Overview

The Program in Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona is an internationally recognized, interdisciplinary program offering a unique environment for students who wish to continue their studies of mathematics and its applications leading to a Certificate, Masters (MS) and Doctoral (PhD) degrees (Request Info Here). The Program has faculty members from a wide range of academic disciplines who provide Program students with research opportunities in the physical, engineering, biological, mathematical, social, and computational sciences in which mathematics, mathematical modeling, and computer simulation play a central role. In addition to offering graduate degrees in applied mathematics, the Program supports the hiring of faculty in other departments interested in interdisciplinary research in the mathematical sciences. For current employment opportunities, please visit our Faculty Search webpage.

Today's research problems, whether in academia or industry, are often complex and multi-faceted and require highly trained scientists skilled in an interdisciplinary approach. Such interdisciplinary scientists must possess strong mathematical and computational skills and an in-depth knowledge of the discipline from which the research problem comes. The goal of the Program is to produce active and creative researchers who will work at the forefront of both their chosen area of application and the mathematical techniques related to that application. The achievement of this ambitious goal requires real dedication on the part of the students embarking on this type of training. In addition to research skills, students have opportunities to develop their teaching and communication abilities that are increasingly important to prospective employers. Students normally spend several years as teaching assistants hired by the Department of Mathematics, which is noted for its innovations in mathematics education. Graduates of the Program are highly, if not uniquely, skilled and trained applied mathematicians, and have a fine record of subsequent employment in both academic and non-academic positions.

Each student's program of study is more or less individually designed, although all students must satisfy certain basic requirements that include a first year of core studies. Students are encouraged from an early stage to explore and work on a variety of research problems. These opportunities are provided through a carefully designed program starting with a first year research seminar, term papers, third semester research projects, Independent Study courses with individual faculty, various research working groups and ultimately, supervised dissertation research. Information about preparedness for the Program and prerequisites can be found on the Welcome page.

The atmosphere in the Program in Applied Mathematics is lively and professional with a strong tradition of collegiality and support among the students and open and friendly relations between students and faculty of all ranks. The Program enjoys enthusiastic support from all of the disciplines with which it interacts and its students are highly regarded by faculty across the University. The Program sponsors seminars, colloquia, special lecture series, graduate student seminars, workshops, and conferences.

Faculty in the Program receive grant and contract support from Federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Office of Naval Research, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Department of Energy. Several other private foundations and companies also provide support and opportunities for students as research assistants and funds for special Program activities. The University of Arizona is particularly noted for providing an atmosphere in which interdisciplinary research flourishes. As the list of faculty research interests shows, Applied Mathematics encompasses a remarkable range of interdisciplinary applications of mathematics. If you have a talent for mathematics and would like to put your skills to work in one of the many research fields available, while broadening your scientific horizons, then consider graduate studies in Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona! Request Information Here