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Paul Harper  BSc, MSc, PhD, FLSW, FORS

Professor Paul Harper

BSc, MSc, PhD, FLSW, FORS

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Available for postgraduate supervision

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Overview

My research interests are in stochastic Operational Research (OR), including: queueing theory, simulation methods, optimisation and game theory; mathematical modelling of healthcare systems; prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases; stochastic methods for healthcare resources planning and management; machine learning approaches.

Author of more than 130 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, I have been a named investigator on more than £18M of funded research grants, have supervised to successful completion 24 PhD students to-date and was a founding editor-in-chief of the international journal Health Systems (Taylor & Francis).

I am an elected Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (FLSW) and Fellow of the OR Society (FORS), recipient of the Companion of OR Award and the Lyn Thomas Impact Medal (The OR Society) and a Times Higher Education award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology, and was a REF2021 sub-panel member (assessment phase) for Mathematical Sciences.

Amongst other currently funded research projects, I am a co-investigator on the LEAP Digital Health Hub, helping to cultivate a multidisciplinary, entrepreneurial, cross-sector Digital Health community across the South West and Wales (funded by EPSRC, £3.26M, EP/X031349/1). 

I have also led on a programme of research (initially funded by EPSRC and then MEDR) for modelling of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Indonesia, resulting in significant impact. 

Please also see: Saving lives with maths and Meet our innovators.

Professor Paul Harper's personal website

Publication

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2015

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2002

Articles

Book sections

Books

Conferences

Research

Research group

My primary research interests are in:

  • Stochastic OR, including queueing theory, simulation methods, optimisation, and game theory
  • Behavioural OR, with a particluar focus of behaviours in models
  • Mathematical modelling of healthcare systems
  • Mathematical modelling for the prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases
  • Machine learning and data mining techniques

Healthcare systems are typically characterised by complexity, variability, uncertainty and use of scarce resources.  To model such systems requires the development of suitable mathematical and simulation models that are able to account for the stochastic conditions, complex and large-scale patient pathways and disease processes, and at both operational and strategic levels.  Various novel approaches have been developed by myself and colleagues at Cardiff (and with collaborators worldwide), including those in queueing and game theoretic models (for example time-dependent and priority queues, and routing games), hybrid simulation methodologies (DES, Agent-based, SD, Monte Carlo methods), location theory and optimisation, social network models for disease propagation, and health behavioural models.

Funding has come from many different sources to support my research and translational findings, including EPSRC, The Royal Society, The Leverhulme Trust, Nuffield Foundation, NIHR, ESRC, Health Foundation,  the Department of Health,  Welsh Government,  and various NHS partners.

I was delighted to establish a mathematical modelling unit in collaboration with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.  A team of post-doctoral research associates/fellows, a  lecturer in OR, and several PhD students have been funded by ABUHB and they work between the University and Health Board (as researchers -in-residence).  In addition Cardiff and Vale University Health Board regularly fund both PhDs and post-docs.

In 2015 the team won a University Innovation award for our research and impact, and a prestigious Times Higher Education award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology' and in 2021 the OR Society Lyn Thomas Impact Medal. 

My research, and that with many collaborators, has led to sustained impact and significant benefits to the NHS and patient care, resulting in increased efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems, and improved outcomes.  Projects have included reducing waiting times,  reducing elective patient cancellations, ambulance modelling (forecasting demand, location analysis, crew rostering), finding the most effective and equitable locations on for healthcare facilities,  advising on the cost-effectiveness of strategies for preventing and screening for disease such as informing policy on cancer, HIV/AIDS and Chlamydia screening.

Please also see Saving lives with maths and Meet our innovators.

Teaching

I teach the following modules:

  • MAT021 – Foundations of OR and Analytics
  • MAT031 – Further OR
  • MAT009/MA4609 – Healthcare Modelling

Biography

Appointments

  • 2025 - : Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies
  • 2022 - : Cardiff Lead, Wales Data Nation Accelerator (WDNA)
  • 2022 - 23: Cardiff University Turing Development Network Lead (Alan Turing Institute) 
  • 2019 - 22: REF2021 sub-panel member (assessment phase) for Mathematical Sciences.
  • 2019 - 22: Academic Chair of the Cardiff University - Office for National Statistics (ONS) Strategic Partnership
  • 2009 - : Head of the Operational Research Group, Cardiff University
  • 2010 - : Director, hmc² (Health Modelling Centre Cymru)
  • 2018 - 22 : Director of the Data Innovation Research Institute
  • 2009 - 18 : Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies
  • 2013 - 21 : Deputy Head of School (School of Mathematics, Cardiff University)
  • 2011 - 21 : Editor-in-Chief, Health Systems (Taylor & Francis)
  • 2011 - 21 : Director of Impact & Engagement, School of Mathematics
  • 2008 - 12: Cluster leader for Operational Research and Statistics, WIMCS.
  • 2007 - 11: WIMCS Research Chair in Operational Research, Cardiff University
  • 2006 - 07: Senior Lecturer in Operational Research, University of Southampton
  • 2001 - 06: Lecturer in Operational Research, University of Southampton
  • 1997 - 02: Research Fellow, Institute of Modelling for Healthcare, University of Southampton

Qualifications

  • 2005: PG Certificate in Education, University of Southampton
  • 2002: Ph.D. School of Mathematics, University of Southampton
  • 1996: M.Sc. School of Mathematics, University of Southampton
  • 1995: B.Sc. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath

Supervisions

PhD students

Current

  • Matthew Howells (EPSRC CASE award with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board)
  • Elin Williams (Gwent Area Planning Board)

Completed

  1. Charlotte Marshall (2026): Mathematical Modelling for the Scheduling of Outpatient Telemedicine Appointments
  2. Michalis Panayides (2023): Workforce Behaviours in Healthcare Systems
  3. Elizabeth Williams (2023): Linking Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics for Modelling Healthcare Services for Frail and Elderly Patients
  4. John Threfall (2023): Development and Benchmarking of a Novel Scatter Search Algorithm for Learning Probabilistic Graphical Models in Healthcare
  5. Emily Williams (2022): Mathematical Modelling to Support Blood Collection for the Welsh Blood Service
  6. Emma Aspland (2021): Smart Simulation and Modelling for Complex Cancer Systems
  7. Luke Smallman (2020): Dimension Reduction for Exponential Family Data with Applications to Text Data
  8. Sarie Brice (2019): Modelling Disease Progression and Treatment Pathways for Depression
  9. Mark Tuson (2019): Understanding the Impact of Social Networks on the Spread of Obesity
  10. Geraint Palmer (2017): Modelling Deadlock in Queueing Systems
  11. Elizabeth Rowse (2015): Robust Optimisation of Operating Theatre Schedules
  12. Robert Shone (2014): Optimal Control of Queueing Systems with Multiple Heterogeneous Facilities
  13. Angelico Fetta (2014): Modelling Adolescent Smoking Behaviours with Social Network Analysis
  14. Marion Penn (2014): Developing a Multi-Methodological Approach to Hospital Operating Theatre Scheduling
  15. Leanne Smith (2013): Modelling Emergency Medical Services
  16. Julie Vile (2013): Time-Dependent Stochastic Modelling for Predicting Demand and Scheduling of Emergency Medical Services
  17. Joe Viana (2011): The Development of a Combined Simulation Approach in a Sexual Health Context: Combining Discrete Event and System Dynamics Simulation to Form a Composite Model
  18. Shivam Desai (2011): Modelling Social Care Needs of Older People in Hampshire
  19. Dileep Da Silva (2011): Dental Public Health Needs for Sri Lanka
  20. Michael Thorwarth (2011): A Simulation-based Decision Support Model to improve Healthcare Facilities Performance – elaborated on an Irish Emergency Department
  21. Evandro Leite (2009): Decision Trees
  22. Honora Smith (2008): Locating Sustainable Community Health Facilities
  23. Jennifer Sykes (2007): Healthcare Behavioural Modelling
  24. Naomi Powell (2006): Simulation and Optimisation of Healthcare Workforce Needs

Current supervision

Matthew Howells

Matthew Howells

News articles

Cardiff Business School and the School of Mathematics have joined forces to launch a new MSc in Business Analytics.

New MSc in Business Analytics launches at Cardiff University to meet growing industry demand

13 March 2025

Cardiff Business School and the School of Mathematics have joined forces to launch a new MSc in Business Analytics.

Joshua Moore graduates with a PhD in Mathematics as part of the Class of 2024

“Seeing maths as a powerful toolbox” key to PhD student’s success

19 July 2024

Joshua Moore graduates with a PhD in Mathematics as part of the Class of 2024

Consortium to elevate region’s digital health capability through leadership, engagement, acceleration and partnership

New digital health hub launches for Wales and South West

14 March 2024

Consortium to elevate region’s digital health capability through leadership, engagement, acceleration and partnership

Cardiff University academics recognised with prestigious award for pioneering work with the NHS

Impact award for Cardiff mathematical modelers

22 November 2021

Cardiff University academics recognised with prestigious award for pioneering work with the NHS

University launches professional development programme in partnership with the Office for National Statistics

Training public sector data experts

16 June 2020

University launches professional development programme in partnership with the Office for National Statistics

Cardiff University researchers will support a £10m project aimed at creating new opportunities for businesses and citizens in rural areas

Multi-million pound grant to unlock 5G potential in rural Wales

27 February 2020

Cardiff University researchers will support a £10m project aimed at creating new opportunities for businesses and citizens in rural areas

ONS and industry join DIRI event

Cardiff hosts Festival of Data Innovation

30 April 2019

ONS and industry join DIRI event

Equations reveal an expected cost of £774 to collect all 682 stickers in Panini’s World Cup 2018 album

World Cup stickers

28 March 2018

Equations reveal an expected cost of £774 to collect all 682 stickers in Panini’s World Cup 2018 album

Contact Details

Email [email protected]
Telephone +44 29208 76841
Campuses Abacws, Room 2.56, Senghennydd Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4AG