Professor Nigel Mottram

Research interests

Continuum theory of anisotropic materials

(click title for more information).

• Anisotropy in the natural environment: swimming/self-organised organisms, tissue growth, mixing 
• Order parameter changes in nematic liquid crystals: defects, field induced changes, Q tensor theory.
• Chevron formation and destruction: effects of temperature and shear, electroclinic effect, asymmetric chevrons.
• Ferroelectric liquid crystals: continuum modelling of the switching behaviour, matched asymptotic analysis.
• Surface effects: induced order, bistabilty in anisotropic fluids.
• Disclination line motion: annihilation, formation, effects of electric field and surface interactions.
• Flexoelectricity: effects of flexoelectricity in nematic and smectic liquid crystals.
• Dual frequency materials: a model of dual frequency materials and their use in displays.
• Thin films: flow in thin films of anisotropic fluids, painting and spin-coating.
• Cell Mitosis: modelling of the process of cell division using anisotropic fluid theory.
• Blood flow: non-newtonian models of blood flow.
• Oxygen transfer: novel medical device modelling for artificial livers.
• Atherosclerosis: flow effects and wall stresses in complicated geometries.

Academic / Professional qualifications

• 1989-1992: BA in Mathematics at the University of Oxford (Keble College).
• 1992-1996: PhD in the Department of Engineering Mathematics at the University of Bristol. Boundary effects in nematic liquid crystal cells, supervised by Prof. S. J. Hogan (external link)
• 1995-1997: Post Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering Mathematics at the University of Bristol. Working on nematic liquid crystal theory with Prof. Hogan.
• 1997-1999: Post Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. Working on smectic liquid crystal theory with Dr S. J. Elston (external link).
• 1999-2004: Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Strathclyde.
• 2001-2006: EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow
• 2004-2007: Reader in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Strathclyde.
• 2007-present: Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde.

• Anisotropic liquid dielectrophoresis and interfacial forces (Co-investigator)
• POC6 NOVEL BISTABLE LIQUID CRYSTAL DEVICE FOR PORTABLE DISPLAY DEVICE APPLICATIONS (Principal investigator)
• Anisotropy in the Natural Environment (Principal investigator)
• Anisotropy in the Natural Environment (Principal investigator)
• Mathematical modelling of cell motion - extension (Principal investigator)
• A novel bistable liquid crystal technology for low power flexible display applications (Principal investigator)
• Workshops: UK Mathematics in Medicine Study Groups (2009 - 2012) (Principal investigator)
• Mathematical modelling of cell motion (Co-investigator)
• PoC+ A novel bistable liquid crystal display device for portable display device applications (Principal investigator)
• SIDEWALL CONTROL OF MULTISTATE SWITCHABLE PHOTONIC DEVICES (Principal investigator)
• ADAPTIVE NUMERICAL METHODS FOR OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES PFACT 69 (Co-investigator)
• Mathematical Modelling of the Initiation of Atherosclerosis (Principal investigator)