History
Launched in 2005, the Maxwell Institute was initially supported by funds from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) It combines mathematical research and graduate training in the School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh and the Departments of Mathematics and of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics at Heriot-Watt University. The Maxwell Institute builds on the long history of collaboration between the three departments, best exemplified by the establishment and continued operation of the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS).
Since 2018, the Maxwell Institute has a physical home on the top floor of the Bayes Building which it shares with the ICMS , creating a hub for mathematical sciences research, training and applications in central Edinburgh.
Mission and strategy
Our mission is to be an internationally leading centre for the mathematical sciences, addressing the challenges of the 21 st- century. We aim to advance mathematical research and its applications, promote work at interdisciplinary interfaces, and deliver research training of the highest quality. In doing so, we contribute to the impact of mathematics on society and to its increasing visibility as an agent of progress.
To deliver our aims, we have adopted a strategy with three broad objectives: (i) to vigorously develop fields which directly connect to applications, particularly those driven by the rapid growth in data science; (ii) to strengthen our world-leading activities in core mathematical-science topics; and (iii) to invest in early-career staff and graduate students and thoroughly support their development.