Mathematics and its Applications in Engineering and Science: Building the Links

The division of courses into many different departments often makes it difficult for students to grasp the intimate connections that exist between mathematics and its applications in engineering and science. To make these connections clearer we propose to develop a library of hypertext documents that will link important mathematical topics with contemporary interesting applications in various fields of engineering and science. This library will cover the mathematical areas normally studied by undergraduate students in engineering and science, including calculus, differential equations, mechanics and linear systems, advanced mathematical methods, and probability and statistics. The library that is created initially will constitute the basis for a constantly expanding resource that will support a growing movement, at Rensselaer and elsewhere, to move away from a lecture-dominated mode of instruction to what we call a workshop or studio mode. The development of these materials will involve a collaboration among faculty at Rensselaer and at a number of other institutions, including the University of Delaware, Siena College, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Central State University, Hudson Valley Community College, and the University of Maryland. By means of Visiting Professorships, faculty at several other institutions will also become involved as the project develops. After careful testing and evaluation, the library of hypertext documents will be made available on the World Wide Web, on CDs, and in printed form. Among the added benefits to Rensselaer and the other institutions directly participating in the project is a much enhanced level of cooperation among faculty who teach related courses in many different academic departments.