The classification of algebraic varieties up to birational equivalence has long been a fundamental problem of Algebraic Geometry.Two varieties are birationally equivalent if they become isomorphic after removing a small subset. It is possible to produce ever larger varieties by simple birational operations (such as blowing up subvarieties), and hence classifying varieties amounts to finding a best, or ``minimal , representative for a birational equivalence class. The Minimal Model Program (MMP) is a still incomplete project started in the 1970s, which given an algebraic variety X, performs a finite number of elementary steps to produce an end product of pure geometric type. These pure geometric type are minimal models on the one hand, and Fano varieties on the other.Minimal models, as their name indicates, realise the hope of being a best (minimal) match for their equivalence class. Fano varieties are close to projective spaces, and should be thought of as the higher dimensional analogue of the sphere in the Uniformisation theorem for Riemann surfaces. Assuming the MMP, the problem of classification of varieties is reduced to understanding the elementary steps of the MMP and its possible outcomes. There remain a number of open questions to achieve completion of the MMP in higher dimensions. In dimension 3, the MMP was completed in the 80s, yet our understanding of its products is partial at best. Some very natural questions remain unanswered. For instance, since the end product of the MMP is not unique, when are two possible end products of the MMP birational? Is it possible to tell which end products are rational, i.e. birational to projective space? My research aims at answering these questions for Fano 3-folds. The MMP produces varieties that are mildly singular-- in dimension 3, these singularities are isolated points. My research shows that when a Fano has ``many'' singular points it tends to acquire many birational maps to other Fano 3-folds, and therefore behave like projective space. What ``many'' means in this context is topological: a Fano has many singular points if these singular points actually lie on a surface S contained in X that is not a hyperplane section of X. My research project argues that, conversally, if there is no such surface lying on X, X behaves as if it was nonsingular. Surprisingly, for Fanos of small degree, this often implies that they are only birational to very few other Fano 3-folds and are therefore nonrational.

The classification of algebraic varieties up to birational equivalence has long been a fundamental problem of Algebraic Geometry.Two varieties are birationally equivalent if they become isomorphic after removing a small subset. It is possible to produce ever larger varieties by simple birational operations (such as blowing up subvarieties), and hence classifying varieties amounts to finding a best, or ``minimal , representative for a birational equivalence class. The Minimal Model Program (MMP) is a still incomplete project started in the 1970s, which given an algebraic variety X, performs a finite number of elementary steps to produce an end product of pure geometric type. These pure geometric type are minimal models on the one hand, and Fano varieties on the other.Minimal models, as their name indicates, realise the hope of being a best (minimal) match for their equivalence class. Fano varieties are close to projective spaces, and should be thought of as the higher dimensional analogue of the sphere in the Uniformisation theorem for Riemann surfaces. Assuming the MMP, the problem of classification of varieties is reduced to understanding the elementary steps of the MMP and its possible outcomes. There remain a number of open questions to achieve completion of the MMP in higher dimensions. In dimension 3, the MMP was completed in the 80s, yet our understanding of its products is partial at best. Some very natural questions remain unanswered. For instance, since the end product of the MMP is not unique, when are two possible end products of the MMP birational? Is it possible to tell which end products are rational, i.e. birational to projective space? My research aims at answering these questions for Fano 3-folds. The MMP produces varieties that are mildly singular-- in dimension 3, these singularities are isolated points. My research shows that when a Fano has ``many'' singular points it tends to acquire many birational maps to other Fano 3-folds, and therefore behave like projective space. What ``many'' means in this context is topological: a Fano has many singular points if these singular points actually lie on a surface S contained in X that is not a hyperplane section of X. My research project argues that, conversally, if there is no such surface lying on X, X behaves as if it was nonsingular. Surprisingly, for Fanos of small degree, this often implies that they are only birational to very few other Fano 3-folds and are therefore nonrational.

Re4Rail project aims to build new technological enablers for sustainable asset management throughout the life cycle of railway granular media (RGM). The technological enablers include a health monitoring system (during service for repair) and circularity management (through end-of-life reuse, recycle and repurpose) aiming for zero carbon emissions of RGM, of which railway ballast and sub-ballast provide crucial support to track systems. Re4Rail will be achieved by establishing an innovative AI & digital twin-based automated technology for real-time RGM defect diagnosis and prognosis (Re4Tech). The applicant will conduct Re4Rail under the supervision of world-renown scientists at University of Birmingham (UoB), and secondment supervisors across sectors at Loram Finland Oy (non-academic) and at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (academic). Not only will Re4Rail revolutionise the smart maintenance and circular economy for RGM, but it will also enact the applicant's new competency in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and geophysics, and endorse my employability skills in both academia and industry within UK and Europe. It also opens a new door of using novel data science tools (AI and digital twin) in solving challenging engineering issues (RGM digitalisation and sustainability) towards accomplishing global common goal (zero carbon emissions). Re4Tech will reduce RGM-related costs by 55% (expected) through the following improvements: (i) Re4Tech will classify and guide materials circularity optimisation, which will reduce the inspection and maintenance frequencies by 80% (expected); (ii) increase RGM operational life by 50% (expected); and (iii) reduce usage of raw granular materials by 40% (expected). Re4Rail will reduce carbon emissions by 70% (expected) throughout its life cycle, plus reducing inspection and maintenance frequencies. Re4Rail will empower Europe to certainly become a world leader in digital maintenance of railway towards net zero by 2030.

Progress in nanotechnology relies upon the production of nanoparticles. During the past decade many recipes have been introduced for the synthesis of nanoparticles from the solution phase, including particles of different composition, shape, and architecture such as core and shell structures. In spite of this extensive work we lack a molecular level understanding of the nucleation and growth of nanoparticles that could lead to their rational, rather than empirical, design. We propose a new approach based upon a combination of X-ray probes and interfacial localization of the evolving nanoparticle structure.Most of the solution phase routes to metal nanoparticles exploit the reduction of the metal ion by a reducing agent. This agent (or another species) can act as a capping ligand, defining the particle size. The study of the growth process of metal nanoparticles is greatly simplified if reactants (i.e., metal ion and reducing agent) are physically separated from one another, by their locaton in two (immiscible) liquid phases. Nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles then takes place at the interface between these two liquid phases. Such localization allows for the use of X-ray absorption, which would not readily detect particles dispersed homogeneously across a solution volume, but can be applied in the interfacial case because the particles are highly concentrated at the interface. X-ray absorption spectroscopy probes the local geometric and electronic structure in non-crystalline systems, including determination of the chemical species and the chemical state of the atoms. In addition to this spectroscopic probe, we propose to use a structural probe, X-ray surface scattering, to study the in-plane and out-of-plane structure, including the shape, size, and organization of the particles, as well as the depletion of reactant species near the interface. We propose to combine these X-ray techniques with electrochemical control of the interfacial reaction at the liquid/liquid interface, both to monitor the progress in particle growth as well as to investigate the influence of the applied potential in controlling particle production.The proposed collaboration of scientists from the UK and the USA will use state-of-the-art X-ray spectroscopy, surface scattering and electrochemistry techniques. The PI from the USA has expertise combining X-ray surface scattering with in situ electrochemical control of the liquid-liquid interface. ThePIs from the UK have combined expertise in synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy and in the growth and characterization of metal nanoparticles at the liquid-liquid interface. This unusual and complementary set of techniques and approaches will be used to investigate the nucleation and growth of metalnanoparticles with the aim of understanding these processes at the molecular level in order to provide the basis for a rational approach to their synthesis.A molecular-level understanding of metal nanoparticle nucleation and growth will allow for the production of nanoparticles with designed properties. This should influence the development of applications of nanoparticles in a number of areas, including the design of new materials for catalytic,opto-electronic, and coating applications.The proposed collaboration utilizing state-of-the-art X-ray spectroscopy and surface scattering, as well as electrochemical analysis will provide a rare, possibly unique, collection of techniques and approaches. There are not many researchers with expertise in both X-ray spectroscopy and surfacescattering, in spite of the complementarity of these techniques in characterizing materials. Similarly, experts in synchrotron X-ray techniques are rarely familiar with a broad range of analytical chemistry techniques. The opportunity for cross training in these areas will provide early career researchers with a unique perspective at the beginning of their careers.

Artists with physical impairments typically have great difficulty and numerous obstacles they must overcome when working on their art. These obstacles can be overcome through the use of head wands, mouth sticks, and custom designed pointers with special grips for holding brushes. Whilst these assistive tools can help make the artistic process more accessible, they often result in unnatural movements consistently repeated on multiple occasions - this, in turn, can lead to other physical issues such as severe neck strain and damage to teeth. Moreover, if any adjustments are required after the initial setup, support staff need to be available to help the artist. This lack of independence and reliance on other people can result in a frustrating and tedious experience for disabled artists that disrupts their creative process. A digital approach can help address many of these issues by supporting and extending the existing abilities of physically disabled artists, transforming their creative opportunities in terms of artistic freedom and expression. A new opportunity has recently emerged with the release of several innovative and affordable sensors that have the potential to transform how people with physical disabilities interact with computing systems. For instance, sensors and devices such as the Microsoft Kinect, Leap Motion, Touch+, and Tobii EyeX allow systems to accurately track body movements in real time enabling people to interact with systems in new ways. These sensors hold much potential as assistive tools, but no studies to date have explicitly explored how they can be used to create digital tools that support, extend, and transform practice for disabled artists. Digital tools that utilise these innovative interaction approaches will transform opportunities for disabled artists raising numerous important and timely arts and humanities research questions around their impact on practice, visualisation of creative process, artistic identity, perceptions of authenticity, and audiences/artists' broader perceptions of work. For instance, these sensors can make traditional art forms that are currently difficult or impossible for physically impaired artists to participate in (e.g. sculpting for double amputees or people with severe arthritis) more readily available and accessible in digital form. This, in turn, gives rise to new hybridised art forms (e.g. digital sculpting via mid-air gesturing, 3D printing of digital models, etc.) that have received no attention to date in the context of disability arts. Our longer term goal, therefore, is to develop a suite of digital tools that support, extend, and transform the practice of disabled artists and to research the impact this has on creative process and output. To successfully achieve this goal it is essential that we initially build an international cross discipline/sector network of academics, practicing artists, disability arts and accessibility organisations, charities, developers, arts/cultural organisations, and user experience specialists (with extensive experience in participatory user design). This mix of organisations and leaders in the field will enable us to explore this area from different perspectives, to co-design and develop innovative prototypes (tailored to the needs of disabled artists), and to effectively evaluate the impact these tools have on artistic practice, identity, and perceptions of authenticity and artistic voice. These different perspectives will also allow us to lead in scoping out the research space and setting the research agenda by highlighting the priority areas over the next five to ten years. This network will also ensure that work will be disseminated across all sectors helping to build a profile around the project and will raise awareness around the potential of digital tools in the disability arts space.