Deirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Big Data Institute, is one of 12 Oxford academics who have been appointed to the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences’ inaugural cohort of Fellows, which will bring together the UK’s strongest mathematicians across academia, education, business, industry, and government to help solve some of the UK’s biggest challenges.
The Academy for the Mathematical Sciences (AcadMathSci), founded in September 2023, brings together academia, education, business, industry, and government from across the UK to provide an authoritative, persuasive, and influential voice for the whole of the mathematical sciences. The Academy’s new Fellowship is bringing together the UK’s ‘hidden problem solvers’, whose breadth of experience and depth of expertise will make the Fellowship much greater than the sum of its parts.
Professor Hollingsworth said ‘I am honoured to be selected as a Fellow, which is a wonderful testament to the pioneering spirit of my research group, colleagues, and collaborators and our shared commitment to advancing our understanding of the dynamics of infectious diseases. I look forward to working with the Academy to further the impact of mathematics in solving complex global challenges and to support the next generations of mathematicians.’
Professor Hollingsworth works on the development of mathematical, statistical, and computational models which inform disease dynamics and translation to global health policy. Her research has focused on developing mathematical models that can be used to predict the spread of these diseases and evaluate the effectiveness of different control strategies.
She has also worked to improve the use of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases and to understand the social and economic factors that drive the spread of these diseases. Professor Hollingsworth founded and leads the Gates Foundation-funded Neglected Tropical Disease Modelling Consortium, which has informed global policy.
Commenting on the Fellowship announcement, Dame Alison Etheridge, founding President of the Academy and Professor of Probability at Oxford’s Department of Statistics, said ‘I’m delighted to welcome our inaugural Fellows – individuals of exceptional distinction who collectively advance the mathematical sciences through discovery, leadership, education’ and real-world application.
‘As Fellows of the Academy, they will come together in service of the wider public good: bringing independent expertise to bear on national priorities, championing excellence in mathematics education, strengthening the UK’s research and innovation base, and helping to ensure that mathematics continues to deliver opportunity, resilience, and prosperity across our four nations.’
UK Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance said ‘The Academy for the Mathematical Sciences’ inaugural Fellows represent the very best of this national capability, and I commend the Academy for bringing them together. Their expertise strengthens our security, boosts productivity and supports high‑quality jobs across the country, so it is only right that they are celebrated.’
Read the full announcement on the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences website.