Mathematical Modelling of Continuous Systems

Fields such as robotics or computer vision are interdisciplinary subjects at the intersection of engineering and computer science. By their nature, they deal with both computers and the physical world. Although the former are in the latter, the workings of computers are best described in the black-and-white vocabulary of discrete mathematics, which is foreign to most classical models of reality, quantum physics notwithstanding. This class surveys some of the key tools of applied math...
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Fields such as robotics or computer vision are interdisciplinary subjects at the intersection of engineering and computer science. By their nature, they deal with both computers and the physical world. Although the former are in the latter, the workings of computers are best described in the black-and-white vocabulary of discrete mathematics, which is foreign to most classical models of reality, quantum physics notwithstanding. This class surveys some of the key tools of applied math to be used at the interface of continuous and discrete. It is not on robotics or computer vision, nor does it cover any other application area. Applications evolve rapidly, but their mathematical foundations remain. Even if you will not pursue any of these fields, the mathematics that you learn in this class will not go wasted. To be sure, applied mathematics is a discipline in itself and, in many universities, a separate department. Consequently, this class can be a quick tour at best. It does not replace calculus or linear algebra, which are assumed as prerequisites, nor is it a comprehensive survey of applied mathematics. What is covered is a compromise between the time available and what is useful and fun to talk about. Even if in some cases you may have to wait until you take an applied class to fully appreciate the usefulness of a particular topic, I hope that you will enjoy studying these subjects in their own right.