of work, Adam enjoys going to the gym, watching as much sport as he can get away with, and spending time with his young family.
Tom Bradbury joined the Smith Institute in September 2020 as a Business Development Analyst. He has been a Business Development Manager since October 2021 and focusses his work on the transport sector.
Tom holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Bath and studied a mixture of theoretical and applied modules throughout his degree, including in other fields such as biology and economics.
He also completed an industrial placement during his time at university, working in financial analytics and digital marketing roles for an automotive company.
In his spare time Tom is a sports fan and particularly enjoys watching football and rugby. He also likes to travel and experience new foods and cultures.
Email: tom.bradbury@smithinst.co.uk
Dr Tim Boxer joined the Smith Institute in 2002.
Previously, he worked for ArjoWiggins as a Diagnostic Engineer, where he worked on time series and signal analysis, flow through compressible porous media and linear elastic beams.
More recently Tim’s interests have developed into the areas of probabilistic modelling and decision making under uncertainty. Tim holds a PhD in modelling industrial processes from UMIST, and an MSc in Industrial Applied Mathematics from the University of Southampton.
Email: tim.boxer@smithinst.co.uk
Alex Bowring joined Smith Institute as a Mathematical Consultant in November 2021.
Prior to this, Alex completed an Early Career Research Fellowship in Neuroimaging Statistics at the University of Oxford, where he investigated how heterogeneity in analytic approaches could lead to variation in functional neuroimaging results. Alex holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Warwick, and a DPhil in Population Health from the University of Oxford, where he developed novel statistical techniques for analysing task-based functional MRI data.
Outside of work Alex is passionate about music, and loves to play the electric bass guitar.
Email: alex.bowring@smithinst.co.uk
Julian joined the Smith Institute in September 2023 as an IT Apprentice, supporting Nigel and Caroline in an IT capacity, and will work towards a degree in Digital and Technology Solutions.
Outside work, Julian enjoys reading novels and occasionally spending his time playing a variety of computer games. He also likes learning about technology and using it where applicable.
Email: julian.beda@smithinst.co.uk
Lorna Ashton joined the Smith Institute in November 2022 as a Business Development Manager.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in French and Spanish from the University of Manchester, a Post-Graduate Certificate in European Business Management from the Manchester Business School and a Secondary PGCE from the University of Reading.
Prior to joining Smith Institute, she worked in Sales and Business Development within the academic publishing sector, supporting customers in Southern Europe.
In her spare time, Lorna enjoys spending time outdoors: road cycling in the beautiful South Downs, countryside walks with her family, swimming, watching rugby and socialising with friends. She also loves travelling and exploring new places and cultures.
Email: lorna.ashton@smithinst.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-ashton
Connor joined Smith Institute in August 2023 as a Mathematical Intern. Before that he completed a Mathematical Physics PhD at the University of Durham specialising in particle theory, studying scattering amplitudes of fundamental particles and their applications in gravity and cosmology. He also has a Theoretical Physics MSci from Royal Holloway.
In his spare time, Connor enjoys walking, rock climbing and dabbling in sound tech. He is also an avid SciFi reader and occasional player of tabletop games.
Miriam Apsley joined Smith Institute in February 2022.
She earned her PhD researching continuum-scale battery simulation at the University of Cambridge. Prior to this she did an MPhil in scientific computing involving research into radiative models for the simulation of lightning strikes on aircraft. She also holds an MMath from the University of Cambridge.
Outside of work she enjoys doing triathlons, baking and reading.
Email: miriam.apsley@smithinst.co.uk
Cecilie joined the Smith Institue in May 2025, having previously completed an internship with us in 2024. She is currently completing her PhD from the University of Bath where her research focused on applying asymptotic techniques to a class of problems from fluid mechanics. She also holds an MMath from Oxford University.
Outside of work Cecilie enjoys running and orienteering and regularly represents GB at international orienteering races.
Emilia started as a Mathematical Consultant with the Smith Institute in July 2022 and completed her PhD in Mathematical Physics at the University of Bristol in September 2022. She researched statistical properties of random matrices, which are useful for modelling complex correlated systems such as those found in nuclear physics, networks, finance, and number theory. She completed her undergraduate studies in Pure and Applied Mathematics at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada with an Honours thesis on random matrix theory and number theory.
Emilia is also a keen surfer and open water swimmer and is currently learning to dance salsa and to speak Greek.
Email: emilia.alvarez@smithinst.co.uk
Prof I. David Abrahams is the N M Rothschild and Sons Professor of Mathematical Sciences and Director of the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and past President of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications.
David has devoted research effort to the broad area of applied mathematics, and specifically to the theoretical understanding of wave processes, since graduating in 1982 with a PhD in theoretical acoustics. He has published extensively in the areas of fluid/structural interactions, nondestructive evaluation, fracture mechanics, electromagnetism, water waves and seismology. He has been particularly concerned over the years with the development of existing or new mathematical techniques, and has had a number of successes in this direction, for example with matrix Wiener-Hopf systems. He is also interested in the application of such methods, for example to problems in physics and engineering, including acoustics, Stokes’ flows in ducts, electromagnetic and geophysical wave propagation and scattering, and recently to mathematical finance. Abrahams is enthusiastic about public engagement activities within the applied mathematics community and gives occasional talks to non-specialists.
Frank Kelly is Professor of the Mathematics of Systems at the University of Cambridge.
His main research interests are in random processes, networks and optimization. He is especially interested in applications to the design and control of networks and to the understanding of self-regulation in large-scale systems.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Member of the National Academy of Engineering, and in 2013 he was awarded a CBE for services to mathematical sciences.
Frank was appointed as Vice President to the Smith Institute in 2015.
Dr Bruce Smith is President and Founder of the Smith Institute.
Until 1997 he was the Chairman and majority shareholder of Smith System Engineering Limited. Before founding that company in 1971, he worked in design engineering for Decca Radar Limited after a period in the United States with Bellcomm Inc in the US Space programme. Bruce was Chairman of the Council of the Smith Institute until May 2018.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institute of Physics. Bruce is a director of a number of private companies, and a Domus Fellow of St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
Julian Hunt FRS is a British meteorologist who was Director General and Chief Executive of the British Meteorological Office from 1992 to 1997.
He was made a Life Peer in 2000.
He is Professor of Climate modelling in the Department of Space & Climate Physics and Department of Earth Sciences at University College London.
Julian was appointed as Vice President of the Smith Institute in 2015.
