Dr Peter Davidson
Teaching Fellow
Mathematics and Statistics
Personal statement
My research interests are in geometric methods in combinatorial group theory, semigroup theory, applied topology, and mathematical formalisation. I obtained my PhD from the Univeristy of Glasgow in 2008 under the supervision of Prof. Stephen J. Pride. I joined the University of Strathclyde in that year as a Teaching Assistant and I am now a Teaching Fellow. Between 2011 and 2018 I was the Manager of the University's Maths Skills Support Centre.
I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Ordinary Member of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society. I sat on the society's Education Committee between 2016 and 2024. I am currently the Year 5 Coordinator for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and was previsouly the department's Chief Undergraduate Academic Selector, Year 1 Coordinator, UG SSLC Convenor and Directory of Teaching.
Qualifications
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (August 2019).
Publications
- β-diversity and graph sheaf Laplacians
- Davidson Peter, Grinfeld Michael
- (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2601.17466
- A Template for Accessible Lecture Notes
- Davidson Peter
- (2024)
- The provision of mathematics and statistics support in Scottish higher education institutions (2017) : a comparative study by the Scottish mathematics support network
- Ahmed Shazia, Davidson Peter, Durkacz Kate, Macdonald Calum, Richard Morgiane, Walker Alan
- MSOR Connections Vol 16, pp. 5-19 (2018)
- https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v16i3.798
- The word problem for Pride groups
- Davidson Peter
- Communications in Algebra Vol 42, pp. 1448-1459 (2014)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00927872.2012.731620
- Second order Dehn functions of Pride groups
- Davidson Peter
- Journal of Group Theory Vol 15, pp. 513-527 (2012)
- https://doi.org/10.1515/jgt-2012-0007
- On the asphericity of a family of relative group presentations
- Davidson PJ
- International Journal of Algebra and Computation Vol 19, pp. 159-189 (2009)
- https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218196709005007
Teaching
In 2026/27 I will be teaching:
- MM143 Mathematical Foundations
- MM359 Algebraic Structures
Previous teaching:
- MM101 Introduction to Calculus
- MM103 Geometry and Algebra with Applications
- MM105 Applications of Mathematics
- MM112 Mathematics 2B
- MM113 Mathematics 1E
- MM114 Mathematics 2E
- MM116 Mathematics 1C
- MM117 Mathematics 1D
- MM125 Mathematics Summer School
- MM202 Advanced Calculus
- MM211 Mathematics 3B
- MM213 Engineering Mathematics 3E
- MM215 Mathematics 2D
- MM217 Mathematics 2M
- MM311 Mathematics 4B
I have supervised a number of level 4 honours projects in topics such as topology, theory of automata, complex dynamics, geometry, knot theory, number theory and group theory.
Research Interests
I am interested in a number of areas in combinatorial group theory and semigroup theory:
- the word problem for finitely presented group
- Dehn functions of groups
- asphericity of relative group presentations
- groups defined by finite state automata
- inverse semigroups
More recently, I have been investigating how to use the formal proof assistant Lean4 in mathematical education.
I am also interested in pedagogical research in the mathematical sciences, particularly in areas related to mathematics and satistics support.
Professional Activities
- PRIMES: Pedagogy and Practice in Mathematics Education Scotland
- Speaker
- 27/3/2026
- Mathematics and Statistics Teaching Away Day
- Participant
- 19/5/2025
- Accessibility in the mathematical sciences
- Speaker
- 13/8/2024
- Mathematics & Statistics Teaching Away Day
- Participant
- 22/5/2024
Projects
- Creative Knowledge Exchange: Engagement Between Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering and the Creative Arts
- Dombi, Erzsebet (Principal Investigator) Banas, Neil (Co-investigator) Davidson, Peter (Co-investigator) Devlin, Jon (Co-investigator) Kelly, Louise (Co-investigator) Kleczkowski, Adam (Co-investigator) McLeay, Alan (Co-investigator) Witte, Kimia (Co-investigator)
- 15-Jan-2025 - 28-Jan-2026
- Constraint Made Visible
- Witte, Kimia (Co-investigator) Dombi, Erzsebet (Co-investigator) Banas, Neil (Academic) Davidson, Peter (Academic) McLeay, Alan (Academic)
- Think Wild Pilot Fund (£5k) via Knowledge Exchange Hub for Mathematical Sciences + Transmission gallery (£1k)
- 10-Jan-2025 - 28-Jan-2026
- Abstract Algebra Game
- Davidson, Peter (Principal Investigator)
- This project aims to develop an educational game using the interactive theorem prover Lean to support undergraduate students learning abstract algebra for the first time. The game will also provide students with an accessible introduction to how mathematics is formalised in an interactive theorem prover.
Development of the game will be done in collaboration with students from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Alexander Brown and Adam Kennedy (both BSc Hons Mathematics and Computer Science) contributed to the initial development phase. - 11-Jan-2025
Contact
Dr
Peter
Davidson
Teaching Fellow
Mathematics and Statistics
Email: peter.davidson@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3804