How can mathematical modelling help in the coronavirus pandemic? Covid-19 has directed an intense spotlight on to scientific research, instigating a call to arms for scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Mansfield’s Ian Griffiths, a Professor of Industrial Mathematics at Oxford’s Mathematical Institute, reveals one distinctive avenue of research.
When we think of the kind of scientists that are working on the pandemic challenge, the people who usually spring to mind are bioscientists toiling away in a lab to develop a vaccine, or statisticians analysing data to understand how to mitigate the spread of the disease. However, in addition to these vital research endeavours there’s a host of other scientific disciplines all working in very different ways in an effort to gain understanding into how we can overcome the virus together.
In another project, we have been looking at the behaviour of the non-woven material used for face masks. When someone breathes in while wearing a face mask, the filter material becomes compressed, which hinders the air passing through and so makes breathing more difficult. This poses an interesting design question: how should we manufacture the face mask filter such that, when the material becomes compressed, we are still able to breathe comfortably? Here we have an example of an inverse problem: we know the required output – a filter that has enough air space for us to breathe through – and we wish to know how to manufacture the mask in a factory to achieve this requirement. Again, our mathematical models provide the answers by allowing us to perform ‘mathematical experiments’, which enable us to ‘reverse’ the manufacturing process, going from the final product back to its construction.
A significant proportion of the research that I conduct in my Industrial Mathematics group is centred on the development of mathematical models that describe filtration processes. This could be anything from the cleaning of air by a household air-purifier, to an industrial-scale filter that removes sulphur dioxide from cooling towers in a power plant by converting it into sulphuric acid via a catalytic reaction. The mathematical models we derive have the effect of reducing, or in some cases even eliminating entirely, the need for costly and time-consuming experiments.
Music at Mansfield John Oxlade Director of Music (October 2006-July 2020) In July 2020, after many years of loyal service, John Oxlade stepped down as Director of Music at Mansfield. In this article, John reflects on his final year at College. In Michaelmas term 2019, we welcomed some very talented new instrumentalists to Mansfield – Samuel Spencer (clarinet and piano), Flora Walker (clarinet), Leila Hua (flute) and Nathan Walemba (piano). Our choir was also replenished by gifted new members – Emily Broughton, Vincent Elvin, Amélie Henle, Haley Howard, Joanna Korey, Anna Obernoster, Henry Olree, Victoria Roskams and Flora Walker.
The Michaelmas concert featured Yuan Wang in Shostakovich’s second piano concerto and choral items by Fauré, Karl Jenkins and Mozart, with solo contributions by Samuel Spencer (piano), Joschua SpiedelJohnson (cello), Nick Watt (viola), Joshua Gei (violin), Jeremy Beard (oboe) and Leila Hua (flute). Our Sunday recitals included an extensive repertoire, from Elizabethan madrigals to a first performance of music composed by Professor Stephen Blundell played by Nathan Bentley (saxophone) and accompanied by the composer, and repeated in the delightful lecture-recital by Errollyn Wallen on the last Friday of Michaelmas term.
Throughout the year, the choir embraced its customary wide range of music and styles in concerts and during the Wednesday evening service, as well as singing at the University Sermon on 3 November 2019. The carol service was a particular highlight and the singing of the congregation in a packed Chapel resounded wonderfully with the more exuberant hymns and more gently with ‘Silent Night’. There were also memorable solos from Jeremy Beard and George Klaeren, and beautiful readings from Daniel Scotson, Dr Tony Lemon, Greg Jennings (IT Manager) and Tess McCormick (Development Director).
Our Hilary term concert – the last public musical event held at Mansfield before the national lockdown – included Welsh music (for St David’s Day) by Welsh female composer Morfydd Owen, and orchestral works by Vaughan Williams (‘Rhosymedre’), along with a symphony by Johann Christian Bach; George Klaeren was soloist in the aria ‘Es ist vollbracht’ from J S Bach’s Cantata 159, and the choir sang the choral finale of Elgar’s oratorio The Light of Life. A rare cantata by Johann Christian Bach Domine ad adiuvandum, sung by the choir and accompanied by the College’s instrumental
In our group we are always looking to help industries overcome challenges by using our mathematical modelling toolkit. If you would like to learn more about our work, please visit our website: https://people.maths.ox.ac.uk/griffit4/.
One project that we have been working on recently is in collaboration with start-up company Smart Separations. Its newest product, Gino, is a portable home air purifier capable of removing coronavirus from the air by neutralising it, using a biocide-coated surface (https://smartseparations.com/gino/). When designing these air purifiers, one of the first questions that Smart Separations faces is how to position the filters within the air purifier. This involves a delicate balance between the need to maximise purification efficiency, by packing in as much filter material as possible, and minimising the energy required to run the air purifier, which necessitates enough space in the device for the air to pass through easily. The problem can be distilled into an optimisation question, to which our mathematical models have provided the answer.
Professor Ian Griffiths joined Mansfield as Tutorial Fellow in Industrial Mathematics in 2019. His interests lie in a broad range of fluid dynamical challenges, from water purification strategies to the manufacture of glass for computer tablet screens. His approach is to use a blend of modelling, asymptotic, and numerical techniques to enable predictions to be made for the behaviour of such physical systems, and in particular, to give insight into their optimal operating strategies.
22
23
ensemble, made a most accomplished and affirmative conclusion to the programme. Our final service included music by Orlando Gibbons, Edward Bairstow and J S Bach – all immaculately performed by our superb choir. We say goodbye to leavers Jessica Williams, Liyang Han, George Klaeren, Jordan Jones, and Jeremy Beard: all long-standing, committed leaders of a wonderful team. We shall also miss the perfection of Jeremy’s oboe playing and his incredible musicianship. Special thanks also to George Manning and Patryk Imielski for their assistance with the Choir Library – part of a now very large and comprehensive College Music Library. Our success over the years has been possible due to the exceptional talents and commitment of our students, and it has been the greatest privilege to work with them. However, none of our achievements would have been possible without the support of our faithful audiences including the Fellows, other students and friends of the College, and all those who helped behind the scenes – including the administrative staff, the catering department and the Porters’ Lodge – to all of whom I give my most grateful and enduring thanks.
