Welcome to the team!

What is your research focus and which group are you working alongside in the department?
My core focus is engineering mathematics – how it is taught, how its concepts are woven together across the curriculum, and how we can best bring mathematical language to life for students.  My research interests are in areas of quantitative finance and risk, especially for investing and managing renewable energy assets and involve optimised decision making under uncertainty.

Tell us a little bit about your educational/research background?
Initially with an MSc in Physics from the University of Vermont, I studied Chemical Physics at Boston College where I received a PhD.  Shifting into finance, I did an MBA at Oxford before coming to London where I worked in private equity, renewable energy investing, and business modelling consulting.

How did you get into (and stay in!) Engineering?
From my doctoral studies onwards, there was always a strong applied ethos in my research. After modelling aerosol microphysics for atmosphere pollution applications, it’s a surprisingly natural extension (maths is great like that) to transition to problems focused on renewables and finance - people even call this financial engineering. Markets speak in terms of prices, yet prices are a signal of much more than one number can capture – it’s just another signal processing problem!

What are your interests beyond engineering?
I’m a big fan of sports – especially the outdoor varieties.  Running, kayak and bouldering are some of the favourites.  Maybe some fencing and chess in the winter months!

You can contact James on j.morris@ucl.ac.uk.