Biography

I am a lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the University of Leeds. My research focuses on the mathematical understanding of computational algorithms. This work includes modelling, analysis and simulation using skills from maths, computer science, physics and biology. I apply these ideas to the study of moving interface and free boundary problems in particular concerning the undulatory locomotion of microswimmers as part of the Leeds wormlab.

For 2024/25, I am module leader for one module: COMP2421 Numerical Computation. Module content for the moduls is available to students via Minerva.

Funded PhD project

I have funding for a PhD project on Numerical computation of interface problems. Please contact me for more details.

Interests
  • Numerical analysis
  • Nonlinear partial differential equations
  • Free boundary problems
  • Biological applications including microswimmers
Education

  • PhD in Mathematics, 2013

    University of Warwick

  • MMath in Mathematics, 2009

    University of Warwick

Recent Publications

Evolving finite elements for an advection diffusion problem with an evolving interface
The aim of this paper is to develop a numerical scheme to approximate evolving interface problems for parabolic equations based on the …
Charles M. Elliott, Thomas Ranner, Pierre Stepanov
PDF Code
3D shape reconstruction of semi-transparent worms
3D shape reconstruction typically requires identifying object features or textures in multiple images of a subject. This approach is …
Thomas P. Ilett, Omer Yuval, Thomas Ranner, Netta Cohen, David Hogg
PDF
A monolithic optimal control method for displacement tracking of Cosserat rod with application to reconstruction of C. elegans locomotion
Yongxing Wang, Thomas Ranner, Thomas P. Ilett, Yan Xia, Netta Cohen
PDF DOI
A unified theory for continuous in time evolving finite element space approximations to partial differential equations in evolving domains
We develop a unified theory for continuous in time finite element discretisations of partial differential equations posed in evolving …
Charles M. Elliott, Thomas Ranner
PDF Code DOI
A stable finite element method for low inertia undulatory locomotion in three dimensions
We present and analyse a numerical method for understanding the low-inertia dynamics of an open, inextensible viscoelastic rod - a long …
Thomas Ranner
PDF DOI
See all publications

Teaching

I am a teaching instructor for the following courses in the School of Computer Science at the University of Leeds.

I am also interested in supervising Final Year, MSc and PhD projects. I have funding for a PhD project on Numerical computation of interface problems. Please contact me for more details.

Recent Posts

Origami Worms
In the School of Computing at the University of Leeds we want to find out more about how worms move by wiggling. Can you help us by making your own origami worm?
Last updated on 22 May, 2020 1 min read
EPSRC Funded Phd Studentship
Edit: The deadline for this funding has now passed. But please make contact if you are interested in pursuing one of these projects as alternative funding may be available. Background: PhD students are sought in the School of Computing at the University of Leeds, UK.
Last updated on 18 Mar, 2019 7 min read
Using configuration options in c++ using CMake
Sometimes when writing generic code you want to only using certain bits of code in special circumstances, for example only use OpenCV code when it is availble. With CMake this is easy.
Last updated on 10 Jul, 2018 3 min read
Fitting a plane to points using Lagrange Multipliers
Suppose we have some three dimensional point data and we think that the data can be well described by a plane. We find this plane by minimising the distance between the plane and all the points using a least squares fit.
Last updated on 10 Jul, 2018 5 min read

Recent & Upcoming Talks

Free Boundary Problems 2021
I will be giving a talk at the Free Boundary Problems 2021 meeting as part of the Coupled Surface-Bulk problem mini-symposium. Numerical analysis of a coupled bulk-surface problem in an evolving domain Abstract Based on an abstract theory for continuous in time finite element discretisations of partial differential equations posed in evolving domains, I will present numerical analysis of a simple coupled bulk-surface problem.
Last updated on 14 Sep, 2021
SciCADE22
I will be giving a talk at the SciCADE meeting as part of the minisymposium on Numerical analysis of PDEs in Complex domains Numerical analysis of a coupled bulk-surface problem in an evolving domain Abstract Based on an abstract theory for continuous in time finite element discretisations of partial differential equations posed in evolving domains, I will present numerical analysis of a simple coupled bulk-surface problem.
Last updated on 20 Jul, 2022
Interfaces and free boundaries 2021
I will be giving a talk at the Preliminary meeting for Interfaces and Free Boundaries. A stable finite element method for low Reynolds undulatory locomotion Abstract We present and analyse a numerical method for understanding the dynamics of an open, inextensible viscoelastic rod - a long and thin three dimensional object.
Last updated on 15 Jun, 2021
Enumath2019
I am giving two talks at ENUMATH 2019
Last updated on 16 Feb, 2022

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