A talk given by Mike Levy, a CU-Boulder Applied Mathematics graduate student. Abstract: This talk is divided into two distinct parts. The first portion deals with generalities of the graduate school application process - how to choose which schools to apply to, a rough timeline of important deadlines, and a general overview of the life (or lack thereof) of a new graduate student. The second portion focuses on the research aspect of graduate school - how to find an advisor / project, and what to do when things don't go according to plan. I will provide some examples from my research, which deals with numerical methods to solve some of the partial differential equations found in atmospheric modeling.

Talk given by Prof. David M. Bortz, Department of Applied Mathematics, CU-Boulder. It is a common refrain to hear how the 21st century will be "The Century of Biology." But, what does that mean for mathematicians who want to work on real biological problems and biologists who want to employ sophisticated mathematical tools to help understand a particular phenomena? And, perhaps more importantly, what does that mean for students who aspire to bridge the gap? In this talk, I will provide some answers to these questions using the story of how mathematics completely revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS worldwide in the late 90's as well as discuss some of my own research into the mathematics of bacterial communities. In particular, I will focus on the disconnect between mathematical and biological strategies of investigation as illustrated in my collaboration with an emergency room physician. I will also discuss some open mathematical questions in these areas as well as the research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

The SIAM student chapters of Colorado are hosting their fourth annual regional student conference on applied mathematics for all schools along the Front Range. This event will allow students from different universities in the area to see what is being done in this field and promote interest in applied mathematics in general. This event is open to both undergraduates and graduate students. (more information)

Want to present your research at the 2008 SIAM Front Range Student Conference? All students (undergraduate and graduate) are invited to submit abstracts on any research topic in Applied Mathematics. All titles and abstracts should be submitted to FRAMSC.abstracts@gmail.com. Please submit your title and abstract as soon as possible, but no later than Monday, February 25. Both undergraduates and graduates can participate. (more information)

The Mathematical Contest in Modeling is a 4-day competition where a team selects one of two problems, models it, and submits a solution. This is a great opportunity to show off your mathematical, computational and communication skills. This is generally open to teams of three, and you don't have to be a Applied Mathematics major to participate. If you would like more information or want to participate, email Anne Dougherty. (more information)

This is a meeting to prepare for the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (held February 14th-18th), by thinking about how to solve previously presented problems. If you are interested, please email Anne Dougherty.

We will be watching an episode of Numb3rs, a mathematically-themed crime drama tonight, along with pizza and refreshments. We will also introduce SIAM, what we do, and talk about planned future activities.

Shaun Davies is an Applied Math alum who has been working as a financial analyst for Smith Breeden Associates (SBA) for the past couple of years. He will be visiting Boulder this week and will be giving an informal lunch-time presentation on

• What the finance field is like
• What types of problems he works on
• The skills that SBA look for in new hires.

If you are interested in hearing more, join us for lunch.