Models and Mathematics in LifE and Social Sciences (MILES).

社会科学和生命科学的数学贡献者通常致力于提供洞察力，方法是建立一个模型，并使用巧妙的技术和计算机程序求解，这些程序的细节可能无法被主办学科的研究人员获取。数学家同样会惊讶地发现，这些学科本身使用了完全不同类型的模型，以不熟悉的方式达到似乎令人费解的目的。当来自所有相关学科的研究人员共同创造新类型的模型，由他们所有人拥有和利用时，革命性的进步就来了。我们规划了一个网络、创意产生和协作活动方案，重点是模拟生命科学和社会科学的方法、它们的协同作用和不协调。我们将探讨不同学科中使用的不同类型的模型、模型本身的程度、建模方法(创建和验证模型的方式)、方法(建模背后的科学哲学)和使用模型的方式(例如，用于理解或预测)，以及何时和如何创建全新的建模框架。我们将强调大学研究小组特别感兴趣的三个主题，其中不同学科有不同的观点：1)可持续发展，2)“硅”细胞，3)社会科学和生物学中的数学和计算技术。然而，我们的计划将包括横跨生活和社会科学建模的广泛活动，以及更多关于最广泛意义上的建模的偶尔活动，以研究与大学其他学科(如英语、戏剧、音乐、电影、心理学、管理学)对话的机会。大学拥有几个非常成功的多学科中心，如环境战略中心、高级技术研究所和萨里空间中心，以及包括ESRC生活方式、价值和环境研究小组和环境技术方面的EngD方案在内的项目。我们看到了数学、计算、社会科学和生命科学之间类似成功互动的潜力。为了实现这一点，我们必须创造鼓励个人参与多学科项目的环境，向他们建议，带着好奇心接近另一门学科，但没有直接的解决方案，这是非常有价值的，通过提供机会与来自其他学科的人见面，提供时间详细了解他们的观点、问题和兴趣，并发展共同语言，并提供激励措施，开始冒险的研究冒险。我们的三年活动计划，以促进生命和社会科学建模领域的新合作，将由一名专门的全职协调员协调，包括：外部促进的年度沙坑，提供研究经费资助奖金；为数学家、计算机和物理学家和工程师提供跨学科资助，让他们在生命/社会科学系呆上一段时间；每月举办一次咖啡馆科学讨论会；举办多学科讲习班和网络活动；访问学者方案；为可行性研究提供资金；一个虚拟论坛和维基百科，供在线讨论和协作。在该方案期间构思和开发的研究项目将导致后续的拨款申请。由于贡献研究小组的实力，我们预计对英国跨学科研究概况的后续影响将是显著的。我们的最终目标是创造一种超越传统学科界限的兴奋感，并创造性地考虑与广泛的潜在合作者合作，以便该项目引发的文化变革将在较长期内可持续，跨学科研究将继续在大学蓬勃发展。

Mathematical contributors to the social and life sciences typically aim to provide insight by building a model and solving it using ingenious techniques and computer programmes whose details can be inaccessible to researchers in the host discipline. Mathematicians equally can be surprised to discover that these disciplines themselves use quite different kinds of models, in unfamiliar ways to seemingly perplexing ends. Revolutionary progress comes when researchers from all the relevant disciplines create new kinds of models together, owned and exploited by them all. We plan a programme of networking, idea-generation and collaboration activities focused on modelling approaches to the life and social sciences, their synergies and dissonances. We shall explore the different types of model used in different disciplines, the extent to which the models themselves, modelling methods (ways in which models are created and validated), methodologies (the philosophy of science behind modelling) and ways of using models (e.g. for understanding or prediction) can be transferred between disciplines, and when and how to create entirely new modelling frameworks. We shall emphasise three themes of particular interest to research groups in the university, where different disciplines have distinct perspectives: 1) sustainability, 2) the 'in silico' cell, 3) mathematical and computational techniques in social science and biology. Our programme will, however, include activities across the wide span of life and social science modelling, with further occasional events on modelling in the broadest sense, to examine the opportunities for dialogue with other disciplines in the University (e.g. English, Drama, Music, Film, Psychology, Management).The University hosts several highly successful multidisciplinary centres, such as the Centre for Environmental Strategy, the Advanced Technology Institute and the Surrey Space Centre and projects including the ESRC Research Group on Lifestyles, Value and Environment and the EngD programme in Environmental Technology. We see the potential for similar successful interaction between Mathematics, Computing, and the social and life sciences. To achieve it, we must create the circumstances that encourage individuals to take part in multidisciplinary projects, by suggesting to them that to approach another discipline with curiosity but no immediate solutions is of great value, by providing opportunities to meet people from other disciplines and time to learn in detail about their perspectives, issues and interests and to develop a common language, and by offering incentives to embark on risky research adventures.Our three-year programme of activities to stimulate new collaborations in life and social science modelling will be coordinated by a dedicated full-time facilitator, and include: externally facilitated annual sandpits with research pump-priming fund prizes; discipline hopping funding for mathematicians, computer and physical scientists and engineers to spend time in life/social science departments; a monthly Caf Scientifique; multidisciplinary workshops and networking events; a visiting scholar programme; funding for feasibility studies; a virtual forum and wiki for online discussion and collaboration.Research projects conceived and developed during the programme will lead to follow-on grant applications. Owing to the strength of the contributing research groups, we expect the consequent impact on the UK cross-disciplinary research profile to be significant. Our ultimate aim is to create a sense of excitement about stepping beyond traditional subject boundaries and thinking creatively about working with a wide range of potential collaborators, so that the cultural changes initiated by this programme will be sustainable in the longer term, and cross-disciplinary research will continue to flourish at the University into the future.