Notices by the General Board

Establishment of a Professorship of Data‑intensive Mathematical Physics

The General Board, on the recommendation of the Faculty Board of Mathematics and the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences, has approved the establishment of a Professorship of Data-intensive Mathematical Physics (Grade 12) for a single tenure from 1 January 2026, assigned to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. The Chair of the Resource Management Committee approved the funding arrangements for the office under delegated authority on 1 May 2025.

The competition for world-class mathematicians and physicists has never been more intense.

The establishment of a Professorship of Data-intensive Mathematical Physics is needed to complement the appointment to the Stephen W. Hawking Professorship of Cosmology by reinvigorating theoretical physics research in the Department. The officeholder would bring in new expertise on the more mathematical aspects of theoretical physics, whilst also enhancing existing strengths in black hole physics, supersymmetry and string theory. It is envisaged that a Professor active in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other data-driven methods would help build bridges between traditional analytic and numerical approaches to the subject. The new position would enable the application of physical insights to design new types of generative and foundation models.

Securing a Professorship in this subject area, in conjunction with the Stephen W. Hawking Professorship of Cosmology, will also help the Department to draw in new philanthropic support. In addition, the new officeholder will strengthen the Department’s burgeoning activities in data-intensive science in both research and education – an area which is proving attractive both for students and industrial partners.

The General Board has agreed, on the recommendation of the Council of the School of the Physical Sciences and the Faculty Board of Mathematics, that the appointment shall be made by an ad hoc Board of Electors with preference given to those candidates with experience in the field of artificial intelligence, machine learning and other data-driven methodologies applied to areas of study within theoretical physics such as black hole physics, supersymmetry and string theory.

The Council is submitting a Grace (Grace 3, p. 665) for the approval of the establishment of the Professorship for a single tenure.