A Surrey mathematician is the first ever UK-based winner of a prestigious international prize for his work to better understand patterns which contribute to a diverse range of phenomena, including stop-and-go traffic jams, weather fronts, sunspots and crime hotspots.
A Surrey mathematician is the first ever UK-based winner of a prestigious international prize for his work to better understand patterns which contribute to a diverse range of phenomena, including stop-and-go traffic jams, weather fronts, sunspots and crime hotspots.
The T Brooke Benjamin Prize is awarded every two years by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) – the world’s largest applied mathematics society – for outstanding work in the field of nonlinear waves.
Professor David Lloyd from the University of Surrey’s School of Mathematics and Physics said:
“The emergence of patterns that occur around crime hotspots, weather fronts and stop-and-go traffic jams are governed by complex mathematical explanations. My research develops mathematical theories for how and when these patterns occur and what their behaviours are. These are fundamental problems across science, engineering, and nature.
“I feel very honoured to win this prestigious prize, and I’m delighted that it offers an opportunity to share the elegant beauty of this field of mathematics with a wider audience. I hope someone somewhere has their curiosity piqued by these intriguing patterns and is inspired to find out more.”
Professor Lloyd will receive his prize at the SIAM Conference on Nonlinear Waves and Coherent Structures in Baltimore, USA, on Wednesday 26 June.
ENDS
Cite Scienmag News
Bethany Barker. (June 25, 2024). From sunspots to traffic jams: Explaining real-world patterns scoops major maths prize for Surrey professor. Scienmag. https://scienmag.com/from-sunspots-to-traffic-jams-explaining-real-world-patterns-scoops-major-maths-prize-for-surrey-professor/
Bethany Barker. "From sunspots to traffic jams: Explaining real-world patterns scoops major maths prize for Surrey professor." Scienmag, 25 June 2024, https://scienmag.com/from-sunspots-to-traffic-jams-explaining-real-world-patterns-scoops-major-maths-prize-for-surrey-professor/. Accessed 4 September 2026.
Bethany Barker. "From sunspots to traffic jams: Explaining real-world patterns scoops major maths prize for Surrey professor." Scienmag. June 25, 2024. https://scienmag.com/from-sunspots-to-traffic-jams-explaining-real-world-patterns-scoops-major-maths-prize-for-surrey-professor/
