Dr Matthew Craven
Profiles

Dr Matthew Craven

Lecturer in Applied Mathematics

School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Engineering)

Role

I undertake the following roles within the School:
  • Lecturer in Applied Mathematics (nominated for SSTAR awards in the categories of "Inspirational Teaching" and "Sensational Programme Lead").
  • Lead of the Plymouth GPU Research Center.
  • Programme Manager for the (six) Foundation Year Technology programmes in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
  • Stage Tutor and Senior Personal Tutor for four of the above six programmes.
  • Member of the University Senate.
  • A School disability champion, and a qualified mental health champion. Certified Mental Health First Aider.
  • Admissions Tutor for BSc (Hons) Mathematics with Foundation Year, and assistant Admissions Tutor for year 1 and above Mathematical Sciences programmes.
  • Teaches across several Schools, including service teaching, Mathematics degree students and 3rd year projects supervision.
  • Regular speaker at outreach events, including several Mathematics Masterclasses in collaboration with the Royal Institution.
  • PGCAP mentor for new staff.
  • Applied Mathematics seminar joint organiser - if you wish to give a seminar then please contact me! Details of current seminars are available on CMS seminars calendar and UoP Mathematical Sciences Seminar Page.

Professional membership

Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
London Mathematical Society
Foundation Year Network

Teaching interests

Undergraduate

2019-20 Sem 1:
MATH051 * Mathematical Methods I
MATH054 * Mathematics for Computing
MATH3628 Final Year Mathematics Projects

2018-19 Sem 2:
MATH2604 Mathematical Methods and Applications
MATH3628 Final Year Mathematics Projects
PRCO304 Computing Projects

Postgraduate

CPD courses on Big Data (April 2019)
Introduction to R for research staff and PhD students - Doctoral College

* denotes module leadership.

2013-2019: STAT008* Statistics for Extended Science; MATH051* Mathematical Methods I; MATH1015* Mathematics with Applications 1; MATH236 Engineering Analysis; MATH2501 Advanced Calculus and Transforms; MATH2604 Mathematical Methods and Applications; MATH3501/3602/3628 Final Year Projects; PRCO304 Computing Projects

I also have many years of teaching experience in many different venues and levels, from foundation year to MSc levels and PhD workshops.

Staff serving as external examiners

PhD External at University of Greenwich (2019)

Research interests

Applications of artificial intelligence and HPC:
  • Combinatorial enumeration methods for approximation of optimal solutions
  • Hyperheuristics and machine learning for discovery of symbolic objects
  • Offshore renewable energy
  • Group-theoretic cryptanalysis
  • Copulas and combinatorial optimisation in financial mathematics for business
  • Real time visualisation and performance analysis of algorithms (particularly Evolutionary Algorithms and variants)
  • Structure-preserving mappings and algorithms
  • Mathematics education
In many of the above I make use of parallel computation on an HPC cluster and/or GPUs.

Current PhD Students:

(2016 - present) T. Alotaibi, Large Scale Portfolio Optimisation Using HeuristicAlgorithms Built Around Copula Financial Models (Director of Studies)
(2019) A. Verulkar, Game-Theoretic Approaches Towards Insider Threat Detection and Mitigation (2nd Supervisor)

Other research

I am an external member of the Cybersecurity research group at the University of Abertay Dundee.

Grants & contracts

Externally Funded Projects:

2014-2017: NVIDIA: Award of NVIDIA GPU Research Center. (Principal investigator. Seven CMS staff and one colleague in Computing carried out research ranging from Particle Physics, Industrial Engineering to Cryptanalysis supported by hardware from NVIDIA. Successfully renewed in 2015 and 2016. Since then, the centre has continued as a pan-school initiative in the guise of the Plymouth GPU Research Centre.)

2016: Medicem: "Clinical Assessment of the WIOL-CF". P. Buckhurst, H. Buckhurst, P. Hewson, M. Craven.

    Several works (five journal articles, one conference paper and one book) currently in preparation (as of 07/03/19). Some recent publications are:
    • M. J. Craven, D. I. Graham, Parallel Stochastic Solution of Portfolio Optimisation Problems with Cardinality Constraints, submitted (2018).
    • M. J. Craven, J. Sharp, "The Mathematics Problem": A Plymouth Foundation Year Case Study, J. FYN 1 (2018), 23-35.
    • G. James, D. M. Burley, N. Steele, R. Clements, J. W. Searl, P. Dyke, J. Wright, M. J. Craven, T. Reis, J. Stander, Advanced Modern Engineering Mathematics, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall (2018).
    • D. J. Walker, M. J. Craven, Visualising the Operation of Evolutionary Algorithms Optimising Water Distribution Network Problems, in "13th Intl. Conf. Hydroinformatics" (G. La Loggia et al., eds.), EPiC Series in Engineering 3 (2018), 2250-2258.
    • D. J. Walker, M. J. Craven, Toward the Online Visualisation of Algorithm Performance for Parameter Selection, in "EvoApplications 2018" (K. Sim and P. Kaufmann, eds.), LNCS 10784, Springer (2018), 547-560.
    • W. Dash, M. J. Craven, Exploring Botnet Evolution via Multidimensional Models and Visualisation, in STM 2017 (G. Livraga and C. Mitchell, eds.), LNCS 10547, Springer (2017), 72-88.
    • M. J. Craven, Review of “Adversarial Risk Analysis”, J. Royal Stat. Soc. Series A 180 (2) (2017), 682. DOI: 10.1111/rssa.12259
    • M. J. Craven, S. P. Martin, BBIOS: A Characterization of Evolutionary Algorithm Stability, in "GECCO 2017 Companion" (P. Bosman, ed.), ACM (2017), 17-18.
    • M. J. Craven, D. I. Graham, Exploring the (Efficient) Frontiers of Portfolio Optimization, in "GECCO 2017 Companion" (P. Bosman, ed.), ACM (2017), 19-20.
    • M. J. Craven, D. Robertz, An Evolutionary Approach to Solving Systems of Equations in Polycyclic Groups, Groups Complexity Cryptology 8 (2) (2016), 109-125.
    • M. J. Craven, H. C. Jimbo, EA Stability Visualization: Perturbations, Metrics and Performance, in “GECCO 2014 Companion” (C. Igel, ed.), ACM (2014), 1083-1089.
    • S. Pournouri, M. Craven, E-Business, Recent Threats and Security Countermeasures, Int. J. Elec. Security and Digital Forensics 6 (3) (2014), 169-184.

    Key publications are highlighted

    Journals
    Articles
    Craven MJ & Sharp J 2018 '"The Mathematics Problem": A Plymouth Foundation Year Case Study' Journal of the Foundation Year Network 1, 23-35 Publisher Site PEARL
    Craven M 2017 'Adversarial Risk Analysis D. L. Banks, J. Rios and D. Ríos Insua 2015 Boca Raton, CRC Press 214 pp., £57.99 (e-book £55.09) ISBN 978-1-498-71239-2' Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society) 180, (2) 682-682 , DOI
    Craven MJ & Robertz D 2016 'A parallel evolutionary approach to solving systems of equations in polycyclic groups' Groups Complexity Cryptology , DOI PEARL
    Pournouri S & Craven M 2014 'E-business, recent threats and security countermeasures' International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics 6, (3) 169-169 , DOI
    Craven M 2012 'Building on Workplace Simulation within the Context of First Year Undergraduate Civil Engineering' Professional Practice in Higher Education Teaching (1) 19-25
    Craven MJ & Jimbo HC 2012 'Evolutionary algorithm solution of the multiple conjugacy search problem in groups, and its applications to cryptography' Groups - Complexity - Cryptology 4, (1) , DOI
    Books
    James G, Dyke P, Searl J, Craven M & Wei Y 2019 Modern Engineering Mathematics. Pearson Education
    James G, Dyke PPG, Burley D, Clements D, Steele N, Searl J, Wright J, Craven MJ, Reis T, et. al 2018 Advanced Modern Engineering Mathematics. Pearson
    Chapters
    Craven MJ 2008 'An Evolutionary Algorithm for the Solution of Two-Variable Word Equations in Partially Commutative Groups' Recent Advances in Evolutionary Computation for Combinatorial Optimization Springer Berlin Heidelberg 3-19 , DOI
    Conference Papers
    Alotaibi T & Craven M 2019 'Efficient Frontiers in Portfolio Optimisation with Minimum Proportion Constraints' GECCO 2019 13/07/2019 17/07/2019 ACM , DOI PEARL
    Walker D & Craven MJ 2018 'Visualising the Operation of Evolutionary Algorithms Optimising Water Distribution Network Design Problems' 13th International Conference on Hydroinformatics Palermo, Italy 01/07/2018 06/07/2018 , DOI PEARL
    Walker D & Craven MJ 2018 'Toward the Online Visualisation of Algorithm Performance for Parameter Selection' EvoApplications 2018 Parma, Italy 04/04/2018 06/04/2018 Springer , DOI PEARL
    Dash W & Craven MJ 2017 'Exploring Botnet Evolution via Multidimensional Models and Visualisation' STM 2017 Oslo, Norway 14/09/2017 15/09/2017 , DOI PEARL
    Craven MJ & Martin SP 2017 'BBIOS: A Characterization of Evolutionary Algorithm Stability' GECCO 2017 Berlin, Germany 15/07/2017 20/07/2017 ACM , DOI PEARL
    Craven MJ & Graham DI 2017 'Exploring the (Efficient) Frontiers of Portfolio Optimization' GECCO 2017 Berlin, Germany 15/07/2017 19/07/2017 ACM , DOI PEARL
    Craven MJ & Jimbo HC 2014 'EA stability visualization' the 2014 conference companion 12/07/2014 16/07/2014 ACM Press , DOI
    Ball L & Craven M 2013 'Automated Counter-Terrorism' 2013 European Intelligence and Security Informatics Conference (EISIC) 12/08/2013 14/08/2013 IEEE , DOI
    Craven MJ & Jimbo HC 2013 'An EA for portfolio selection over multiple investment periods with exponential transaction costs' Proceeding of the fifteenth annual conference companion 06/07/2013 10/07/2013 ACM Press , DOI
    Jimbo HC & Craven MJ 2012 'A dynamical model of cancer chemotherapy with disturbance' the fourteenth international conference 07/07/2012 11/07/2012 ACM Press , DOI
    Craven MJ & Jimbo HC 2011 'A Kolmogorov-Type Stability Measure for Evolutionary Algorithms' Springer Berlin Heidelberg 26-37 , DOI
    Craven MJ 2007 'Genetic algorithms for word problems in partially commutative groups' 48-59
    Other Publications
    Graham D & Craven MJ 0 Sifted QP solutions for portfolio optimisation problems dataset. 0 0 PEARL

    Reports & invited lectures

    • 05/09/19 (with T. Alotaibi and P. Tziogkidis) Constructing Class-Based Portfolios on Gulf Markets with Metaheuristics, OR-61, Kent, UK.
    • 15/07/19 (with T. Alotaibi) "Efficient Frontiers in Portfolio Optimisation with Minimum Proportion Constraints", GECCO 2019, Prague, Czech Republic.
    • 11/07/19 (with J. Sharp) "Combatting the Deficit Model in Foundation Year Mathematics: Ethical Admissions and Inclusive Curricula", FYNAC19, Univ. Sussex, UK.
    • 07/05/19 "Group-Theoretic Cryptanalysis Using Hyperheuristics", Queen Mary University of London, UK.
    • 20/02/19 "Evolution of Cryptanalytic Attacks via Hyperheuristics", Big Data Group, Plymouth, UK.
    • 06/07/18 (with J. Sharp) "Exploring the Frontiers of Foundation Years in Mathematics - An Update on a Work in Progress", FYNAC18, Nottingham, UK.
    • ~/07/18 (with D. J. Walker) "Visualising the Operation of Evolutionary Algorithms Optimising Water Distribution Network Design Problems", HIC 2018, Palermo, Italy.
    • 05/04/18 (with D. J. Walker) "Toward the Online Visualisation of Algorithm Performance for Parameter Selection", EVOIndustry, Parma, Italy.
    • 19/03/18 "The Plymouth GPU Research Centre, Big Data Group", Plymouth, UK.
    • 14/09/17 (with W. Dash) "Exploring Botnet Evolution via Multidimensional Models and Visualisation", STM (ESORICS) 2017, Oslo, Norway.
    • 17/07/17 (with D. I. Graham) "Exploring the (Efficient) Frontiers of Portfolio Optimization", GECCO2017, Berlin, Germany.
    • 17/07/17 (with S. P. Martin) "BBIOS: A Characterization of Evolutionary Algorithm Stability", GECCO2017, Berlin, Germany.
    • 13/07/17 (with J. Sharp, M. Lavelle and C. Christopher) "Exploring the Frontiers of Foundation Years in Mathematics - An Enhanced Transition", FYNAC'17, Warwick, UK.
    • 14/12/16 "Group Cryptography", Plymouth, UK
    • 23/11/16 "Portfolio Optimisation in Financial Mathematics", Plymouth, UK.
    • 28/07/16 (with J. R. Woodward) "The Mappings Project", Stirling, UK.
    • 15/07/16 "How to Break Cryptographic Schemes with Monte-Carlo Methods and High-Performance Computing", Stirling, UK.
    • 10/05/16 "Big Data: Machine Learning, Heuristic Methods and the Future of Cybersecurity in HPC Environments", Invited keynote funded by SICSA, Big Data in Cybersecurity Conference, Napier University, UK.
    • 27/01/16 "Monte-Carlo Attacks on Cryptographic Protocols", Hull, UK.
    • 05/06/15 "Information Security and Evolutionary Techniques", Stirling, UK.
    • 12/11/14 "A Smörgåsbord of Applied Mathematical Treats", Plymouth, UK.
    • 12/07/14 "EA Stability Visualization: Perturbations, Metrics and Performance", GECCO2014, Vancouver, Canada.
    • 27/01/14 "Evolutionary Algorithms in Group Theory with an Application to Public Key Cryptography", Plymouth, UK.

    Other academic activities

    • I have taught many Royal Institute Mathematics Masterclasses and outreach events, the most recent in July 2019.
    • I regularly lead sessions at Mathematical Sciences open and applicant days for undergraduate students.
    • I review for the Journal of Operational Research (JORS) and Applied Soft Computing, among others. I was a Programme Committee member for the GECCO-UP Workshop 2013 and GECCO 2019, and a Review Committee member for the VizGEC Workshop in 2015-2019.
    • I review EPSRC grant applications in cryptography.
    • I lead the Applied Mathematics research group on Computational Algebra and Symbolic Computation, and also the Plymouth GPU Research Centre.

    Additional information

    I am always happy to hear from prospective PhD students in the areas specified in my research section, and in particular, Group-Theoretic Cryptology and Financial Mathematics. For informal enquiries, please contact me directly. To apply officially for a PhD position at Plymouth, please click here.

    Links

    http://math-sciences.org/
    https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/school-of-computing-and-mathematics/mathematics-and-statistics