Robert Whittaker is an applied mathematician, specialising in fluid mechanics. His research generally involves the application of continuum-mechanics modelling and asymptotic methods to problems of industrial, biological or geophysical relevance.

Website: https://robert.mathmos.net/research/

Follow this link for details of current PhD opportunities in Mathematics. But feel free to email Dr Whittaker to discuss projects outside these areas and alternative sources of funding.

• Director of Admissions for the School of Mathematics (2021-)
• Y3/4 Teaching Coordinator for the School of Mathematics (2019-)
• Science Faculty Academic Representative on the UEA IT Forum (2024-)

• Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, University of East Anglia (2010– )
• Departmental Lecturer, University of Oxford (2009–2010)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford (2007–2010 )
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Nottingham (2006–2007)
• PhD Student, University of Cambridge (2002–2006)

Robert Whittaker's research generally involves the application of continuum-mechanics modelling and asymptotic methods to problems of industrial, biological or geophysical relevance. Areas and applications in which he has a particular interest include:

• Instabilities in pipe and channel flow
• Flow in curved pipes
• Tissue engineering
• Convection in the Earth's mantle

Current PhD Students

• Daniel Netherwood
• Kraig Wymer-Webb

Former Postdocs

• Thomas Ward

Former PhD Students

• Martin Walters (Oscillations in Flow Through an Elastic-Walled Tube)
• Neil Deacon (Hydroelastic stability and wave propagation in fluid-filled channels)

General fluid mechanics; mathematical modelling of industrial and biological problems. Instabilities of flow in elastic-walled tubes (with applications to blood vessels), stability of Plateau borders in foams.

Dr Whittaker has taught a range of applied mathematics courses, including: first-year problem solving, first-year calculus, second-year differential equations, third-year waves, third-year PDEs, and fourth-year viscous fluid mechanics.

He is also Module Organiser for the 3rd and 4th year mathematics project modules, and gives a graduate course on Advanced LaTeX.

• MTH Website Editor
• MTH Y3/4 Coordinator