Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal Statement
My research interests are in the mathematical modelling of real-world systems, generally focussing on those that include the dynamics of non-Newtonian fluids. I am particularly interested in anisotropic fluids such as liquid crystals, where viscoelasticity is an important consideration, as is their behaviour under electric fields. I also have projects in the areas of medical and biological systems. Current projects also include investigations of active fluids, such as bacterium or micro-organism organisation within fluid flows, and biological flow systems.
In a wider context I am a member of the British Liquid Crystal Society, the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, and a Fellow of the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications, as well as an active participant in the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry and the UK Fluids Network.
I am interested in mathematics applied to real-world problems in a general sense and I welcome enquiries from anyone interested to understand more about mathematical modelling.
Research Interests
Continuum theory of anisotropic materials
- Anisotropy in the natural environment: swimming/self-organised organisms, tissue growth, mixing
- Order parameter changes in nematic liquid crystals: defects, field induced changes, Q tensor theory.
- Theories of biaxial nematic liquid crytals
- Surface effects: induced order, bistabilty in anisotropic fluids.
- Disclination line motion: annihilation, formation, effects of electric field and surface interactions.
- Thin films: flow in thin films of anisotropic fluids, painting and spin-coating.
- Use of fractional calculus to represent memory in dynamical systems.
- Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetics and dynamics
- Blood flow: non-newtonian models of blood flow in microfluidic devices.
- Oxygen transfer: novel medical device modelling for artificial livers.
Collaborations
- I collaborate with scientists from many different disciplines and many countries around the world.
- My industrial collaborations currently include GSK, Merck and Kirkstall and past collaborators include HP, Sharp, Dow Corning.
Academic / Professional qualifications
- 1989-1992: BA in Mathematics at the University of Oxford (Keble College).
- 1992-1996: PhD in the Department of Engineering Mathematics at the University of Bristol. Boundary effects in nematic liquid crystal cells, supervised by Prof. S. J. Hogan (external link)
- 1995-1997: Post Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering Mathematics at the University of Bristol. Working on nematic liquid crystal theory with Prof. Hogan.
- 1997-1999: Post Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. Working on smectic liquid crystal theory with Dr S. J. Elston (external link).
- 1999-2004: Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Strathclyde.
- 2001-2006: EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow
- 2004-2007: Reader in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Strathclyde.
- 2007-present: Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde.
Expertise & Capabilities
Research areas of expertise
- Mathematical modelling of real-world systems
- Fluid dynamics
- Liquid crystal theory
- Optical devices
- Multiphyscics models
- Numerical simulation of fluids, electrostatics, ions.
Keywords
- liquid crystals
- anisotropic material science
- mathematical modelling
- self-organisation
- environmental modelling
- active fluids
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Network
-
London Mathematical Society Durham-Oxford-Strathclyde Network on Anisotropic Materials
1/12/19 → 31/07/20
Project: Knowledge Exchange
-
Young and Young-Laplace equations for a static ridge of nematic liquid crystal, and transitions between equilibrium states
Cousins, J. R. L., Duffy, B. R., Wilson, S. K. & Mottram, N. J., 30 Mar 2022, In: Proceedings A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 478, 2259, 24 p., 20210849.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)10 Downloads (Pure) -
Steady state solutions in a model of a cholesteric liquid crystal sample
da Costa, F. P., Grinfeld, M., Mottram, N. J., Pinto, J. T. & Xyxanadasy, K., 30 Jun 2021, In: Afrika Matematika. 32, p. 645-672 27 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
-
Supplementary material from "Mathematical modelling of fluid flow and solute transport to define operating parameters for <i>in vitro</i> perfusion cell culture systems"
Hyndman, L. (Creator), McKee, S. (Creator), Mottram, N. (Creator), Singh, B. (Contributor), Webb, S. D. (Creator) & McGinty, S. (Creator), figshare, 31 Mar 2023
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.10675049.v1
Dataset
-
Experimental data for dynamic response of a thin sessile drop of conductive liquid to an applied voltage
Mottram, N. (Creator), Wilson, S. (Contributor), Duffy, B. (Contributor), Corson, L. (Creator), Brown, C. (Creator) & Tsakonas, C. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 31 May 2016
DOI: 10.15129/1d0dc167-0e9d-44b9-96d0-b44614d4ac22
Dataset
Prizes
Activities
-
Edinburgh Mathematical Society (External organisation)
Nigel Mottram (Advisor)
2019 → …Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee
-
SIAM Annual Meeting and Materials Science Conference
Nigel Mottram (Participant)
2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Key-note speaker and plenary lectures at conferences