Dr Christopher Tout

Dr Christopher Tout (Director of Studies, Applied) came to Churchill in 2000 to teach mathematics, all aspects of which have been a life-long interest. Today he specialises in applied mathematics and theoretical physics which he uses every day in his research as the John Couch Adams Astronomer at the University's Institute of Astronomy, situated just beyond the College boundary. The study of the stars incorporates all aspects of modern mathematical physics from compressible fluid dynamics through quantum mechanics, relativity, statistical physics, nuclear physics and even solid state physics. Ultimately the problems boil down to the solutions to non-linear partial differential equations from which spring our understanding of the evolution of stars from their birth in cosmic clouds, through their youth like the Sun, as middle aged giants and to old age as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes. Dr Tout has lived on three continents and experienced mathematics taught in a number of universities throughout the world. Nowhere has he found a course as comprehensive as this one. It may be more challenging but if you enjoy mathematics in any form it is well worth it.

Dr Colm Caulfield

Dr Colm Caulfield came to Churchill in 2005. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and the BP Institute. The BP Institute is a multi-disclipinary research centre devoted to fundamental studies of problems related to the energy industry, defined in the broadest sense. It brings together industrialists and academics with expertise in applied mathematics, earth sciences, engineering and chemistry. Dr Caulfield is interested in working as part of such diverse teams to study various fluid flows in the environment, particularly in cases where density differences play a dynamical role. Of course, density differences, (due to temperature or composition variation) are ubiquitous in the environment. Understanding the fundamental properties of the associated fluid dynamics is key to ensuring sustainable human activity. To name just three important examples, understanding how density differences affect fluid flows can allow strategies to be developed to model the climate system, to deal with the dispersion of pollutants, or to minimize energy consumption within buildings.

Prof Alec Boksenberg

Prof Alec Boksenberg was formerly Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. He now works at the Institute of Astronomy.

Prof Douglas Gough

Prof Douglas Gough is Director of the Institute of Astronomy. He is one of the founding fathers of the study of helioseismology.

Prof James Norris

James Norris specializes in the study of Probability and Random Processes. These are branches of mathematics concerned with predicting the behaviour of systems subject to uncertainty but where the uncertainty can be quantified - a simple example would be the outcome of a series of coin tosses. A more general and rather pervasive class of examples is known as Markov Chains. See the textbook Markov Chains (CUP 1998) for an introductory account. The content of Chapter 1 forms the basis of a second year course in the Mathematical Tripos. Professor Norris's research interests cover a wide range of topics ranging from Brownian motion and stochastic calculus to large systems of interacting random particles used to model certain physical phenomena.

Prof Geoffrey Grimmett

Prof Geoffrey Grimmett is Head of the Pure Mathematics Department. His research interests are in probability theory, combinatorial theory, stochastic models in statistical physics and probabilistic number theory.