Smita Sahu

Smita Sahu is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mathematics & Physics within the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth. She is actively involved in research and teaching, with a focus on mathematical modeling of energy systems, particularly lithium-ion batteries, and numerical methods for partial differential equations. She contributes to the Centre for Environmental and Renewable Energy Solutions and is accepting PhD students.

Education:

• Ph.D. in High-order and coupled schemes for Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations, University of Rome La Sapienza (awarded 21 Jul 2015)
• MSc from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (awarded 8 Aug 2010)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), awarded 24 Jul 2024

Research Interests: Her work centers on mathematical modeling for lithium-ion batteries, computational and numerical methods for Hamilton-Jacobi equations, nondestructive testing of metals, and traffic flow models. She is currently developing novel mathematical models and fast solvers for physics-based battery models. She is a key developer of DandeLiion, an ultra-fast solver for electrochemical models, developed in collaboration with the University of Southampton, Imperial College London, and funded by the Faraday Institution.

Publication Trends: Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on mathematical modeling in energy storage, particularly lithium-ion batteries. She integrates numerical analysis, uncertainty quantification, and data-driven methods into electrochemical models. Her work spans theoretical development, solver implementation, and experimental validation, showing a cohesive research trajectory in computational electrochemistry and applied mathematics.

Scientific Awards:

• Second prize for a presentation (26 Jun 2021)

Advising and Grants: She is currently supervising PhD student Joseph Petrassem De Sousa on a project titled 'Mathematical modelling of coffee brewing'. She serves as a Co-Investigator on the active 'Multi-Scale Modelling' project funded by the Faraday Institution, focusing on physics-based modeling of sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries. Her research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to clean energy and innovation.

Labs and Teams: She is part of the DandeLiion development team, a collaborative effort between the University of Portsmouth, University of Southampton, and Imperial College London. She also contributes to the Centre for Environmental and Renewable Energy Solutions at the University of Portsmouth, working on computational models for sustainable energy technologies.