Why study Applied Mathematics?
- Applied Mathematics is one of the most prestigious and favored professions. It combines the excitement of an abstract science and engineering, a wit of chess, and a grandiose of architecture.
- Applied Mathematics problems are inspired by natural phenomena or social needs. The treatment of the problem can be abstract and rigorous; sometimes, a study of a problem leads to development of novel areas (calculus, differential geometry, linear algebra, or probability, to name a few)
- Applied mathematicians are employed in Quantitative Finance, Material Science, Computer Science, Epidemiology, Genetics, City Planning, Climate Science, and so on. Our work is of exceptional social value as well as of a great beauty and elegance.
- And, yes, we also can teach. In academia, we work on our own problems and collaborate with colleagues in departments of science, engineering, mining, finances, and medicine.
- Applied mathematics results last as long as the problems are interesting. (Pythagoras theorem will never be outdated). The results are appreciated not only by other mathematicians, but also by scientists, engineers, and even the general public.
Applied Mathematics at the University of Utah
Undergraduate studies
Our undergraduate program offers two Applied Mathematics oriented Majors:
- The Applied Mathematics BS
which is designed to
- Encourage exploration by Math Majors of other Science and Engineering areas (by allowing certain electives to be fulfilled with classes in Science and Engineering)
- Encourage Science and Engineering Majors to deepen their knowledge of Mathematics by taking some core Math classes.
- The Mathematics Major with Mathematics of Computation Emphasis allows Math Majors to delve deeper into how to use a computer to solve mathematical problems, and includes a special project where the student is mentored by a faculty member into doing computations for a real world problem.
Graduate studies (Masters or PhD)
You can get a graduate degree focusing in Applied Mathematics by attending the Mathematics graduate program and working with one of our Applied Mathematics faculty. Our faculty has ongoing collaborations with Science and Engineering faculty (inside and outside the university) and with the industry, so interdisciplinary graduate projects are possible.
Who founded Applied Mathematics?
The founding fathers of applied mathematics include practically all math geniuses, e.g. Archimedes, Newton, Euler, Cauchy, Gauss, Fourier, Lagrange, Hilbert, Kolmogorov and others.
Isaac Newton
Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.
Leonhard Euler
Although to penetrate into the intimate mysteries of nature and thence to learn the true causes of phenomena is not allowed to us, nevertheless it can happen that a certain fictive hypothesis may suffice for explaining many phenomena.
David Hilbert
He who seeks for methods without having a definite problem in mind seeks in the most part in vain.
Joseph Fourier
The profound study of nature is the most fertile source of mathematical discoveries.
Henry Poincaré
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
John von Neumann
There's no sense in being precise when you don't even know what you're talking about.
Sofia Kovalevskaya
It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul.
Karl Weierstrass
When I wrote this, only God and I understood what I was doing. Now, God only knows.
Other resources
- The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
(SIAM) is the leading international association
for Applied Mathematicians. You may be interested in:
- SIAM Nuggets a blog with interesting applications of Mathematics to important problems.
- SIAM’s Thinking about a career in Applied Mathematics? has more information about career choices for Applied Mathematicians.
Acknowledgments: Thanks to Andrej Cherkaev for proposing this page and for contributing to it. The famous mathematicians images come from the MacTutor History of Mathematics Index.
Webmaster: Fernando Guevara Vasquez. (Created by Yekaterina Epshteyn and FGV)