Mathematical Innovators in the Digital Space (MInDS) is a four-year initiative, which began in April 2025, to develop the “Innovation Research Associate” (InRA) professional career space for impact-driven mathematical sciences. We are a collaboration between the Centre for Applications of Mathematical and Computing Sciences (CAMaCS) at the University of Warwick, the Institute for Mathematical Innovation (IMI) at the University of Bath, the Mathematical Sciences Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, and the UK Knowledge Exchange Hub for Mathematical Sciences (KE Hub). MInDS is funded by a NetworkPlus grant from UKRI’s Digital Research Technical Professionals call.
What is an Innovation Research Associate (InRA)?
Building on a career model developed at the Institute of Mathematical Innovation (Bath) and the Centre for Applications of Mathematical and Computing Sciences (Warwick), the InRA role is designed to harness the potential of mathematical sciences PhD graduates for dynamically translating mathematical research into tangible societal and industrial impacts.
InRAs (the naming of which differs between institutions) are a new category of Research Technology Professionals (RTPs) specialising in knowledge exchange and research impact. While typically rooted in mathematical sciences, the InRA role has far-reaching benefits across other disciplines, with InRAs collaborating with academic and BIG (Business, Industry, and Government) partners on solving complex challenges, enhancing research outcomes through cross-disciplinary work. Their contributions not only support academic advancement but also foster innovation within industry and government, directly contributing to economic growth.
MInDS invites university mathematical sciences departments to apply for funding to:
- initiate the creation of local InRA positions that strengthen the growth of the nationwide InRA network, and/or
- host events that support the growth of the InRA network across the UK.
InRAs provide mathematical sciences departments with the ability to respond agilely to emerging external opportunities, broadening access to funding, facilitating rapid project initiation, and enabling departments/institutions to contribute in a strategic and responsive way to national innovation goals, fuelling much deeper relationships with industry and contributing to impact success stories.
What will the ‘Mathematical Innovators in the Digital Space’ (MInDS) initiative do?
MInDS is a major national initiative whose vision is to:
- build a national platform to support and rapidly grow a UK-wide community of InRAs;
- expand this career path to meet the urgent demand for skilled professionals in a data-driven era, facilitating the success of UK mathematical sciences departments;
- ensure InRAs become a central part of the UK’s strategy to drive innovation and address complex challenges of our data-intensive future.
There are currently more than 20 staff around the UK who have InRA-style roles, and we aim to significantly increase this number by 2029.
How will MInDS do it?
The major component of the MInDs budget is £860K of co-funding which will be made available to mathematical sciences departments to help develop InRA positions. MInDs will further support a variety of activities around the UK to help support the growing InRA community; these will include sandpits, networking events, and an annual InRA congresses (or “Jamboree”).
From mid-2025, regular calls will go out through the KE Hub for mathematical sciences departments to apply for co-funding from MInDS to create InRA positions (specifically the first 6-12 months can be supported by MInDS, subject to meeting certain criteria), as well as to host any of the suite of events outlined above.
In addition, MInDS will support the career development of the growing InRA community through training and networking events. MInDS will also work in collaboration with the Academy for Mathematical Sciences to develop a template for career progression that aligns with existing promotion criteria at UK institutions, enabling InRAs to advance into indefinite positions up to professorial-equivalent roles.
Mathematical sciences departments who are interested in applying for funding to create their own InRA positions can do so by applying to the MInDS Flexible Fund. Details on how to apply and our rolling quarterly deadlines can be found on our “Flexible Fund” page.
We also welcome applications for funding to host InRA-related sandpits, networking events, or congresses.
You can read about the development of successful InRA groups at the IMI (Bath) and CAMaCS (Warwick) here.