Professor Dooley works across a broad area of mathematical analysis, a branch of mathematics that can be applied to diverse fields such as economic and financial modelling, and climate and weather prediction.

Professor Dooley was Head of the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the UNSW for four years, where he had risen through the academic ranks after joining the university as a Post Doctoral researcher in 1980.

Amongst his many accomplishments, he has been chair of the Academic Board at UNSW, a member of the UK EPSRC Peer Review College for Mathematics and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

He established the Australian Centre for Commercial Mathematics (ACCM), bringing together mathematicians and experts from a range of industries to solve real-life commercial problems from traffic modelling to mining subsidence.

Professor Dooley’s research interests include the mathematics behind quantum mechanics and relativity theory, and how the geometry of the Universe can be used to predict the particles which can exist. The “Lie groups” which describe the symmetries of these geometries were studied by Lie in the late 19th century, and now form a major part of modern mathematics.

Professor Dooley also works in the area of dynamical systems, which is the mathematical study of how chaotic systems evolve as time elapses. He has worked with statisticians to apply these systems to climate modelling and the prediction of financial markets.

He said: “My work includes studying more dimensions than the three that exist in the physical world. If you can understand the world in, say, 100 dimensions, you can apply the same theory to predict complex systems such as the performance of stock portfolios.

“I’m really excited to be working at Bath. I’ve had collaborations with European researchers for many years and so I’m really looking forward to being part of the European network in my research field.”

Simon Priestley, a 21-year-old Coach Education & Sports Development student, is currently on placement at Bath & North East Somerset Council where he is part of the team that is organising the city’s celebrations of this unique event.

“Working here really gives you a sense that people are looking forward to the Torch Relay, the Olympics and Paralympics.”

Simon is working on the marketing and communications of the Olympic Torch Relay when it come to Bath as well as the Paralympic flame which will come to the city  later this summer, which were marked by  launch events at the Roman Baths and the University. He’s also part of the team behind the World Record attempt to form the largest ‘Human Olympic Rings’, hoping to attract 5,000 to form the five Olympic rings in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park, overlooking the Royal Crescent.

“I’ve also been involved in promoting other Olympic Legacy programmes such as the Gold Challenge, a charity challenge that encourages people to try out different Olympic and Paralympic sports, completing 2012 km or doing 2012 minutes of exercise, all to raise money for charity.”

“The Torch Relay and World Record Attempt are going to be huge highlights in my year on placement.”

Having played a part in the build-up to the Games, Simon is also going to be experiencing the Olympics first hand, volunteering at the rowing events at Eton Dorney. 

I wanted to get as close to the Games as possible! I’ll still be trying to go see some events rather than working at them, but, and it sounds clichéd, this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I can say I helped put on the greatest show on earth!”

“I’m really looking forward to just being in an ‘Olympic environment’ and to hopefully seeing a British crowd cheer our rowers on to victory at Eton Dorney.”

When Simon graduates he will be applying for a career in the Royal Navy. “It was really inspiring to see the flame arriving from Greece at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and being flown to the Torch Relay start point by one of the Naval Air Squadrons.

“My aspiration is to join the Royal Navy, however throughout my placement I’ve been in a great place to learn and watch people who are experienced in event organisation, marketing and communications I’ve particularly enjoyed working in these areas so it’s good to know that there are areas in the civilian world I’d also be interested in getting a job in, hopefully in the sporting world somewhere.”

David Clifford and Silvy Peeters from the University’s Tobacco Control Research Group joined an international group of tobacco control experts and health economists who met in Brussels recently to make the recommendations to officials from the European Council and European Commission.

The recommendations included a significant increase in the taxation of all tobacco products to both improve public health and generate additional tax revenues.

David Clifford said: “It is well known that increasing the tax on tobacco products is important for reducing tobacco consumption and therefore improving public health.

“Further increases, particularly large increases, could also limit the tobacco companies’ ability to engage in price-based marketing such as multi-buy offers which target young people and those on low incomes.”

The recommendations were based on the findings of a three-year research project: ‘Pricing Policies and Control of Tobacco in Europe (PPACTE)’, funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme, and with research undertaken by research groups across seven different countries, including the Tobacco Control Research Group in Bath, led by Professor Anna Gilmore.

The group also recommend that there be full alignment of tax rates, so that fine-cut tobacco for roll-your-own cigarettes (and also pipe tobacco) is taxed at the same rate as manufactured cigarettes.

David said: “Aligning the tax rates for all tobacco products would improve the effectiveness of tax increases; the current tax system provides smokers with an incentive to switch to roll-your-own tobacco rather than quit smoking, which undermines the public health benefit of tobacco tax increases.”

Other recommendations included banning the sale of cigarettes below cost and low-price-based marketing, application of an ad valorem tax of minimum 80 per cent and ideally 83 per cent, maintenance of the embargo on the smokeless tobacco snus and the launch of an investigation by the European Commission of illegal sales of snus.

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The University of Bath’s new Widening Participation Office is hosting free three-day workshops to help potential students make choices about their future.

They are specifically aimed at students from a range of diverse backgrounds, aged 16-19.

The workshops are being run throughout June and July and are focussed around sport, TV production, engineering and robotics and gaming.

They were formerly run by the Division for Lifelong Learning and provide a taste of Higher Education and link to the University’s Foundation Degrees which are delivered by local partner colleges and organisations.

Gemma Palmer, Outreach Officer, said: “The emphasis is on having fun whilst learning. Attendees get to meet and work with actual tutors and interact with current Higher Education students.

“At most of our Foundation degree workshops participants spend two days at one of our FE College partners and the last day at the University of Bath.

“They can then use all of this experience to help them make the correct decision both in terms of the course and type of institution they want to study.

“Priority is given to students who meet certain entry criteria however we try and help all students who apply where possible. I certainly wish these taster workshops had been around when I made my decision!”

Maya Phillips, aged 16, a pupil at the John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge who attended the TV production workshop,  said: “I’ve always been interested in TV and film so when the school told me about the TV production workshop I was keen to attend.

“I found the workshop interesting especially as I got some practical work experience with specialist equipment. I really enjoyed it as it gave me a great insight into what Higher Education study would be like in this subject.

“This workshop has helped me to make some decisions about my future direction. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is either not quite sure about the course they want to study or whether they should go on to higher education at all.”

For full details of the up and coming HE workshops taking place this June and July please visit the website.

We have some of the best sports facilities in the country on one site and athletes and their coaches from four continents will flock to Bath to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the biggest sporting show on earth.

• ParalympicsGB selected Bath to host its London 2012 preparation camps back in 2009. Our world-class facilities, compact site and sports technical expertise, including our proven track record of providing outstanding physiotherapy, sports science and medical services to elite athletes, were leading factors in why we were chosen.

ParalympicsGB athletes, coaches and support staff have attended camps at our Claverton campus in the summers of 2010 and 2011, and will return again this summer for the final camp in Bath before moving to the Games Village.

• China will be basing 25 top swimmers at the University for three weeks before the start of London 2012. They were impressed with our world-leading swim facilities which include a 50m pool plus sport science back-up areas for physiology, physiotherapy, ice-baths and saunas, as well as video-analysis capabilities.
• A 30-strong contingent of Russia’s top track and field athletes will train on campus in the build-up to the Games and stay in accommodation on campus.
• Malaysian badminton athletes will train at the University in the build-up to both the London 2012 and to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In 2010 the Malaysian Government, through the Malaysian National Sports Institute, signed a wide-ranging reciprocal sports and academic agreement.

Olympic and Paralympic athletes from numerous other nations have also selected the Sports Training Village as their base:

• Olympic athletes from Iceland in athletics and swimming 
• Olympic athletes and swimming teams from the United Arab Emirates
• Olympic athletes from Libya in swimming, judo, athletics, powerlifting and taekwondo
• Swimmers, boxers and track & field athletes from St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Paralympic swimmers and athletes from Denmark

Teams that are expected to train here this summer are:

• Olympic athletes from Afghanistan in powerlifting and athletics
• Olympic athletes from Yemen in swimming, judo, athletics, wrestling and taekwondo

Athletes from Barbados, Cyprus, Egypt, Ghana, Lithuania and the Republic of Ireland have also trained at the University ahead of 2012. 

“It’s fantastic that we’ll have so many athletes from so many different countries training at the University of Bath ahead of London 2012,” said Stephen Baddeley, Director of Sport at the University of Bath.

“It will be a veritable United Nations at the Sports Training Village and it’s with great pride that we’ll welcome these teams to the University.”

Staff from Security Services and the Department of Sports Development & Recreation are already supporting official organisers on the day to get the route set up and ready.

But additional volunteers are now needed to act as stewards to help ensure all spectators can view the relay safely.

Those volunteering will be located on the road so will be ensured of an excellent view once the procession begins.

Those interested in helping will need to be available between 1.30pm and 4pm so please ensure you have your line manager’s permission before volunteering.

Please contact Juliet Dormer on ext 5956 or via email: j.g.dormer@bath.ac.uk for more details.

A full briefing of duties will be given to all volunteers beforehand.

Miles will be responsible for leading the newly created Enterprise & Knowledge Exploitation team (EKE) formed as a consequence of merging Bath Ventures into RDSO; EKE brings together the University’s KTP activities, the Bath Ventures Technology Transfer team, and the Carpenter House Innovation Centre.

As Head of EKE, Miles will develop the new team which will be responsible for working with academic staff to stimulate and develop the use of our research with external partners and to generate new research income. The team also has responsibility for activities relating to entrepreneurship and effective interaction with business.

Miles will already be known to many colleagues, as he has previously held roles as both a KTP Programme Manager and Research Portfolio Manager for Energy & the Environment where he has developed and obtained significant funding across a range of University disciplines and departments.

Speaking of his appointment, Miles said: “I am very much looking forward to taking on this challenging role. In conjunction with the Enterprise & Knowledge Exploitation team I will work with our academic staff to build on Bath’s reputation for delivering impact from its research base through entrepreneurship and partnerships with key stakeholders.”

Professor Jane Millar, PVC (Research) said: “This is an important role, bringing together existing enterprise and exploitation activities into one place, and integrating this into RDSO to provide a professional support service across the whole research lifecyle, from idea to impact.”

Miles is a graduate of the University of York, holds an MSc from the University of Surrey and a PhD from Imperial College London. Prior to working at the University of Bath, Miles was a consultant with WRc plc in Swindon.