SUM4Products Study Group for Formulation Engineering, Monday 20th - Friday 24th April 2026
SUM4Products is delighted to be hosting our first Study Group for Formulation Engineering at the University of Birmingham, Monday 20th – Friday 24th April 2026. Registration is open until the end of Sunday 22nd March.
About the Study Group
Study Groups with Industry are a well-established and cost-effective way to make real progress on pressing challenges; there are no limits to the problems that can be tackled by mathematical modelling!
Across an intensive five-day workshop, the SUM4Products Study Group will bring mathematical scientists and partners from business, industry, and government together to work side-by-side to solve real and important issues around formulation engineering.
We welcome mathematical scientists to participate in our Study Group with expertise in, for example, statistical modelling, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and data science.
Work that will be completed as part of the Study Group can form the basis of further research. To support ongoing impact, the SUM4Products Study Group will be followed by a Research Project Scheme funding call. Attendees will be able to apply for three months of funding to continue and expand on research conducted during the Study Group.
Format of the Study Group
On the first day of the workshop, each organisation presents their technical challenges (there are normally between 4-6 organisations presenting challenges)
The mathematical scientists then split into groups, and for the next three days work closely with each external partner representative to brainstorm ideas, model scenarios, and problem solve
On the final day, each group presents their progress and recommended routes forward
After the meeting, appropriate deliverables from the week will be made available to the organisation; traditionally this has been a technical report summarising the week’s work (see Mathematics in Industry Reports for examples of reports from other Study Groups, browsable by sector and partner)
Information for Business, Industry and Government organisations
Organisations of any size or sector are invited to present challenges and benefit from a mathematical approach to developing practical solutions. Challenges must be prepared well before the workshop, in close collaboration with the organising committee. If you are interested in informally discussing a potential idea, please email sum4products@contacts.bham.ac.uk as soon as possible.
There is a fee of £10,000 + VAT to bring a problem to the Study Group, which helps to defray the costs associated with the meeting. However, SUM4Products is also committed to lowering barriers to participation to enable collaboration with as wide a range of organisations as possible; there is scope to reduce costs for SMEs, charities or other similar organisations. Please get in touch if this may apply to your organisation.
Please note that the opportunity to present at one or more Study Groups is included for SUM4Products Gold and Silver Partner organisations. Find out more about our membership schemes and how to join as a member.
Information for Academic participants
Academic staff, research fellows and PhD students are invited to participate in the workshop and come up with new ideas and potential solutions for real challenges. Please note that in-person attendance is required for all academic participants. There is no charge to attend; meals are provided and there is limited accommodation available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Registration is open until Sunday 22nd March and all delegates will be contacted shortly afterwards as to whether they have been accepted.
The call for problems is also currently open; if you know of any companies or organisations that might be interested in proposing a problem we would be delighted to hear from you. Please email suggestions to sum4products@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
Practical information
Schedule
The Study Group will commence late morning on Monday 20th April, and conclude after lunch on Friday 24th April. Further timings and details will be provided in due course.
The Study Group will be held in the Y3 (Mechanical Engineering) Building at the University of Birmingham. Visit the building’s AccessAble page for further accessibility information.
Meals
All participants will be provided with lunch, snacks and refreshments throughout each day of the Study Group (there will be an opportunity to declare any dietary restrictions on the application form).
For participants who are staying in Peter Scott House, breakfast is provided at the nearby Edgbaston Park Hotel as part of the accommodation package.
There will also be provision of evening meals at local eateries from Monday to Wednesday. This will be on a sign-up basis, so that reservations can be managed. Participants are asked to indicate which meals they wish to attend on the application form. On the final evening (Thursday) there will likely be a takeaway pizza dinner on campus for all participants with no sign-up required.
Accommodation
There are 40 rooms available for participants who are not local to Birmingham. These will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and confirmed to delegates in the week commencing 23rd March. Participants will be housed in single, ensuite rooms at Peter Scott House, which is approximately a 15-minute walk from the Study Group location at the University of Birmingham campus.
Travel expenses
Participants are generally expected to cover their own travel costs. However, we have a limited fund to support with UK based travel expenses for the Study Group; requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Participants who would like to be considered for reimbursement will be asked to provide details on the application form. We will notify participants of the outcome of this request when we confirm places at the Study Group.
Other assistance and support
Participants will be asked to provide any details on additional assistance they may require in order to take part in the Study Group. This may take the form of accessibility adjustments (digital or physical), or help with additional caring costs. SUM4Products will notify participants of additional support which we can provide when we confirm places at the Study Group.
The SUM4Products NetworkPlus and partner universities are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for all. We expect cooperation and support from all participants to help ensure an environment where everyone is treated fairly and where diversity is valued. Participants would be expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct throughout their engagement with the Study Group.
Register your interest
Complete our registration form before the end of Sunday 22nd March to confirm your interest in attending the Study Group. All delegates will be contacted in the week following the deadline to confirm whether or not they have been accepted, along with confirmation of any accommodation, travel expenses or other provisions that have been requested as part of the form. Participants will be asked to confirm their attendance by Monday 30th March.
We look forward to receiving your registrations; if you have any questions, please contact the team at sum4products@contacts.bham.ac.uk.