Inclusive Innovation is the New Competitive Advantage

Professor Per Ola is a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, specialising in intelligent interactive systems that enhance creativity, expression and everyday satisfaction. His PhD research on gesture keyboard technology led to the co-founding of ShapeWriter, later acquired by Nuance Communications.

He has held academic positions at Cambridge, the University of St Andrews and Stockholm University, and conducted doctoral research in Sweden and the USA. His work has earned major awards, including MIT TR35 recognition, ACM UIST’s Lasting Impact Award, and honours from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Professor Nira Chamberlain OBE is a distinguished mathematician who has been with AtkinsRéalis since 2019, where he serves as an AtkinsRéalis Technical Fellow in Mathematical Modelling. He also holds the position of Visiting Professor at Loughborough University.

With more than 30 years of experience in mathematical modelling, simulation, and the development of advanced algorithms to address complex engineering and commercial challenges, Professor Chamberlain has established himself as a leading figure in applied mathematics. He served as President of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (2020–2021) and as President of The Mathematical Association in 2023.

Professor Chamberlain earned his PhD from the University of Portsmouth in 2014 and has since been awarded five honorary doctorates from various academic institutions. He currently chairs the Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference, an initiative celebrating excellence and diversity within the mathematical community.

In 2018, he won an international mathematics communication competition, earning the title of “World’s Most Interesting Mathematician.”