There are many complex problems in Engineering, Finance, Medecine and Management. Some of these problems can be formulated in an abstract, mathematical way where there structure can be easily seen. Exact or approximate numerical solutions can be found. Recognizing the most common classes of abstract problems is one of the main aims of our undergraduate programmes, both for our own students and the service courses we teach for other Science and Applied Science Departments, Economics and the Business School. When an Industry or Government agency hires one of these students, they are indirectly getting the benefit of our mathematical expertise. Our graduate students and Post Doctoral Fellows working in Industry bring these skills at a higher level.

Between known applications of mathematics and mathematical research lie many problems of industrial interest. Our department has history and interest in working on these industrial mathematics problems. Collaboration between our faculty members and companies and government agencies can take several forms: contract work, graduate student internships, and larger collaborative research projects. Internships and larger projects can be supported by initiatives of the MITACS NCE. Our department is especially interested in the internship programme. It is a way we feel we can make Canadian Industry more competitive, give our graduate students valuable experience, and give ourselves new mathematical challenges.

If you feel that your Canadian company or government agency has a complex problem that could benefit from our department's mathematical expertise, you should contact me:

Brian Wetton, Industrial Mathematics Coordinator, wetton@math.ubc.ca, (604) 822-5784

Your problem might be suitable for the annual problem solving workshop run by PIMS. Experience has shown that much of the effort in such situations is in converting the industrial problem into a suitable mathematical form (modelling). Somee patience and commitment is required for this process, on both sides. Most academic mathematicians will want to publish the mathematical aspects of any research work they do.

Our department is loosely divided into research groups. Brief descriptions of the mathematical interests of these groups in lay terms can be found using the index on the left. If one of these groups clearly matches your question of interest, please contact the industrial liaison in that group directly.