Welcome to the Department of Mathematics at The University of Southern Mississippi. We have newly reorganized our site to provide improved access to information about the Department of Mathematics. Please take the time to acquaint yourself with our web site. It is designed to provide the new student, or prospective student with useful information about career options in mathematics, and to provide students and faculty online access to our activities and policies. While our program is not the largest mathematical sciences program, we are proud of our program and our graduates, many of whom are currently working in either academia, in industry, or at laboratories and research centers. In addition, we are confident that we have a uniquely structured learning environment in which students can participate in research at the forefront of several fields in mathematics.

The field of mathematics is changing. It is also changing because more and more disciplines are recognizing the value of developing an integrated approach to computational modeling, and are including integrated mathematics programs in their curricula. Having developed our broadly based interdisciplinary mathematics department through the early 1990's, we have seen these changes take place, and have seen the growth of applied and computational mathematics as recognized discipline which is, as the phrase goes, 'more than the sum of its parts.' In reviewing, for example, NSF grants in the mathematical sciences over the last decade, the importance of taking a unified approach to problem solving in the mathematical sciences becomes apparent, as the number of interdisciplinary grants has risen steadily. We are acutely aware of these changes, and the need to change ourselves to accomodate the changes around us. We take these as opportunities to look forward, and to plan ahead.

We have also implemented a new doctoral program in applied and computational mathematics which is offered through the College of Science and Technology. Deciding to embark on a Ph.D. in mathematics is not an easy choice. The decision to pursue a doctoral degree itself should only be made after taking into account the time and effort which this degree requires, and deciding to pursue a doctorate through the Department also requires fully understanding what your desired objectives and outcomes are, and fully understanding what our doctoral program has to offer. Computational mathematics is a complex curriculum, requiring that the student develop knowledge in several fields, most notably in computer science. Since the doctoral degree demands specialization, this must be coupled with the task of developing expertise in an area of computational science. Still, for some this represents the cutting edge of a new approach to problem solving and modeling, and represents a rewarding career opportunity. Let us know if we can get you started along this career path.

We hope that our Departmental programs are of interest to you, either as a student, or as a professional researcher needing to use new mathematical tools and methods. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us.