Abigail Coleman
Hi! I'm Abi, and I'm currently a second year PhD in the MathSys II CDT. My background is mainly in fluid dynamics from my undergraduate master's degree at the University of Manchester, where I produced a third year project on Extracting Energy from Waves, and a fourth year project on Aerodynamics of Sports Balls.
Currently I'm pursuing a PhD in epidemiology, supervised by Professor Matt Keeling, specifically using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to fit models for the spread of Varroa Destructor in domesticated honeybees.
I'm also the head of the Warwick Piscopia committee, which is an initiative that hopes to get more women and non-binary people into Maths.
Bee Disease Work
Pollinators are an extremely important resource, and wild bees are declining due to pressures such as climate change and habitat loss. Managed honey bees can be transported to fields in order to provide pollination services, and their diseases can be treated by their beekeepers, so they're an important tool in agriculture. However, since the mite Varroa destructor (varroa) host switched from the Asian honeybee to the European honeybee and spread globally the number of beekeepers and managed beehives has fallen, partly due to the costs associated with treating for varroa and the diseases it vectors. Hopefully, my modelling work can be used to help control emerging diseases in the future.
Upcoming presentations:
SPAAM Seminar, Thurs 26th Jan 2023 3-4pm
Previous presentations:
Applied Statistics and Risk Unit Partnership Day Poster Presentation, Wed 14th Dec 12-13pm
SBIDER Snacks Seminar, Tues 8th Nov 2022, 11am
SPAAM Seminar, Thurs 20th Jan 2022, 3-4pm
Epidemics 8 Online Poster Presentation 30th Nov - 3rd Dec 2021
Education:
MSc in Mathematics of Real World Systems (Distinction) University of Warwick
MMath Master's in Mathematics (First Class Honours) University of Manchester
Previous Projects:
Modelling the Spread and Non-reporting of Varroa destructor in England and Wales in 1992-92 - MSc solo project
Wealth Dynamics: Reallocation, Debt and Bankruptcy - MSc group project
Aerodynamics of Sports Balls - MMath 4th year project
Extracting Energy from Ocean Waves - MMath 3rd year project
Extracurriculars:
I enjoy crocheting, sewing, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
World of Woolcraft, where we get together and craft for an hour, happens every week at 3:30 on Wednesday.
CONTACT:
abi.coleman@warwick.ac.uk
OFFICE:
D2.05