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The University of Southampton
Mathematical Sciences

Double success for University of Southampton at the Operational Research (OR) Society May Hicks Awards 2017

Published: 19 September 2017
Photo of award winner Ruth Walton
Ruth Walton (centre) with Ed Alliston (Boeing) left and Jodie Walshe (RNLI) right

Ruth Walton (RNLI) and Ghyslain Gaillard (Inreach), postgraduate students from Southampton's Centre for Operational Research, Management Science and Information Systems (CORMSIS), share OR Society May Hicks Awards 2017 for the best industry-based student projects in Operational Research

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) enlisted expert help from CORMSIS MSc Maths OR student Ruth Walton. “While studying for my undergraduate Maths degree at Southampton, I became interested in Operational Research," she says “During my masters I enjoyed the opportunity to work for 3 months with the RNLI contributing to their warehousing strategy.  I’m now studying for a PhD at Southampton.”

RNLI Decision Support Manager and Southampton Alumnus Jodie Walshe sponsored the project, “The RNLI has been involved with research projects with the University for more than 15 years, across business analytics and engineering."

Ruth was also awarded the Boeing Maths prize for her project, presented by Edward Alliston from Boeing. “My role is to encourage young people to study problem solving. Boeing is keen to engage with students and develop our links with the next generation of engineers,” he says.

 

 

Photo of Ghyslain collecting award
Ghyslain Gaillard receiving his award from Professor Sally Brailsford

Southampton Business School MSc Business Analytics and Finance (BAF) student Ghyslain Gaillard's work involved building a predictive model using state-of-the-art data analytics and machine learning techniques. It helped his project sponsors, InReach Ventures, to assess which start-up companies would prove the best prospects to invest in.  

"As part of my engineering masters degree, I decided to move from France to the UK to study how mathematics and analytics can directly help companies. I particularly enjoyed applying the theory I had learned during my summer project with InReach in London and am delighted they hired me afterwards so I can continue my work," he says.

For more information about the University of Southampton and CORMSIS email Julie Hickman

 

 

 

More details about the OR Society and the May Hicks award can be found on the OR Society website

There were three joint May Hicks Award winners 2017.  The third winner was from Strathclyde University.

 

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