CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM #1
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER

NEW DEGREE, MAJOR, OR SUBMAJOR


Degree/Program Title:  Applied Mathematics of Earth System and Space Sciences Broadfield 
Sponsor(s):  Dieudonné D. Phanord, Robert Siemann, & Abdelkrim Boukahil 
Department(s): Mathematical and Computer Sciences 
College(s): Letters and Sciences 
Effective Term: FALL 2001 

Check if:
 
  New Degree: Intent to Plan
  New Degree: Final Proposal
  New Major: Intent to Plan
  New Major: Final Proposal
  New Submajor: (check one of the following)
  Minor
       X 
 Emphasis/Track
  Certificate Program
  Module: Intent to Plan
  Module: Final Proposal
  Other

 

Catalog Description

Applied Mathematics of Earth System and Space Sciences Broadfield

This program is designed to prepare students for careers in space industries, government space program, NASA, NAVY, ARMY, DOD, or university research settings where there is a need to solve applied problems related to mathematical earth system and space sciences. These problems might include mathematical scattering, waves propagation, inversion, and mathematical representation or modeling of natural phenomena occurring in earth system and space sciences. In addition to advanced studies, students graduating from this program will be well equipped to exercise effective leadership in the national earth system and space science programs. Moreover, this program is expected to expose students to traditional and new mathematics or computer course applied to earth system and space sciences. This major does not require a minor.

Student learning objectives

Students graduating from this program will

  1. obtain general mathematical problems solving skills so they can find mathematical approaches to a variety of problems originating from nature.
  2. be able to understand abstract, complex, and practical concepts as common in advanced applied mathematical sciences.
  3. develop a wide range of skills required in earth system and mathematical space sciences.
  4. be able to read, understand, and use effectively the complex and advanced literature available to earth system and mathematical space scientists.
  5. be able to incorporate sound knowledge of applied mathematics in solving problems generated from natural phenomena occurring in both earth and space.
List of courses and rationale for inclusion in the program.

COURSES FROM THE MATHEMATICS MAJOR CORE (16 credits)

These courses are included to give the student the appropriate background to study applied mathematics. Any student seeking a career in mathematics will need the skills taught in these courses.

760-253 Calculus I
760-254 Calculus II
760-255 Calculus III
760-355 Matrices and Linear Algebra
COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES (6 credits)

These two courses will introduce computer programming. They will serve as a firm platform to launch any numerical study of diverse natural events encountered in earth system or space sciences.

765-172 Introduction to Object Oriented Programming in JAVA
765-173 Introduction to Programming in FORTRAN
OTHER MATHEMATICS COURSES (15 credits)

The following five courses are advanced applied mathematics courses included here to provide the student with a solid background in applied and numerical analysis; in ordinary and partial differential equations. This background is fundamental and crucial to the understanding of both mathematical scattering and waves propagation theory.

760-361 Differential Equations
760-458 Applied Mathematical Analysis
760-459 Partial Differential Equations
760-463 Complex Analysis (new course: prereq. 760-255)
760-471 Numerical Analysis
EARTH SYSTEM AND SPACE SCIENCE COURSES (21 credits)

The following two courses introduce the student to a wide range of tools needed in Radiative Transfer, cloud dynamics, and interpretation of data from both ground and space based instruments.

760-473 Lightning Radiative Transfer
760-475 Data Interpretation of Space Science
The following course provides the students a firm understanding of the techniques used in Remote Sensing applications.
722-377 Remote Sensing of the Environment
The following two courses introduce the students to the theory and applications of electromagnetic radiation.
800-320 Electricity and Magnetism I
800-322 Electricity and Magnetism II
The following two new courses give the student a strong understanding of how to work in earth system and space sciences. In addition, they form a solid group of courses that the student will need to master in order to succeed in earth system and space science research.
760-477 Mathematical Scattering Theory and Applications (new course),
                (prereq. 760-458, 760-459,  760-463, and 800-322 or consent of instructor)
760-483 Mathematical Wave Propagation theory and Applications (new course),
                (prereq.760-458, 760-459, 760-463, and 800-322 or consent of instructor)
The course list includes the following three proposed courses.

760-463 Complex Analysis

Scattering and Waves Propagation questions usually require a certain mathematical maturity that students can begin to acquire through the study of complex analysis. Some aspects of Asymptotic Analysis demand an understanding of contour integration. Complex Analysis is fundamental to the derivation of the dispersion relation, which relates the bulk propagation parameter to either the single scattering amplitude or the multiple scattering amplitude of a configuration of scatters. 760-477 Mathematical Scattering Theory and Applications This is a new course discussing the fundamental theory of mathematical scattering. Students will be exposed to the scalar, vector, and tensor scattering. In addition, the course will introduce the students to diverse techniques of statistical and mathematical scattering. Moreover, this new course will introduce the student to current topics in the field of applied mathematical scattering. These topics are inherent to earth system and space sciences. In particular, students will become familiar to the "Two Space Scattering Formalism Approach" and will be able to conduct rigorous scattering calculations to determine physical characteristics of different scattering media. 760-483 Mathematical Wave Propagation theory and Applications This is a new course discussing the fundamental theory of mathematical wave propagation. Students will be exposed to the scalar, vector, and tensor waves propagation. In addition, the course will introduce the students to diverse techniques of asymptotic analysis. Moreover, this new course will introduce the student to current topics in the field of applied mathematical wave propagation. These topics are inherent to earth system or space sciences. In particular, students will become familiar with ‘the question of a well-posed or ill-posed problem" and will be able to conduct rigorous waves propagation calculations using linear and nonlinear boundary layer theories. This 58 credit major does not require a minor.
 

Requirements in APR format

Applied Mathematics of Earth System and Space Sciences Broadfield

MAJOR -- 58 CREDITS

  1. 760-253, 760-254, 760-255, 760-355
  2. 765-172, 765-173
  3. 760-361, 760-458, 760-459, 760-463
  4. 722-377
  5. 800-320, 800-322
  6. 760-471, 760-473, 760-475
  7. 760-477, 760-483
WRITING REQUIREMENT -- 3 CREDITS
  1. 680-370 or 680-372
Four year plan of course offerings

The courses of the mathematics core (760-253,760-254, 760-255, and 760-355) are each offered every semester. The computer courses 765-172, 765-173 are taught every semester. The course 760-458 must be offered every second spring starting 2002. The course 760-473 is offered in fall of alternate years beginning fall 2001 while 760-475 is offered in spring of even years beginning spring of 2002. We propose to offer 760-361 every semester; 760-463 every second semester beginning spring 2003; 760-459 and 760-471 during alternate fall semesters; and 760-477 and 760-483 are offered in fall 2004 and spring 2005.

The course 722-377 from Geography and Geology is offered every fall and the two courses from the Physics Department, 800-320 and 800-322 will be offered in fall 2003 and spring 2004.

This rotation, would allow the well-prepared student to finish these courses in eight semesters as in one possible example:

SEMESTER 1: 760-253, 765-173
SEMESTER 2: 760-254, 765-172
SEMESTER 3: 760-255, 765-361, 722-377
SEMESTER 4: 760-355, 760-458, 760-463
SEMESTER 5: 760-459, 760-473, 800-320
SEMESTER 6: 760-475, 800-322
SEMESTER 7: 760-471, 760-477
SEMESTER 8: 760-483

Resources needed
The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences currently has faculty who can teach the courses in this new program. The Department has hired one tenured track faculty last February. Currently, the department is in the process of filling two extra positions for next year for faculty with applied mathematics training to allow such a program to be offered.

Student need or demand
Surveys of entering UW-Whitewater freshmen indicate a fair demand for mathematics major. Many of the students indicating this interest end up majoring in different areas. This coming summer, the Department will be engaged in a major recruiting campaign. The Department is organizing two summer math camps. From now up to the starting dates of the camps, about 10,000 fliers will be mailed to the surroundings. In addition, the program is counting on the popularity of NASA, the nation space program, and of its unique features, to attract as many qualified students as possible.

Assessment
As a part of the major in Mathematics, assessment of this program will be integrated into the assessment program of the Mathematics major.

Relationship to other programs
UW-Whitewater is a Space Grant Institution. As such, the University has an obligation to establish curriculum programs in earth system and space sciences. The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences is the home of the UW-Whitewater space program. For the last four years, the University was one of three NASA-JOVE (Joint Venture between NASA and University) institutions in Wisconsin. In August 16 and 17 of this year, UW-Whitewater will host the Wisconsin 11th Annual Space Conference.

Right now, one of the tracks of the mathematics major is the Space Math. Any student enrolled in the Space Math Track must take the core courses, the differential equations courses, and the two lightning radiative transfer courses. In addition, the student must complete an outside minor. The two Lightning Radiative Transfer courses are not enough to make our graduates competitive in the earth system and space science markets.

This new program will offer the students a serious concentration in earth system and space sciences. This Broadfield major will permit UW-Whitewater students to acquire the skills needed to look for employment in the space industry. The ideal situation would have been to apply to UW-System for an entire new major in Applied Mathematics. While this will be one of the Department’s future goals, it will take at least a minimum of two years to be implemented. In the mean time, the department hopes to offer this Broadfield major in Applied Mathematics and Earth System and Space Sciences. This new Broadfield major will be unique in the whole UW-System. It will be very soon a trademark of the Campus.