Jonathan Thompson

Professor Jonathan Thompson serves as Head of School in the School of Mathematics at Cardiff University. He holds multiple administrative roles including Year Three Director of Studies, Chair of School Board, and has significant teaching responsibilities for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. His academic career spans over two decades with previous positions at Edinburgh University (Lecturer in Statistics and Operational Research, 1996-97) and Swansea University (Research Assistant, 1994-96).

Dr. Thompson's research focuses on operational research with particular expertise in graph theoretic modelling, meta-heuristics (especially ant systems, genetic algorithms and simulated annealing), and various scheduling problems including examination scheduling, sports fixture scheduling, and manpower planning. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications in healthcare, transportation, and logistics. He has established strong industry connections, having completed projects with WH Smiths, John Menzies, and the International Rugby Board. His research demonstrates consistent evolution from foundational work in graph coloring and ant colony optimization toward increasingly complex real-world applications in dynamic environments.

• Operational Research group member
• External funding from Office of National Statistics (2005-2006)
• Editorial Board member of International Journal of Operational Research
• Programme Committee member for major conferences (GECCO, PPSN, PATAT)

Professor Thompson has successfully supervised numerous PhD students since 2000, with completed theses covering examination timetabling, nurse scheduling, vehicle routing, and other operational research problems. His supervision portfolio reflects the breadth of his research interests, from theoretical graph theory to practical healthcare and transportation applications. He has secured external funding for research projects and maintains active collaborations with both academic and industry partners.