By Tom Trogdon, I’m honored to step in as the ninth Chair of Applied Mathematics at the University of Washington. With this honor comes a very challenging time. Because of budgetary pressures at all levels, in cooperation with many departments on campus, we are being forced to rethink the future of higher education. Here in Applied Math, we, as always, have a firm commitment for producing cutting-edge research and delivering high-caliber instruction on timely… Read more
By Eric Shea-Brown, Adrienne Fairhall, and Jessica HuszarAI is on all of our minds, and that is no accident -- effective AI systems are based on neural network wiring mechanisms derived from the biological brain. Indeed, computer science and circuit level neuroscience have been called “twins separated at birth” by Google VP (and CNC affiliate theorist) Blaise Aguera y Arcas. The twins are meeting again -- and we’ve discovered that it may well be triplets. Applied… Read more
Daniel Shapero and Donsub Rim, respectively at the CSDMS meeting
By Donsub RimDuring the academic year 2024–2025, I had the opportunity to return to the University of Washington (UW). My home institution, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), grants its Arts and Sciences faculty an early sabbatical after their first three years. I decided to spend the year in Seattle: my wife was about to begin her job here, and I… Read more
By Ben LansdellDoing a PhD is a challenge in many ways: late nights, lots of coursework, a certain pervasive "academic guilt" – the feeling that there's always more papers to read, simulations to run, and code to write. And, what can be most challenging, dealing with the uncertainties, frustrations and doubts that come with trying to advance novel research questions. I enjoyed my time thoroughly while I was a PhD student at UW Applied Mathematics. But I also struggled with some of… Read more
By Johan AzambouI was born and raised in Buea, Cameroon, a small town tucked on the slope of Mount Cameroon, about 3,000 feet above sea level. It’s where I completed all my secondary education before moving to the U.S. Unlike many people, I never had trouble figuring out what I wanted to study. From a young age, I knew I wanted to major in mathematics. Besides P.E., it was the only class I truly enjoyed because, to me, 1 + 1 has always been 2 – a fact that has never changed since… Read more
By Catherine Wickman-HudnutI have been telling stories for as long as I can remember. In kindergarten, I would piece together picture books made from construction paper and parade them proudly as award-worthy works of art. Over time, that love grew into a passion for writing novels. All throughout middle and high school, I would spend my free time jotting down outlines and having moments of insight where I figured out the exciting incident of the story. When it finally came time to… Read more
By Fanze KongWelcome back to a new academic year and a fresh quarter! As I write this on a beautiful autumn afternoon, I am delighted to share my experiences over the last year in the Applied Math Department at UW and to offer some of my thoughts on the breadth and depth of applied mathematics.Growing up in a small town in China with few sources of entertainment, I discovered both joy and challenge in exploring the world of mathematics. As Albert Einstein writes in his landmark… Read more
By Emme McMullen Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great summer and the transition into fall is going well. I’ve personally been enjoying the grey and drizzly skies recently here in Seattle; something about bleak weather is so cozy and fall-coded. As the new academic year starts off, I’ve been reflecting on my first year as a Ph.D. student in the Applied Math Department at UW.One year ago, I was getting through my first few problem sets of my graduate school career! I was… Read more
By Christine TexeiraI started my position as a graduate program advisor in March of this year. I had recently moved back to Seattle (my hometown) after living in the near permanently summer city of Lisbon, Portugal. Luckily, my return to Seattle evolved into a welcoming position with Applied Mathematics. In the past I’ve worked with dance students, theater students, and music students. Though I am not a dancer, actor, or musician I have loved learning about varied disciplines and… Read more
The Second Conference on Random Matrix Theory and Numerical Linear AlgebraScientists and mathematicians met at the University of Washington during the week of June 16, 2025 for the Second Conference on Random Matrix Theory and Numerical Linear Algebra (RMT + NLA II). The event (co-organized by Tom Trogdon and Xuicai Ding (UC Davis)) brought together experts studying random matrix theory and exploring how it can help solve… Read more
Graduation Program - Photo GalleryDoctors of PhilosophyMarlin Figgins - From Mechanism to Practice: Evolutionary Forecasting for SARS-CoV-2. … Read more