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School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
Solving Today's Problems
With grants from the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, National Security Agency and more, our mathematics and statistical sciences faculty are leading game-changing research projects. Graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to be a part of this exciting work.Conducting research allows you to deepen your understanding of theoretical mathematics, to explore the ways in which we apply mathematics to engineering and other sciences, to test your theories on math education, to see how statistics intersects with various fields, and more. Research opportunities abound in all four of our major focus areas.
Applied Mathematics
Applied mathematics encompasses mathematical modeling and the development of computational tools often motivated by some area of application in the natural or social sciences or engineering. Our vibrant group in Applied Mathematics has strong interdisciplinary connections with the schools of engineering and life sciences as well as institutes such as the Bio Design Institute, the Mayo Clinic, the Global Institute of Sustainability, and the Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative. The applied math faculty is well funded through grants from NSF, NIH, defense agencies and others.
Theoretical Mathematics
Theoretical mathematics is the study of abstract mathematical structures which form the basic framework for the rest of the mathematical sciences. In large part, theoretical mathematics is inspired by intellectual curiosity. Theoretical mathematics provides the tools for scientific discoveries in the future, often in unexpected ways.
Mathematics Education
Mathematics Education is the study of how people learn and teach mathematics meaningfully. One of its major goals is to develop theories of learning and teaching that will be foundational for strategies and curricular materials that improve the conceptual learning and use of mathematics. The math-ed group at ASU is particularly interested in mathematics learning and pedagogy at the high-school and early college levels and on the learning process in traditional, flipped class models and online settings. Content areas include precalculus, calculus, and the transition to advanced theoretical courses.
Statistics
Statistics is the science of collecting data, summarizing data, making sense of data, and drawing inferences from data. With research and decisions increasingly being data-driven, basic knowledge of statistical concepts and methods is becoming more important. Our faculty members apply statistics to research in a range of fields, including functional MRI, behavioral science, epidemiology, biology, medical imaging and network theory. Statisticians are often part of larger interdisciplinary research teams because, typically, they do not have ownership of data and collaborate with researchers who do. That, in part, makes being a statistician so much fun; as already noted by John W. Tukey, statisticians “get to play in everyone's backyard.”
Featured Research
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olfactory model
Sharon Crook studies the mechanisms and algorithms underlying neural computation. Using mathematical models, analysis and computer simulations, she and her research team examine the dynamics of neurons and networks of neurons. In particular, their focus is on understanding the ability that neurons have to change at a cellular or network level due to trauma, rehabilitation, learning, development, or aging.
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Spatial stochastic processes
The aim of Nicolas Lanchier's research is to understand the role of space in biological and social communities through the mathematical analysis of stochastic processes known as interacting particle systems. Popular examples of such models are the contact process and the voter model. These processes are ideally suited to investigate the consequences of the inclusion of space in the form of local interactions.
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Research Overview
Ming-Hung (Jason) Kao’s research will not only contribute to statistical research, but also be of practical importance. The results will help researchers to conduct well-designed neuroimaging experiments to collect high-quality data for making precise statistical inference. This will further lead to a better understanding of the brain and some brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are excellent opportunities to gain hands-on research experience while completing your undergraduate degree. REUs are available throughout the academic year, and at institutions across the country, including ASU.
Undergraduate Research Projects
Participating in research provides students with an opportunity to gain new knowledge and participate in cutting-edge projects. Students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills — skills that will benefit them now as well as in the future.
Research Training Group
How do we extract useful information from the ever-growing oceans of raw data being collected? The mathematical sciences have established an impressive track record in providing methodology for “big data” problems as they have emerged in recent decades. We're looking for graduate students to join our ASU Research Training Group (RTG) program to keep pace with these challenges.
"Over the past five years, using my background in math, I’ve been able to do research on prescription drug abuse, nowcasting influenza with Internet data, algorithmic development for reconstructing large data sets, hydrocode verification and validation, and impact cratering and solid mechanics on Asteroid 16 Psyche. Being able to apply my skills to such a diverse range of problems is by far my favorite thing about math."
Wendy Caldwell
PhD Applied Mathematics 2019
“My favorite part of doing mathematics is that 'Aha!' moment, the excitement of something finally making sense. You get this feeling that you've really achieved something. It's an incredible feeling that makes all the hours of hard work worthwhile.”
Lauren Crider
Doctoral student in mathematics
"My aspiration is to communicate my love of mathematics to my students so that they can appreciate the beauty of this subject. Teaching is an ever evolving job and I constantly seek opportunities to improve and learn, just like my students. I hope that my enthusiasm can be contagious. There isn’t anything more fulfilling then a student thanking you for being an inspiration both in school and in life.”
Stefania Tracogna
Principal Lecturer
