I am a freelance mathematician, which means I solve problems about how things relate to each other. Often, it means fixing the annoying problem you’ve been putting off because it needs too much concentration. I strive to make things as simple as possible, while making you look – and feel – smart.
Email me on colin@colinbeveridge.co.uk if there’s anything I can help you with!
If you follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn, you might have noticed me asking “how can I help you this week?” on a Monday.
This is an experiment. It’s partly because I like helping people, but it’s also partly research (I want to know what people struggle with, so I can cut my consulting cloth accordingly.) Quick advice* is always free.
My forte is mathematical code, generally. My background is in numerical methods for solving differential equations, but I can turn my hand to many things, including:
- Writing and implementing code to solve a problem
- Debugging code that isn’t behaving as expected
- Documenting procedures so knowledge isn’t lost
(My language of choice is Python, but I’m versatile.)
Some things I’ve worked on:
- A marine exploration company wanted a model for navigating an autonomous underwater vehicle using only sonar to park in a docking station. I wrote code to solve the problem.
- A physicist’s code was giving unexplained results. We discussed the problem, found the underlying error and developed a different method. (Click here to read a fictionalised account of this.)
- An analyst needed help estimating parameters and their error rates for a sophisticated statistical model. I dug into the problem and gave suggestions of appropriate methods they could use (including hill-climbing and simulated annealing).
- A politician received incomplete and erroneous data about an election. I reverse-engineered polling numbers consistent with the given results.
If you have a mathematical problem I might help with, drop me an email (colin@colinbeveridge.co.uk) – if it’s something I can offer quick advice* on, there’s no charge.
If you have a bigger problem, I offer a bespoke consultancy service. Again, please email me (colin@colinbeveridge.co.uk) and we can discuss details.
* What exactly “quick advice” means varies depending on how busy I am. Generally, if it’s something I can answer in a couple of emails without writing any code, it’s quick advice.