Mathematical Sciences (PhD)

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 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.

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Graduate Admissions

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.

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.

Graduate Catalog

Research

Research in the Mathematical Sciences Department at WPI plays a vital role in solving complex problems facing our world. You will work alongside faculty and student researchers who are involved in a wealth of diverse projects, both fundamental and applied,in these areas:

Discrete mathematics, combinatorics, and graph theory
Analysis and differential equations
Computational mathematics
Statistics and stochastic analysis

Our strong interdisciplinary culture also offers exciting possibilities to interact with researchers in other disciplines, including physics, engineering, and the life sciences.

Explore our Research

In addition, as a PhD student, you will have access to a modern and diverse line-up of computing facilities and industry-standard software programs, including SAS, R, MATLAB, Python, and Turing, our high-performance computer cluster.

View our Facilities

Faculty Profiles

Christopher Larsen

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

Many interesting physical phenomena are difficult to pin down mathematically, which is a necessary first step in order to make predictions confidently. This is particularly true in the study of the evolution of defects in materials; for example, predicting the growth and paths of cracks. My research is in applied analysis, and my goals are to formulate mathematically- and physically-reasonable models for these problems, as well as understand the properties of solutions (even proving their existence itself is often a serious problem).

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Mayer Humi

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

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.

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Suzanne L. Weekes

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, ad Interim

Mathematical Sciences

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William Martin

Professor

Mathematical Sciences

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.

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Getting Involved

Outside of class you may network with fellow mathematicians in the WPI chapter of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and attend our colloquium series to learn about research initiatives from around the world. You may also participate in the department’s diverse K-12 outreach programs, ranging from mathematics meets to summer camps for high school students.

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Students walking around the fountain in the springtime

After Graduation

After you graduate, you will have boundless career options. Recent graduates have found positions as postdoctoral scholars and professors at schools including Courant Institute, Rutgers University, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Utah, and WestPoint Academy. Others have been recruited to work as high-level mathematicians for organizations including Boeing Company, the Federal Reserve, Mathworks, and Metron Inc.

Career Outlook

Mathematical Sciences Department