Prof. James Oliver

D.Phil, MA, MSc, BA

Status

Academic Faculty

University Lecturer in Applied Mathematics Tutorial Fellow, Jesus College, Oxford

+44 1865 283887

Contact form

Research groups

Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Address

Mathematical Institute
University of Oxford
Andrew Wiles Building
Radcliffe Observatory Quarter
Woodstock Road
Oxford
OX2 6GG

Major / recent publications

M. Taroni, C.J.W. Breward, P.D. Howell, J.M. Oliver, Boundary conditions for free surface inlet and outlet problems, J. Fluid. Mech. (2012) DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2012.275.
L.R. Band, J.M. Oliver, S.L. Waters, D.S. Riley, Steady symmetric low-Reynolds-number flow past a film-coated cylinder. Euro. J. Appl. Math. (2012), DOI :10.1017/S0956792512000289.
M.R. Moore, S.D. Howison, J.R. Ockendon, J.M. Oliver, Three-dimensional oblique water-entry problems at small deadrise angles. J. Fluid. Mech. (2012) DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2012.391.
M.R. Moore, S.D. Howison, J.R. Ockendon, J.M. Oliver, A note on oblique water-entry, J. Eng. Math. (2012) 711, p.259-280.
L.S. Kimpton, J.P. Whiteley, S.L. Waters, J.R. King, J.M. Oliver, Multiple travelling wave solutions in a minimal model for cell motility, Math. Med. Biol. (2012), DOI: 10.1093/imammb/dqs023.
A.L. Hazel, M. Heil, S.L. Waters, J.M. Oliver, On the liquid lining of fluid conveying curved tubes, J. Fluid Mech. (2012), 705, p.213--233.
M. Taroni, C.J.W. Breward, P.D. Howell, J.M. Oliver, R.J.S. Young, The screen printing of a power-law fluid, J. Eng. Math. (2012), 73, p.93--119.

Recent publications

Integral constraints in multiple scales problems with a slowly varying microstructure

Kent, A Waters, S Oliver, J Chapman, S European Journal of Applied Mathematics (25 Apr 2025)

A continuum model for the elongation and orientation of Von Willebrand factor with applications in arterial flow

Yeo, E Oliver, J Korin, N Waters, S Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology volume 23 issue 4 1299-1317 (09 Apr 2024)

Extensional flow of a compressible viscous fluid

McPhail, M Oliver, J Parker, R Griffiths, I Journal of Fluid Mechanics volume 977 (22 Dec 2023)

A homogenised model of fluid-string interaction

Kent, A Waters, S Oliver, J Chapman, S SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics volume 83 issue 5 2118-2143 (24 Oct 2023)

Modelling the reduction of quartz in a quartz–carbon pellet

Metherall, B Breward, C Please, C Oliver, J Sloman, B Journal of Engineering Mathematics volume 141 issue 1 (30 Jun 2023)

Further details

Dr Oliver studied for a BA in Mathematics, an MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Analysis and a DPhil in Applied Mathematics at St Anne's College, Oxford (1994-2001). His postdoc years (2001-2007) were spent in the Division of Applied Mathematics and the Bioengineering Group at the University of Nottingham, where he held an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Mathematics (2004 - 2007) and a complementary Research Fellowship of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 (2004-2006). He returned to Oxford in 2007 for a University Research Lectureship in Applied Mathematics, and began a University Lectureship in Applied Mathematics in association with Jesus College in 2008.

Highlighted publications

A note on oblique water entry

Moore, M Howison, S Ockendon, J Oliver, J Journal of Engineering Mathematics volume 81 issue 1 67-74 (01 Aug 2013)

Multiple travelling-wave solutions in a minimal model for cell motility

Oliver, J Kimpton, L Whiteley, J Waters, S King, J Mathematical Medicine and Biology (2012)

Three dimensional oblique water-entry problems at small deadrise angles

Oliver, J Moore, M Howison, S Ockendon, J Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2012)

On the liquid lining in fluid-conveying curved tubes

Hazel, A Heil, M Waters, S Oliver, J Journal of Fluid Mechanics (29 Sep 2011)

Teaching

Physical Applied Mathematics.

Departmental stint: MSc Mathematical Modelling Classes (2008-2010), B6a Viscous Flow (2008-2011), C6.3b Applied Complex Variables (2010-2012), C6.3s Perturbation Methods (2012-2014).

College stint: Prelims Introductory Calculus, Geometry, Dynamics, Fourier Series and PDEs, Multivariable Calculus, Applications; Part A Differential Equations.

Research interests

Dr Oliver's research is predominantly in fluid dynamics and the application of asymptotic methods to free and moving boundary problems in industry, engineering and biology. Research topics include violent surface motion, thin-film flows, droplet evaporation, cell motility, cellular blebbing and tissue engineering.

Current students/postdocs:

Laura Kimpton, Mathematical modelling of self-propelled cell motion on biomaterial surfaces (OCCAM D.Phil student 2009-2012), with Sarah Waters (OCIAM) and Jonathan Whiteley (Computational Biology);
Matthew Moore, New mathematical models of splash dynamics in water entry (OCCAM D.Phil student 2010-2013), with Sam Howison (OCIAM) and John Ockendon (OCIAM);
Natalie Pearson, Mathematical modelling of cell distribution in hollow fibre membrane bioreactors (OCIAM D.Phil student 2011-2014), with Sarah Waters (OCIAM) and Rebecca Shipley (Mechanical Engineering, UCL);
Mohit Dalwadi, Mathematical modelling of flow and transort in a rotating disc bioreactor (OCIAM D.Phil student 2012-2013), with Sarah Waters (OCIAM) and Jon Chapman (OCIAM);
Matthew Saxton, Mathematical modelling of droplet evaporation (OCCAM D.Phil student 2012--2015), with Dominic Vella (OCCAM) and Jonathan Whiteley (Computational Biology, Oxford)
Dr Thomas Whooley, A new mechanism for motility: the role of the bleb (OCCAM PDRA 2012-2014), with Alain Goriely (OCCAM), Eamonn Gaffney (CMB), Ruth Baker (CMB) and Sarah Waters (OCIAM).