Nick Britton worked at the crossover between biology and maths
SuzanneSkevington
Fri 30 Apr 2021 07.24 EDT
Last modified on Fri 30 Apr 2021 07.26 EDT
My husband, Nicholas Britton, who has died aged 67 of bone cancer, was a pioneering mathematical biologist whose research covered a huge range of subjects, from how malaria is transmitted to the growth of tree rings, and dialects in bird song.
His teaching and work on modelling techniques made an important contribution to inspiring and training the generation of researchers who are currently applying these skills and knowhow to solving the problems of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nick was born in London, to Barbara Ferris, a teacher, and Geoffrey Britton, a university lecturer in medieval English. Sunday lunch was punctuated by debates about seemingly obscure facts. At Haberdashers’ Aske’s school, Nick developed his mathematical talent and also enjoyed Russian and learning to play the clarinet. With a scholarship, he studied mathema
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As schools prepare to reopen, we ask leading authorities in key fields to grade their experience of teaching the curriculum to their kids
6 March 2021 • 9:00am
Novelist Laura Pearson was excited about teaching English to her two children - but soon found herself baffled by some of the grammar they were expected to know
Credit: Laura Pearson
After about six months of tearful tantrums, interrupted Zoom meetings, and hastily-abandoned teaching schedules, homeschooling in England finally comes to an end this weekend - (hopefully) for the last time. Parent-child relationships have been strained; living rooms have become battlegrounds.
A maths lecturer left baffled by his seven-year-old daughter s geometry homework took to Twitter to ask for help.
Dr Kit Yates, co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath and author of The Maths of Life and Death, shared his daughter s maths worksheet to Twitter in a bid to find out the correct answer.
The question, accompanied by an image of a semi-circle, asked students: True or false? This shape has two right angles. Explain your answer.
Dr Kit Yates, co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath, shared his daughter s maths worksheet (above) to Twitter in a bid to find out the answer
| UPDATED: 19:49, Sat, Dec 19, 2020
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And Independent SAGE s Dr Kit Yates also said it was possible cases in the region were driven up by commuters into London who were bringing the virus back with them. Meanwhile, one Essex MP likened mass recklessness to sending the troops over the top at 10.30am on Armistice Day 1918, urging the public to be sensible and patient.
Britain won t vaccinate all 30million vulnerable residents against Covid for a decade, if Number 10 s mammoth operation continues at the current speed.
Department of Health bosses today claimed 137,897 people across Britain were given the approved Pfizer/BioNTech jab during the first eight days of the UK s biggest-ever vaccination drive.
At that rate roughly 17,237 vaccinations per day it would take around 3,481 days to give all 30million people on Downing Street s priority list their two doses.
Vaccinations are being done faster this week now GP practices are involved and will continue to speed up in the coming weeks with more venues starting up, more staff hired and more vaccine doses available.