Institution news
James will be speaking at this year's Simulation and Modelling conference, for further details please visit the event website.
Could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience related to the focus of this event?
James Lewis (JL): As a Senior Data Scientist at Ricardo Energy & Environment, I lead simulation-driven approaches to infrastructure planning in complex, high-stakes environments. My work centres on applying optimisation techniques to design and enhance energy systems that deliver low-carbon, cost-effective outcomes. At the heart of my contribution is SPARK, a reproducible simulation tool originally developed for ports, but broadly applicable to logistics hubs, industrial estates, airports, and any site functioning as an “energy hub.” It’s this focus on energy systems modelling and optimisation that aligns so closely with the Simulation and Modelling conference’s mission.
What, in your experience, has been the biggest roadblock for the industry over the past 2-3 years?
JL: Messy data. One of the biggest roadblocks over the past few years has been the persistent challenge of poor-quality, inconsistent, or fragmented datasets. Even the most sophisticated machine learning and AI techniques struggle to produce reliable insights when the underlying data is noisy or incomplete. This not only hampers model performance, it slows down innovation, derails decision making, and increases the cost of delivery. For industries looking to scale digital solutions, investing in structured, high-integrity data foundations is more crucial than ever.
What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
JL: I'm particularly excited to explore how others approach modelling highly complex systems, especially those where state spaces expand rapidly and become computationally intensive. It's fascinating to see how different teams handle dimensionality, convergence, and scalability when designing simulations that stay both accurate and tractable. I’m keen to compare techniques, share insights from our work with SPARK, and learn how others are navigating this space across industries.
What do you consider to be the key areas of innovation in this industry, both in the UK and internationally?
JL: Two things:
- Data Quantity and Quality Recent years have seen a dramatic expansion in the availability of data, driven by the widespread deployment of sensors across nearly every domain of interest. From environmental monitoring to energy systems and transport networks, we now have real-time data streams for almost any parameter we care about. The challenge is no longer scarcity but structure, transforming this vast, fragmented raw data into clean, interoperable formats that can power high-fidelity simulations and robust analytics.
- AI and Machine Learning Approaches AI and ML are increasingly central to simulation-driven decision-making. We're seeing innovations in surrogate modelling, reinforcement learning for control systems, and hybrid methods that blend physics-based models with data-driven components. These techniques are enabling real-time optimisation, uncertainty quantification, and adaptive planning across sectors, from energy systems to transportation.
Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
JL: I'm particularly looking forward to the sessions focused on digital twins. These systems offer a powerful bridge between physical infrastructure and intelligent decision-making, and I'm keen to see how others are leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance their fidelity and responsiveness. The ability to hook in advanced analytics and optimisation techniques makes digital twins a natural fit for scalable, data-driven planning, especially in complex environments.
Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?
JL: Engineers have a unique opportunity to shape the future by modelling and optimising the systems that underpin daily life. Whether it's transport, energy, logistics or infrastructure, so much of our world can be better understood, and made more sustainable through simulation. This conference offers a chance to see the art of the possible: cutting-edge techniques, inspiring case studies, and practical insights that I hope will spark bold new ideas for every attendee.
This year's Simulation and Modelling conference will take place on 30 Sep - 1 Oct in Birmingham, bringing together this dedicated engineering community to share recent advances, insights from projects, best practice, and lessons learned. To view the full agenda and register your place, please visit the event website.