Roles

• Associate Head for Undergraduate Education (SECaM).
• Lecturer in Applied Mathematics.
• Awarded the University SSTAR Award for "Inspirational Teacher of the Year" (June 2021) and nominated a further six times. This includes "Programme Leader of the Year" and "The Big Thank You Award" in 2022.
• Co-leads the Plymouth Optimisation Group and the Big Data research group .
• Member of the University Senate (until June 2024).
• Applied Mathematics seminar joint organiser - if you wish to give a seminar then please contact me.

• Member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
• Member of the London Mathematical Society
• Member of the Foundation Year Network

• Member, EPSRC Peer Review College (2023 - Present)
• Member, Royal Society International Exchanges Panel (2024 - Present)

• Dr T. Alotaibi: Portfolio Optimisation Using Genetic Algorithms and Copula Financial Models (Director of Studies), 2022
• Dr M. Walter: Understanding Optimisation Processes with Biologically-Inspired Visualisations (2nd Supervisor), 2023
• Dr F. Ben Salamah: Adaptive Awareness Raising and Cyber Security Training for Social Media Users (2nd Supervisor), 2023

Undergraduate 2024-25:

• MATH051 Mathematical Methods I (Module Leader)
• COMP0001 Topics in Computer Science (Guest Lecturer)
• MATH3709 Optimisation, Networks and Graphs (Module Leader)
• MATH3628 Final Year Mathematics Projects (Supervisor)

Postgraduate 2024-25:

• GS19 Introduction to R for research staff and PhD students - Doctoral College (Module Leader) 
• PROJ518 MSc Dissertation and Research Skills (Supervisor)

External CPD Courses:

• Big Data (April 2019)
• Introduction to RStudio (January 2020)
• Lunchtime Course on Inference (August 2021)
• Algorithms and Algebra: A Journey Into Group-Theoretic Cryptology, Pakistan Virtual University (May 2022)

the majority in conjunction with the Environmental Futures and Big Data Impact Labat the University of Plymouth.
I also have many years of teaching experience in many different venues and levels, from foundation year to MSc levels and PhD workshops. I was awarded the University SSTAR Award for "Inspirational Teacher of the Year" (June 2021), and was nominated for the SSTAR Award "Programme Leader of the Year" and "The Big Thank You Award" (May 2022). I was also the Programme Manager for the SECaM foundation years from September 2015 to January 2023.
I have a proven track record of taking student research to publication, with articles in LNCS, Studies in Economics and Finance, and the Plymouth Student Scientist.

Research interests:

The two main pillars of my research are Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) and Cyber Security . Underpinning these two pillars is work in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, mathematical modelling and visualisation, encompassing the following:

• Hyperheuristics and machine learning
• Group-theoretic cryptanalysis
• Real-time visualisation and analysis of AI algorithms

In many of the above, I make use of parallel computation on the University High Performance Computing facility.

Current PhD Students:

• A. Verulkar: Game-Theoretic Approaches Towards Insider Threat Detection and Mitigation (Director of Studies)
• P. Manikowski: Multi-Objective Optimisation of Floating Offshore Windfarms (Director of Studies)
• R. Soni: Hybridizing Metaheuristics with Machine Learning for Portfolio Optimization Problems (Director of Studies)
• J. Hancock: The Use of Quantum Computing to Solve Problems in Quantum Field Theory and Optimisation (3rd Supervisor)
• S. Ishaq Tijani: APT Detection and Analysis (3rd Supervisor)
• J. O'Brien: Use of physical and numerical modelling data to create digital twins for improved floating offshore wind operations and fault response (Director of Studies)
• J. Gray, Real-time Fall Prediction and Detection System for The Elderly in Care Homes Based on Quantum Computing and Artificial Vision (3rd Supervisor)

I am always happy to hear from prospective PhD students in the areas specified above. For informal enquiries, please contact me directly. To apply officially for a PhD position at Plymouth, please read the information on applying for a research degree.

Undergraduate and Taught Masters Student Research:
I have a track record of research with undergraduate and MSc students.

• 2022: What might happen to the global stock market after Brexit?
• 2021: Constrained portfolio optimisation
• 2020: Assessing the security of cryptographic primitives for infinite groups
• 2018: A comparison of exact and heuristic algorithms to solve the travelling salesman problem
• 2017: Exploring botnet evolution via multidimensional models and visualisation

Other research:

PhD Internal Examiner:

• University of Plymouth (March 2020)

PhD External Examiner:

• University of Greenwich (Sept 2019) 

Grants:

10/2024 - 04/2028, EPSRC ORE DTP: PhD Studentship, £73.5k. PI Ansell L, Co-I Craven M.

10/2024 - 10/2027, SECaM: PhD Studentship, £78k. PI Bazazian D, Co-I Wei Y, Craven M, Asthana S.

06/2023 - 09/2023, Manning Endowment UG Research Internship: "Multi-Objective Optimisation of Electric Vessel Charging", £3k. PI Ansell L, Co-I Craven M.

01/04/2022 - 01/10/2023, Royal Academy of Engineering, Diversity Impact Programme: "Embedding Systemic Inclusion for Neurodiverse and Disabled Engineering Students", £94k. PI Khan A, Co-I Craven M, Wei Y, et al.

2021- 2022, British Council: "Going Global Partnerships Undergraduate STEM Education in Pakistan", £20k. PI Khan A, Co-I Craven M, Walker D, et al.

2021 - 2023, European Regional Development Fund, Invited researcher on the Cornwall Floating Offshore Wind Accelerator project. PI Greaves D. 

01/10/2020 - 01/04/2024, EPSRC ORE DTP Supergen-ORE: PhD studentship, £50.75k. PI Walker D, Co-I Craven M. 01/10/2019 -

01/10/2022, SECaM: PhD Studentship, £43.5k. PI Walker D, Co-I Craven M.

01/08/2014 - 01/08/2017, NVIDIA, Award of NVIDIA GPU Research Center, £3.4k. PI Craven M. [Eight School academic staff carried out interdisciplinary research, supported by hardware from NVIDIA. The centre has continued as a part of the HPC Centre at the University.]

05/2015, Medicem, "Clinical Assessment of the WIOL-CF", £14k. PI Buckhurst P, Co-I Buckhurst H, Hewson P, Craven M.

Invited lectures:

Recent invited lectures and talks:

• 2024 (with J. Hancock, C. McNeile and D. Vadacchino) "Quantum Phase Transition of Non-Hermitian Systems Using Variational Quantum Techniques", Lattice 2004, Liverpool, UK.
• 2024 (with F. Ben Salamah, M. A. Palomino, M. Papadaki and S. Furnell) "The Influence of Human Factors on Adaptive Social Media Cybersecurity Training and Education", HAISA 2024, Skövde, Sweden.
• 2024 (with J. Roberts, A. López-Santander and F. le Pivert) "Using Simulation to Reduce Uncertainty in the Wet Towing of Full-Scale 15 MW Floating Offshore Wind Turbines", PRIMaRE Conference, Southampton, UK.
• 2024 (with J. Hancock, C. McNeile and D. Vadacchino) "Using Quantum Computers to Solve Optimization Problems", New to OR Conference, London, UK.
• 2024 (with J. Hancock, C. McNeile and D. Vadacchino) "Investigating Solving QUBO Problems on a Circuit Based Quantum Computer", Adiabatic Quantum Computing 2024, Glasgow, UK.
• 2023 (with J. Hancock, C. McNeile and D. Vadacchino) "Circuit Approach to QUBO", DIRAC Day 2023, Liverpool, UK.
• 2023 (with F. Ben Salamah, M. Palomino, M. Papadaki and S. Furnell) "Evaluating the Risks of Human Factors Associated with Social Media Cybersecurity Risks", HAISA 2023, Kent, UK.
• 2023 (with J. W. Davies) "The Role of a Foundation Year in Providing Access to Engineering", Univ. Warwick.
• 2023 Session leader at the Inclusive Engineering Conference, Univ. Plymouth.
• 2023 Invited Talk and Panel Session, PGR Students into Teaching Conference, Univ. Plymouth.
•  2022 (with D. J. Walker and M. J. Walter) "An Explainable Visualisation of the Evolutionary Search Process", ECXAI Workshop at GECCO 2022, Boston, USA. 
•  2022 (with P. L. Manikowski and D. J. Walker) "Many-Objective Optimisation of Offshore Wind Farms", 9th PRIMaRE Conference.
• 2022 (with M. J. Walter, P. L. Manikowski and D. J. Walker) "Explainable Optimisation of Offshore Wind Farms", 9th PRIMaRE Conference.
• 2021 "Foundation Year Innovation, Challenges and Opportunities During a Pandemic", FYNAC21, Univ. Keele, Online. Also, invited panel discussion.
• 2021 (with P. L. Manikowski and D. J. Walker) "Single and Multi-Objective Optimisation of Benchmark Wind Farm Optimisation Problems", 8th PRIMaRE Conference.
• 2021 (with D. J. Walker and K. Tam) "Securing and Automating Offshore Renewable Engineering: Challenges in Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security", 8th PRIMaRE Conference.
• 2020 (with S. Martin and J. R. Woodward) "A Structured Approach to Modifying Successful Heuristics", 12th Intl. Conf. on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications, Online.
• 2020 "Inclusion for Foundation Year Mathematics Post Covid-19", FYNAC20, Univ. East Anglia, UK. Also, invited panel discussion.
• 2020 (with M. J. Walter and D. J. Walker) "Visualising Evolution History in Multi- and Many-Objective Optimisation", PPSN 2020, Leiden, Netherlands.
• 2019 (with T. Alotaibi and P. Tziogkidis) "Constructing Class-Based Portfolios on Gulf Markets with Metaheuristics", OR-61, Kent, UK.
• 2019 (with T. Alotaibi) "Efficient Frontiers in Portfolio Optimisation with Minimum Proportion Constraints", GECCO 2019, Prague, Czech Republic.
• 2019 (with J. Sharp) "Combatting the Deficit Model in Foundation Year Mathematics: Ethical Admissions and Inclusive Curricula", FYNAC19, Univ. Sussex, UK.
• 2019 "Group-Theoretic Cryptanalysis Using Hyperheuristics", Queen Mary University of London, UK.
• 2019 "Evolution of Cryptanalytic Attacks via Hyperheuristics", Big Data Group, Plymouth, UK.
• 2018 (with J. Sharp) "Exploring the Frontiers of Foundation Years in Mathematics - An Update on a Work in Progress", FYNAC18, Nottingham, UK.
• 2018 (with D. J. Walker) "Visualising the Operation of Evolutionary Algorithms Optimising Water Distribution Network Design Problems", HIC 2018, Palermo, Italy.
• 2018 (with D. J. Walker) "Toward the Online Visualisation of Algorithm Performance for Parameter Selection", EVOIndustry, Parma, Italy.
• 2018 "The Plymouth GPU Research Centre, Big Data Group", Plymouth, UK.

 

Other academic activities:

• I have taught many Royal Institute Mathematics Masterclasses and outreach events, the most recent in 2024.
• I regularly lead sessions at Mathematical Sciences open and applicant days for undergraduate students.
• I review for the Journal of Operational Research, Transactions on Evolutionary Learning and Optimization, Expert Systems with Applications, and Applied Soft Computing, among others. I was a Programme Committee member for the GECCO-UP Workshop 2013 and GECCO 2019, and a Review Committee member for the VizGEC Workshop in 2015-date.
• I review EPSRC grant applications in cryptography and artificial intelligence, and also for the Royal Society.

Links:

Centre for Mathematical Sciences(research group)
Mathematical sciences