Applied Mathematics: Applied and computational mathematics encompasses some of the most diverse and interdisciplinary research in the physical, engineering, and biological sciences. The Department of Applied Mathematics provides a dynamic and engaging graduate training environment that is especially strong in scientific computing and in the application areas of mathematical biology (ecology, biochemistry, neuroscience), nonlinear waves and coherent structures (water waves and tsunamis, lasers, nonlinear optics), climate modeling (atmospheric dynamics, global warming) and modern mathematical methods (inverse problems, numerical analysis, optimization).
Boeing Distinguished Colloquia in Applied Mathematics -
May 17, 2012
- Michael Shelley, Courant Institute
- Active Fluids
- Thursday, May 17, 2012, 4:00pm, GUG 220
- The mechanics of fluids and structures can sometimes be extremely useful in explaining biological phenomena. While bird flight and fish swimming are well-known examples, I will discuss two other cases where the role of mechanics seems not so obvious but turns out to be central and even surprising. The first concerns understanding experimental observations of a simple undulating organism -- the nematode C. elegans -- negotiating a fluid-filled space full of obstacles. The second case focuses on the pronuclear complex in C. elegans embryo and how it achieves proper position and orientation within the cell so that early development can successfully proceed.