Lesson 2

Read the text: Applied mathematics in academic departments

Historically, mathematics was most important in the natural sciences and engineering. However, in recent years, fields outside of the physical sciences have spawned the creation of new areas of mathematics, such as game theory, which grew out of economic considerations, or neural networks, which arose out of the study of the brain in neuroscience, or bioinformatics, from the importance of analyzing large data sets in biology.

Academic institutions are not consistent in the way they group and label courses, programs, and degrees in applied mathematics. At some schools, there is a single mathematics department, whereas others have separate departments for Applied Mathematics and (Pure) Mathematics. It is very common for Statistics departments to be separate at schools with graduate programs, but many undergraduate-only institutions include statistics under the mathematics department.

Many applied mathematics programs (as opposed to departments) consist of primarily cross-listed courses and jointly-appointed faculty in departments representing applications. Some Ph.D. programs in applied mathematics require little or no coursework outside of mathematics, while others require substantial coursework in a specific area of application. In some respects this difference reflects the distinction between "application of mathematics" and "applied mathematics".

Some universities in the UK have departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, but it is now much less common to have separate departments of pure and applied mathematics. Schools with separate applied mathematics departments range from Brown University, which has a well-known and large Division of Applied Mathematics that offers degrees through the doctorate, to Santa Clara University, which offers only the M.S. in applied mathematics Research universities dividing their mathematics department into pure and applied sections include Harvard and MIT.

At some universities there is some tension between applied and pure mathematics departments. One reason is that pure mathematics is often perceived as having a higher intellectual standing. Another reason is a different level of compensation, as applied mathematicians are often paid more. Applied mathematics also enjoys better opportunities to bring external funding from many sources, not limited to the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF) like much of pure mathematics. External funding is highly valued at research universities and is often a condition for faculty advancement. Similar tensions can also exist between statistics and mathematics groups and departments.

After text activity

I. Reading Exercises:

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

Undergraduate, substantial, to perceive, tension, cross-listed course,a brain, neuroscience, department, consideration,neural networks, separate,degrees, to require

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

What are the new areas of applied mathematics?

What do many applied mathematics programs consist of?

What is the main distinction between "application of mathematics" and "applied mathematics"

What Universities propose a seperate faculty of applied maths?

Why is there some tension between applied and pure mathematics departments?

Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:

1) Academic institutions are not consistent in the way	a) primarily cross-listed courses and jointly-appointed faculty in departments representing applications
2) It is very common for Statistics departments to be separate at schools with graduate programs,	b) they group and label courses, programs, and degrees in applied mathematics
3)Many applied mathematics programs (as opposed to departments) consist of	c) but many undergraduate-only institutions include statistics under the mathematics department.
4) Some universities in the UK host departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, but	d) it is now much less common to have separate departments of pure and applied mathematics

II. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Describe new areas of mathematics, applied mathematics historically,

Ph.D programs in applied mathematics, tension between applied and pure mathematics departments using the suggested words and expressions as in example:

New areas of mathematics Economic considerations, , arose ,the study , brain, neuroscience, game theory bioinformatics, , large data sets,biology, neural networks, importance Example A game theory grew out of economic considerations, or neural networks, which arose out of the study of the brain in neuroscience, or bioinformatics, from the importance of analyzing large data sets in biology.

Applied mathematics historically Mathematics , important ,natural sciences ,engineering

Ph.D programs in applied mathematics Require, coursework, outside of mathematics, substantial coursework, a specific area, application

Tension between applied and pure mathematics departments Perceived, higher intellectual standing, reason, level of compensation, applied mathematicians

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1)Question:______________________________________________________?

Answer Research universities dividing their mathematics department into pure and applied sections include Harvard and MIT

2)Question:____________________________________________________?

Answer . Schools with separate applied mathematics departments range from Brown University, which has a well-known and large Division of Applied Mathematics

3)Question______________________________________________________?

Answer Departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

4)Question___________________________________________________?

Answer : One reason is that pure mathematics is often perceived as having a higher intellectual standing.

III. Writing exercises:

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: statistics, advancement, tensions, research,

External funding is highly valued at ____________universities and is often a condition for faculty______________. Similar____________ can also exist between_______________ and mathematics groups and departments.

Exercise 2. Fill in the table with words and expressions from the text:

	parts	place	processes
Example Some Ph.D. programs in applied mathematics	-	-	require little or no coursework outside of mathematics
Many applied mathematics programs (as opposed to departments) consist of
Research universities dividing their mathematics department into
External funding is highly valued at

Exercise 3. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

“New areas of mathematics”

“ Academic institutions proposing applied math faculties”