research

APPLIED MATHEMATICS

Applied Math examples

Applied mathematics focuses on the creation and study of mathematical and computational tools broadly applicable in science and engineering, and on their use in solving challenging problems in these and related fields.

From ecological modeling to electromagnetic theory, from robotics to meteorology, areas of investigation are diverse.

The interdisciplinary setting at Harvard provides an ideal environment for applied mathematics research, with research occurring both within and at the boundaries of many different fields, using a variety of mathematical and computational tools.

Research Groups

The Applied Math Lab
Climate Dynamics

Areas of Focus

Control Theory and Communications

  • theory and operation of communication networks
  • the application of control theory to quantum mechanical information transfer
  • the development of algorithms for designing and improving on present day cellular networks

Researchers

Brockett, Roger W.
Khaneja, Navin
Smith, Maurice A.
Tarokh, Vahid

Mathematical Biology

  • mathematical models for tissue growth and biofilm formation
  • the structure of viral packings
  • mechanical models for molecular springs
  • threading of DNA through small holes
  • ecological modeling
  • the genetics of cancer, evolutionary dynamics, and theoretical neurobiology
  • systems biology

Researchers

Bossert, William H.
Brenner, Michael P.
Mahadevan, L.
Nagpal, Radhika
Nelson, David R.
Smith, Maurice A.
Weitz, David A.

Associated Faculty in Systems Biology
Kishony, Roy
Paulsson, Johan


Mathematical Geophysics

  • dynamics of El Nino
  • the mechanics of earthquakes
  • geophysical fluid mechanics
  • atmospheric turbulence and instability

Researchers

Farrell, Brian F.
Mahadevan, L.
Rice, James R.
Tziperman, Eli

Numerical Analysis

  • Brownian motion of polymers in solution
  • the kinetics of phase transition
  • the prediction of material microstructures
  • the development of novel methods for simulating earthquake mechanics

Researchers

Anderson, Donald G.
Brenner, Michael P.
Kaxiras, Efthimios
Rice, James R.

Physical and Engineering Mathematics

  • motion of cracks in solids
  • mixing in small geometries
  • the crumpling of paper
  • lattice packings in curved geometries
  • the analysis of materials processes
  • predicting optimal mechanics for device applications

Researchers

Bloxham, Jeremy
Brenner, Michael P.
Hutchinson, John W.
Kaxiras, Efthimios
Mahadevan, L.
Martin, Paul C.
Nelson, David R.
Rice, James R.
Stone, Howard A.
Suo, Zhigang
Tziperman, Eli
Wu, Tai T.

Theoretical Computer Science

  • randomness in computation
  • error-correcting codes
  • cryptography
  • learning theory and cognitive computation
  • logic in computer science
  • quantum computation
  • computational algebra and number theory
  • parallel computation

Researchers

Lewis, Harry R.
Mitzenmacher, Michael D.
Rabin, Michael O.
Vadhan, Salil P.
Valiant, Leslie G.