Paul is Chartered as a Mathematician, Scientist and Engineer, with over 25 years’ experience in the Construction Industry.  After gaining a degree in Mathematics and a PhD in Structural Fire Engineering, Paul worked for international engineering consultancy BuroHappold and reached the position of Senior Analytical Consultant.  He set-up and led their Complex Geometry and High-End Analysis group known as SMART, developing bespoke computer software to overcome the challenges posed by working with high-profile architects & clients on globally iconic buildings.

Now Professor of Computational Design in the Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering at the University of Bath, his research spans a wide range of multi-disciplinary projects - always in close collaboration with industry.  His research uses computer simulation and optimisation to inprove the performance of the built environment.

This has historically focused on the shape and structure of a building, reducing embodied carbon problem by improving buildings in the design stage when changes can be implemented easily. It has since broadened to include buildings during their fabrication, using automated manufacturing systems like robots and 3D printers. More recently he has begun to consider buildings already in use, collecting data via sensors to build an understanding of the factors affecting their performance - what is known as a Digital Twin - and explore ways of improving them by adapting their structure, operation and the way people interact with them.

Paul is Co-Director of The Foundry: Centre for Digital Manufacturing & Design research, sits on the Institution of Structural Engineers’ “Digital Workflows and Computational Design” Panel, and is a passionate advocate for Public Engagement in Research, in which context he regularly presents to audiences of 1000 school pupils, to share insights into how Maths is used by Engineers to solve real world challenges, and to act as a role model for those considering a career in Engineering.