The origin of patterns such as are found in animal coats, sand dunes and snow flakes is a fascinating subject studied computationally and theoretically at Warwick.

Within the mathematics department Dwight Barkley studies pattern computationally in reaction-diffusion systems. In particular he studies the types of spiral and scroll waves found in excitable media such as heart tissue. He also studies patterns found in fluid systems such as convection and shear flows. Ian Stewart has developed a systematic approach to understanding the symmetries found in patterns.

Pattern formation is also studied in the context of fluids dynamics by members of the Fluid Dynamics Research Centre and in condensed matter systems by members of the Physics Department.