Applied Mathematics

Applied Mathematics is one of the seven Departments which make up the Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering at the ANU.

Researchers in the Department of Applied Mathematics work on a range of problems spanning many disciplines from chemistry and earth sciences, to biology. Despite the theoretical sounding name, roughly half of the work is experimental, providing empirical measurements which can be used to refine mathematical models of various systems. The Department has an excellent international reputation for ground breaking research in a variety of areas including:

Theoretical modelling and direct measurement of the minute molecular forces between surfaces and the assessment of the properties of a variety of surfactants. The Department is a world leader in the design and construction of complex instruments to measure these forces and has sold its ANU designed surface forces apparatus to a dozen laboratories around the world.

The study of the enigmatic processes of long range ordering, which for example, enables animals like the sea urchin to construct a skeleton out of polycrystaline elements which collectively exhibit some single crystal properties. Biomineralisation has also many potential commercial applications such as the production of low temperature super ceramics as well as wider scientific implications such as the search for Martian life.

The flow properties of porous media such as oil bearing rocks and paper. Improved understanding of the physics of such processes has applications ranging from the petrochemical industries to the design of bubble jet printer inks and papers.

Complex fluids such as liquid crystals, the properties of polymers and the folding of DNA molecules.

The Department has an excellent suite of laboratory facilities, including atomic force microscopes, high and low angle x-ray scattering, neutron scattering, NMR and supercomputers. Students may chose either a pure or applied research emphasis in any combination of the above areas.

Much more information about the Department of Applied Mathematics, available on the Department's own web pages.