I am considering proposing a problem

What type of problem can I submit?

We welcome problems from all areas of industry and commerce. Previous Study Groups have worked on problems from a wide variety of applications, including image analysis, decision support for nuclear arms control, studying the degree of mimicry of speech between people, modelling the production of microalumina, customer focused price optimisation, and so forth. Any problem which can be described quantitatively and modelled mathematically or statistically can be submitted. To obtain an idea of what kinds of problem might be suitable, please take a look at descriptions of the problems submitted to the last three ESGI in the UK: ESGI116, ESGI107 and ESGI100.

Past reports are available from the Smith Institute web site as they become available. Click on Collaborators just under the filter bar and then, for example, select UK Study Group 2014 from the list for the ESGI100 reports. When you click on the title of a project, a summary of the report will be displayed. If you then click on the title of the project the full project will be displayed, or downloaded, as a pdf file, depending on how you have configured your browser.

The outcome of the Study Groups has always been very rewarding for companies who have submitted their problems, as illustrated by their testimonials.

Do I have to formulate the problem mathematically?

The answer is no. One of the responsibilities of the organisers is to identify problems which can be described mathematically. They will also work with you to formulate your problem in a mathematical framework. If you are not sure if your problem is suitable, don't hesitate to contact the organisers, they are there to help.

Is there a fee to submit a problem to the study group?

The submission itself is free, but there will be a charge for each problem selected for the Study Group. The level set this year is £8500+VAT. This is to cover all organisation and running costs. For more information please contact the organisers esgi130 at warwick dot ac dot uk.

How does it all work?

The first step will be to contact the organisers to describe your problem and decide if is it suitable for the study group as well as discuss all other arrangements. The next step will be to write a project description for the study group.

If your problem is selected for the study group, you will normally be expected to attend at least the first and the last day of the study group. This is so that you can present your problem and then be available to listen to the final presentations. To get the most benefit from the study group, the problem proposers are encouraged to stay for the full week and to work alongside the mathematicians.

The deliverables of the Study Group are a presentation on the last day and a full report a few weeks later.

For more detail, have a look at the study group schedule.

How do I propose a problem?

The first step will be to contact the organisers esgi130 at warwick dot ac dot uk . You will be asked to provide a brief description of your problem to see if it has some potential for the study group.

We will then be able to discuss the practical arrangements, and if all parties agree to include your problem, we will help you to write a longer problem description for the study group.