Course Listing

This course is a systematic introduction to a computing environment (python with jupyter notebooks) suited for applications to science and engineering.  It consists of three Modules:  1. Basics: essential elements of computing: types of variables (integer, floating, logical), lists, arrays, basic operations (for, while loops, if statement), definition of functions, file handling and plotting. 2. Elementary: numerical differentiation, root finding, series expansions, numerical integration, fitting of curves and error analysis, plotting and simulating in higher dimensions (contours). 3. Advanced: solving simple first and second-order ordinary differential equations, solving partial differential equations, use of random numbers for sampling and simulations, such as Monte Carlo integration and modeling realistic problems, like the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The course work consists of attending lectures and labs, weekly homework assignments, a mid-term project and a final project; all work is developed in small groups, but assignments must be written by students individually.

This course covers a combination of linear algebra and multivariate calculus with an eye towards solving systems of equations and optimization problems. Students will learn how to prove some key results, and will also implement these ideas with code.Linear algebra: matrices, vector spaces, bases and dimension, inner products, least squares problems, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, singular values, singular vectors.Multivariate calculus: partial differentiation, gradient and Hessian, critical points, Lagrange Multipliers.

Multivariable and vector calculus, supplemented with numerical methods.  Multivariate calculus: multiple integration, functions of two or three variables, approximating functions.  Parameterized curves, line and surface integrals. Vector calculus: gradient, divergence and curl, Green’s, divergence theorems. Complex numbers.  Select differential equations topics.

This course provides an introduction to the problems and issues of applied mathematics, focusing on areas where mathematical ideas have had a major impact on diverse fields of human inquiry. The course is organized around two-week topics drawn from a variety of fields, and involves reading classic mathematical papers in each topic. The course also provides an introduction to mathematical modeling and programming.

Supervised reading or research on topics not covered by regular courses.  For AM concentrators, work may be supervised by faculty in other departments.  For non-concentrators, work must be supervised by an AM faculty member.  Students must receive the approval of an (Associate) Director of Undergraduate Studies and obtain their signature before submitting AM91r forms.

Supervised reading or research on topics not covered by regular courses.  For AM concentrators, work may be supervised by faculty in other departments.  For non-concentrators, work must be supervised by an AM faculty member.  Students must receive the approval of an (Associate) Director of Undergraduate Studies and obtain their signature before submitting AM91r forms.

Provides an opportunity for students to engage in preparatory research and the writing of a senior thesis. Graded on a SAT/UNS basis as recommended by the thesis supervisor. The thesis is evaluated by the supervisor and by one additional reader.

Provides an opportunity for students to engage in preparatory research and the writing of a senior thesis. Graded on a SAT/UNS basis as recommended by the thesis supervisor. The thesis is evaluated by the supervisor and by one additional reader.

Introductory statistical methods for students in the applied sciences and engineering. Random variables and probability distributions; the concept of random sampling, including random samples, statistics, and sampling distributions; the Central Limit Theorem; parameter estimation; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; simple linear regression; and multiple linear regression. Introduction to more advanced techniques as time permits.

Introductory statistical methods for students in the applied sciences and engineering. Random variables and probability distributions; the concept of random sampling, including random samples, statistics, and sampling distributions; the Central Limit Theorem; parameter estimation; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; simple linear regression; and multiple linear regression. Introduction to more advanced techniques as time permits.

Complex analysis:  complex numbers, functions, mappings, Laurent series, differentiation, integration, contour integration and residue theory, conformal mappings and circle packings. Applications to visualization, art (especially M.C. Escher) and photography.  Fourier Analysis:  orthogonality, Fourier Series, Fourier transforms. Signal processing: sampling theorems (Nyquist, Shannon), fast Fourier and other discrete transforms, wavelets and filtering. Applications to image, video, audio and morphological analysis:  filtering and cleaning images, musical analysis, fraud and authentication, filter banks for engineering.

Complex analysis:  complex numbers, functions, mappings, Laurent series, differentiation, integration, contour integration and residue theory, conformal mappings and circle packings. Applications to visualization, art (especially M.C. Escher) and photography.  Fourier Analysis:  orthogonality, Fourier Series, Fourier transforms. Signal processing: sampling theorems (Nyquist, Shannon), fast Fourier and other discrete transforms, wavelets and filtering. Applications to image, video, audio and morphological analysis:  filtering and cleaning images, musical analysis, fraud and authentication, filter banks for engineering.

Ordinary differential equations: power series solutions; special functions; eigenfunction expansions. Elementary partial differential equations: separation of variables and series solutions; diffusion, wave and Laplace equations. Brief introduction to nonlinear dynamical systems and to numerical methods.

Topics in combinatorial mathematics that find frequent application in computer science, engineering, and general applied mathematics. Course focuses on graph theory on one hand, and enumeration on the other. Specific topics include graph matching and graph coloring, generating functions and recurrence relations, combinatorial algorithms, and discrete probability. Emphasis on problem solving and proofs.

An introduction to nonlinear dynamical phenomena, focused on identifying the long term behavior of systems described by ordinary differential equations. The emphasis is on stability and parameter dependence (bifurcations).  Other topics include: chaos; routes to chaos and universality; maps; strange attractors; fractals. Techniques for analyzing nonlinear systems are introduced with applications to physical, chemical, and biological systems such as forced oscillators, chaotic reactions, and population dynamics.

An introduction to nonlinear dynamical phenomena, focused on identifying the long term behavior of systems described by ordinary differential equations. The emphasis is on stability and parameter dependence (bifurcations).  Other topics include: chaos; routes to chaos and universality; maps; strange attractors; fractals. Techniques for analyzing nonlinear systems are introduced with applications to physical, chemical, and biological systems such as forced oscillators, chaotic reactions, and population dynamics.

Abstracting the essential components and mechanisms from a natural system to produce a mathematical model, which can be analyzed with a variety of formal mathematical methods, is perhaps the most important, but least understood, task in applied mathematics. This course approaches a number of problems without the prejudice of trying to apply a particular method of solution. Topics drawn from biology, economics, engineering, physical and social sciences.

Topics in linear algebra which arise frequently in applications, especially in the analysis of large data sets: linear equations, eigenvalue problems, linear differential equations, principal component analysis, singular value decomposition, data mining methods including frequent pattern analysis, clustering, outlier detection, classification, and machine learning, including neural networks and random forests. Examples will be given from physical sciences, biology, climate, commerce, internet, image processing and more.

Introduction to basic mathematical ideas and computational methods for solving deterministic optimization problems. Topics covered: linear programming, integer programming, branch-and-bound, branch-and-cut. Emphasis on modeling. Examples from business, society, engineering, sports, e-commerce. Exercises in AMPL, complemented by Mathematica or Matlab.

Introduction to basic mathematical ideas and computational methods for solving deterministic optimization problems. Topics covered: linear programming, integer programming, branch-and-bound, branch-and-cut. Emphasis on modeling. Examples from business, society, engineering, sports, e-commerce. Exercises in AMPL, complemented by Mathematica or Matlab.

Introduction to methods for developing accurate approximate solutions for problems in the sciences that cannot be solved exactly, and integration with numerical methods and solutions. Topics include: dimensional analysis, algebraic equations, complex analysis, perturbation theory, matched asymptotic expansions, approximate solution of integrals.

An examination of the mathematical foundations of a range of well-established numerical algorithms, exploring their use through practical examples drawn from a range of scientific and engineering disciplines. Emphasizes theory and numerical analysis to elucidate the concepts that underpin each algorithm. There will be a significant programming component. Students will be expected to implement a range of numerical methods through individual and group-based project work to get hands-on experience with modern scientific computing.

Develops skills for computational research with focus on stochastic approaches, emphasizing implementation and examples. Stochastic methods make it feasible to tackle very diverse problems when the solution space is too large to explore systematically, or when microscopic rules are known, but not the macroscopic behavior of a complex system. Methods will be illustrated with examples from a wide variety of fields, like biology, finance, and physics.

Develops skills for computational research with focus on stochastic approaches, emphasizing implementation and examples. Stochastic methods make it feasible to tackle very diverse problems when the solution space is too large to explore systematically, or when microscopic rules are known, but not the macroscopic behavior of a complex system. Methods will be illustrated with examples from a wide variety of fields, like biology, finance, and physics.

Many problems in science and engineering are inverse problems.  Any experiment that requires an explanation can be couched thus -  given the data, what is the theory/model that provides it - this is an inverse problem. In engineering, a given function (in a product/software …. ) requires a design - again an inverse problem.  This course will introduce a wide array of features of inverse problems from science and engineering - from oil prospecting  and seismology to cognitive science, from particle physics to engineering design. We will then introduce deterministic and probabilistic algorithms for solving these problems. Much of the class will be spent studying how the recent revolution in deep neural networks can (and cannot) be used to solve such inverse problems. The class will have a substantial computational component -- part of every class session will contain instruction and computer implementation of the algorithms in question. Students will carry out final projects in their own area of interest.   Programming will be taught and carried out in Python and Tensorflow.

This course examines a variety of advanced numerical methods, with a focus on those relevant to solving partial differential equations that arise in physical problems. Topics include the finite volume method, finite element method, and interface tracking methods. Associated problems in numerical linear algebra and optimization will be discussed. The course will examine the mathematical underpinnings of each method, as well as look at their practical usage, paying particular attention to efficient implementations on modern multithreaded and parallel computer architectures.

This course introduces advanced mathematical methods and models used in theoretical neuroscience and theory of neural networks. We will explore computations and functions performed by the brain, and how they are implemented by neurons and their networks. We will cover selected topics from deep learning theory; spiking neuron models; population codes; normative theories of sensory representations; models of synaptic plasticity; computing with dynamics in recurrent neural networks; attractor network models of memory and spatial maps; neural models of probabilistic inference in the brain and drift-diffusion models of decision making. Concrete examples of applications of these ideas to the brain will be discussed. Topics at the research frontier will be emphasized.

Mathematical analysis of decision making. Bayesian inference and risk. Maximum likelihood and nonparametric methods. Algorithmic methods for decision rules: perceptrons, neural nets, and back propagation. Hidden Markov models, Blum-Welch, principal and independent components.

Supervision of experimental or theoretical research on acceptable problems in applied mathematics and supervision of reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction.

Supervision of experimental or theoretical research on acceptable problems in applied mathematics and supervision of reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction.