A NEWPORT mathematician is set to present his research on gravity and dark energy to Parliament.

PhD student Matthew Wright, who grew up in Caerleon and now studies at University College London, will offer his poster of findings to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges next Monday, as part of the SET for Britain initiative.

The 24-year-old's work will be judged against other top scientists’ research in the only national competition of its kind, after he was shortlisted from hundreds of applicants.

He said: "A lot of people are really fascinated by the big questions about our universe - how did it start, why is it expanding, how will it end?

"This is a really exciting opportunity to showcase my work, which attempts to understand the answers to some of these questions, to a wider audience.

"Hopefully I can show people that reasonably simple ideas and mathematics are able to help us get closer to an answer to these profound questions.”

Mr Wright's research has been entered into the mathematical sciences session of the competition, which will end in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.

The gold medalist receives £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.

The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee runs the event in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, The Physiological Society and the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, with financial support from Essar, the Clay Mathematics Institute, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the Institute of Biomedical Science, the Bank of England and the Society of Chemical Industry.