Professor Maria Bruna
Biography
I am an Associate Professor and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the Mathematical Institute, and an Associate Fellow of St John’s College. Until 2024, I was a Lecturer at DAMTP (Cambridge). I previously held a Humboldt Research Fellowship at FAU Erlangen and was a Junior Research Fellow at this College.
Teaching
I teach tutorial in Computational Mathematics (Prelims) and the Part B course on Stochastic Modelling of Biological Processes.
Research Interests
My research focuses on stochastic processes and partial differential equations to study collective behaviour in interacting particle systems. The goal is to understand how large-scale patterns and behaviours emerge from the interactions of individual particles, which is crucial in many applications. For example, how do ants coordinate complex tasks such as building their nest and maintain social order in colonies with thousands of individuals? Capturing these dynamics in mathematical models is challenging, especially when particles strongly repel each other, such as in crowded environments.
Awards and Distinctions
I serve on the Scientific Committee of the Catalan Mathematical Society. I was awarded the Whitehead Prize of the London Mathematical Society in 2020 and a L’Oréal–UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women in Science Fellowship in 2016.