International Outreach - Public Engagement

Recent International Outreach Talks

Title: Eigenvalues and Resonances in Applied Sciences

December 21, 2023: School of Mathematics, Nantong University, Nantong, China.

December 15, 2023: School of Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.

Outreach - Public Engagement

Post-16 Widening Participation Royal Society Masterclass, 8th March 2023

Title: Big Data Calculations in STEM

Description: This workshop will build on your knowledge of vectors, then extend to matrices, and show how they are part of a family of mathematical structures called tensors. We will explore how large amounts of data can be managed and handled through vectors and matrices. A hands-on introduction to MATLAB will include calculating physical properties using matrices and you will learn how these techniques can be used to solve physical problems from quantum chemistry calculations on atoms and molecules to automatic face recognition.

Morning session (90 minutes)

Part 1: Introduction to Big Data in STEM - applications, challenges, computing (10 minutes)

Part 2: Storing information on computers - vectors, matrices and tensors (30 minutes)

  1. Vectors and introduction to matrices via interactive game

  2. Introduction to tensors and unfolding of tensors (in the context of vectors and matrices) – dimensionality reduction

Part 3: Introduction to MATLAB: a hands-on activity (40 minutes)

  1. Storing information in arrays (vectors, matrices and tensors) %plotting 2-D and 3-D vectors

  2. Reading large data sets from external sources (Finance app)

Afternoon session (90 minutes)

Part 1: Solving physical problems (40 minutes)

  1. Matrices in quantum chemistry

  2. Matrices and the finite element method in engineering

  3. Tensors and data compression techniques

Part 2: Using MATLAB for data compression: a hands-on activity (35 minutes)

  1. SVD in image compression

Part 3: Q&A and evaluation (10 minutes)

Quantum Chemistry Workshop (Year 12 Sussex Access Programme), 12 January 2023

Title: Quantum Chemistry Workshop

Description: The workshop provides an introduction to quantum chemistry (atomic models,spectroscopy,Bohr’s explanation of the periodic table etc) in conjunction with hands-on activities.

Introduction to Quantum Chemistry (Prof. M. Melgaard)

Quantum Chemistry in action: hands-on activities

Activity 1: The Quantum Leap Game – the Bohr model of the atom

Activity 2: The Chemical Detective – Guess the Gas

Activity 3: Making Molecules – a taste of University study

Royal Society APEX Masterclass, 15th June 2022

Title: Big Data Calculations in STEM

Description: This workshop will build on your knowledge of vectors, then extend to matrices, and show how they are part of a family of mathematical structures called tensors. We will explore how large amounts of data can be managed and handled through vectors and matrices. A hands-on introduction to MATLAB will include calculating physical properties using matrices and you will learn how these techniques can be used to solve physical problems from quantum chemistry calculations on atoms and molecules to automatic face recognition.

Morning session (90 minutes)

Part 1: Introduction to Big Data in STEM - applications, challenges, computing (10 minutes)

Part 2: Storing information on computers - vectors, matrices and tensors (30 minutes)

  1. Vectors and introduction to matrices via interactive game

  2. Introduction to tensors and unfolding of tensors (in the context of vectors and matrices) – dimensionality reduction

Part 3: Introduction to MATLAB: a hands-on activity (40 minutes)

  1. Storing information in arrays (vectors, matrices and tensors) %plotting 2-D and 3-D vectors

  2. Reading large data sets from external sources (Finance app)

Afternoon session (90 minutes)

Part 1: Solving physical problems (40 minutes)

  1. Matrices in quantum chemistry

  2. Matrices and the finite element method in engineering

  3. Tensors and data compression techniques

Part 2: Using MATLAB for data compression: a hands-on activity (35 minutes)

  1. SVD in image compression

Part 3: Q&A and evaluation (10 minutes)