Transforming mathematical expertise into real-world impact: inspiration from the IMI at Bath and CAMaCS at Warwick
Across academia, industry, and the public sector, increasingly complex challenges demand advanced mathematical, statistical, and computational expertise. Yet many research teams and external organisations struggle to access specialist support at the right time and in the right format. Traditional academic structures often make it difficult to embed mathematical expertise flexibly within multidisciplinary projects, limiting both research impact and opportunities for collaboration.
For the benefit of institutions who are interested in applying for MInDs funding, we outline below how the IMI at Bath and CAMaCS at Warwick demonstrate how innovation-focused research teams can bridge this gap while creating sustainable career pathways for mathematical scientists.
The IMI model: a decade of growth and impact
Established in 2015, the Institute for Mathematical Innovation (IMI) at the University of Bath began as a small industry-facing unit and has evolved into a university-wide institute delivering cutting-edge research across academia, industry, government, and the third sector.
At the heart of IMI’s success is its team of Mathematical Innovation Research Associates (MIRAs): PhD-level mathematicians with expertise spanning machine learning, mathematical modelling, optimisation, scientific computing, and statistics. Rather than being tied to a single discipline or project, MIRAs work flexibly across research areas, contributing novel mathematical approaches to complex challenges.
Several key principles have underpinned IMI’s development:
- A dedicated in-house team with broad and complementary expertise
- Flexibility to respond rapidly to emerging research opportunities
- Investment in partnership building through grant development activities and feasibility projects
- Strong engagement with industry and commercial partners
- Early involvement in proposal development to maximise research quality and funding success
Today, IMI comprises 12 researchers, collaborates across all university faculties, and contributes to more than 60 commercial and externally funded projects. The institute recovers over 80% of salary costs through grants and consultancy activities, demonstrating a sustainable model for embedding mathematical expertise across disciplines.
Equally important has been the creation of a clear career framework, with progression routes aligned to academic promotion structures. This has enabled IMI to recruit and retain highly skilled researchers while recognising the distinctive value of interdisciplinary and impact-focused work.
From successful model to strategic centre
The success of IMI has helped inspire a new generation of mathematical innovation centres. One example is the Centre for Applications of Mathematical & Computing Sciences (CAMaCS) at the University of Warwick.
While many institutions begin by appointing one or two Innovation Research Associates (InRAs) within existing departmental structures, scaling impact can be challenging without a coordinated framework.
CAMaCS was established to address this challenge by creating an outward-facing centre to connect Warwick’s academic strengths in mathematics, statistics, and computer science with external partners. Inspired by lessons learned from Bath while tailored to Warwick’s own strengths and priorities, CAMaCS provides a strategic structure for coordinating innovation activity and maximising impact.
Why a centre-based approach works
Bringing Innovation Researchers together within a dedicated space creates advantages that extend beyond individual projects:
- Strategic coordination
- Activities are aligned with institutional priorities and long-term objectives rather than developed solely in response to individual opportunities.
- Flexible resource allocation
- Expertise can be deployed where it is most needed, allowing researchers to contribute across multiple projects and disciplines.
- Stronger external engagement
- A visible hub simplifies engagement for external partners, helping to build long-term relationships and collaborative programmes.
- Measurable impact
- Projects are managed within a structured framework, enabling clear reporting, evaluation, and demonstration of outcomes.
- A professional home for Innovation Researchers
- Centres provide researchers with a shared identity, peer support network, and collaborative environment, helping to avoid the isolation often associated with dispersed roles.
Lessons learned
The experiences of both IMI and CAMaCS highlight several principles that can help institutions build sustainable mathematical innovation capacity:
- Invest in people as well as projects to create continuity, expertise, and long-term impact.
- Design roles and structures that allow expertise to be deployed flexibly across disciplines.
- Create clear and credible career pathways that support recruitment and retention.
- Embed mathematical expertise early in project and proposal development.
- Balance institutional investment with grant and commercial income to achieve sustainability.
- Provide a visible organisational structure that can coordinate activity and strengthen external engagement.
- Foster a collaborative community that enables innovation researchers to learn from and support one another.
A replicable framework for mathematical innovation
Investing in skilled, flexible researchers and providing the structures that allow them to thrive creates lasting benefits for institutions, collaborators, and society. The successes of the IMI and CAMaCS demonstrate how dedicated innovation teams can transform the way universities engage with multidisciplinary external partners.
As demand for mathematical and computational expertise continues to grow, these models offer a proven framework for universities seeking to enhance research quality, strengthen external engagement, and deliver meaningful real-world impact.