PhD in Mathematical Sciences
When you pursue a PhD in Mathematical Sciences at WPI, you join a vibrant community of faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and students who are creating new knowledge and applying their expertise to solve to complex, real-world problems.
We accept about five new doctoral students in our PhD in mathematical sciences each year, all of whom are fully funded, and maintain a team of about 25 PhD candidates. You will be encouraged to collaborate with researchers in the department and across campus as you make important discoveries in an area of interest, from theoretical mathematics to applications in diverse areas like data science, electrical and computer engineering, bioinformatics and computational biology, and biomedical engineering.
Curriculum
Our flexible curriculum enables you to tailor programs of research and study to your professional goals. You will select courses in mathematical sciences and other disciplines and may choose to complete a PhD project with an external sponsor that allows you to connect your theoretical knowledge with relevant applications. We also offer professional development training to enhance your skills in teaching, grant writing, interviewing, and the job search process.
As you pursue your PhD in mathematical sciences, you will be expected to pass two general comprehensive exams by the end of your first year of study and a series of preliminary exams before registering for your dissertation research.
Faculty Profiles
The evolution of defects in materials present particularly interesting mathematical challenges. My research is in applied analysis, and my goals are to improve the mathematical models for these problems, as well as to advance the mathematical methods for studying them.
To get a better idea of my interests, you can look at some online research talks:
https://www.birs.ca/events/2019/5-day-workshops/19w5207/videos/watch/201903041132-Larsen.html
I am a mathematical physicist working on the development and application of mathematical methods to atmospheric research and satellites orbits. As part of this research, I am also developing new methods for the use of symmetry principles to solve differential equations. I have taught a broad spectrum of applied math courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Research is a core part of the undergraduate experience at WPI. As Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Suzanne Weekes increases the focus on the undergraduate research enterprise at the university to continue to advance WPI’s mission to create, to discover, and to convey knowledge at the frontiers of academic inquiry for the betterment of society.
Bill Martin's goal is to find mathematical research projects that lie between beautiful and powerful mathematical theory, on the one hand, and pressing technological applications, on the other. This effort requires one to keep abreast of both mathematical developments and applications in computer science and engineering. Professor Martin's mathematical research is in the area of algebraic combinatorics, where tools from linear and abstract algebra are applied to problems in discrete math.