Colloquium

Infectious Disease Ecology and Mathematical Research

Don Christian Professor & Associate Dean Division of Biological Sciences

This presentation will focus on UM efforts to compete for National Science Foundation IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships) Program funds, and to solicit interest of mathematics faculty in participating in a new proposal submission. The goal of the NSF IGERT program is to develop new, interdisciplinary models in graduate education, by focusing the training of graduate students from different disciplines on a specific real-world research problem. The IGERT proposal we are developing focuses on the ecology of infectious disease. The dynamics of many disease systems (West Nile virus, Hanta virus, SARS, plague, and others) are complex and poorly understood. They involve factors operating simultaneously at multiple spatial and temporal scales (differing by orders of magnitude) and include significantly nonlinear dynamics. Disease ecology systems present an array of computational, mathematical, biomedical, ecological, and conservation problems and opportunities. Research on these systems is best addressed by interdisciplinary teams spanning these disciplines. The goal of participation by mathematics faculty and graduate students would include advancing both basic and applied mathematics research (not simply fulfilling a service role in solving biological problems). In this presentation, I will outline briefly the goals of the NSF IGERT program, recount the history of UM's proposal development including reviewer responses to the previous submission, and discuss needs and opportunities for mathematicians to participate.

Thursday, 2 October 2003 4:10 p.m. in Math 109 Coffee/treats at 3:30 p.m. in Math 104

Fall 2003 Colloquium Schedule          Mathematical Sciences | The University of Montana