NSF/CBMS Regional Conference in the Mathematical Sciences - Mathematical Methods in Nonlinear Wave Propagation - May 13-17, 2002

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Greensboro NC

Investigators

Abstract

The Mathematics Department at North Carolina A&T State University will host an NSF/CBMS Regional Research Conference, May 20-24, 2002, on "Mathematical Methods in nonlinear wave propagation". The proceedings of the five-day conference will be anchored by ten lectures delivered by Professor J. Kenneth Shaw on the following topics: Overview of fiber optics; Mathematical models; Pulse propagation in fibers; Mathematical modeling and simulation; Optical solitons; Phase modulation and solitons; Optimization Problems; Planar waveguides and Elliptical core fibers; Pulse design in fibers; Retrospective, review and research directions. In addition to these lectures, there shall be semi-structured discussion sessions led by other leading research mathematicians and engineers in nonlinear mathematics and fiber optics. The chosen topic, motivated by the study of the propagation of pulses through nonlinear optical fibers, underlies a fertile and briskly active interdisciplinary area, rendering it particularly timely in applied mathematics research. By providing a focal point to an otherwise diverse set of specialized mathematical areas, the topic creates opportunities for collaboration amongst mathematicians of different specialties, while at the same time laying a foundation for interdisciplinary collaboration. This conference is in particular intended as an effort to introduce new researchers to this exciting field, with a focus on HBCU/MI faculty, whose activities are normally confined to teaching. While participation is mainly expected from within North Carolina and the Southeastern-Atlantic region, other participants are expected from the wider mathematical sciences community. An intended outcome of the conference is that it will act as an incubator for mathematical and interdisciplinary collaborative activities among established and new researchers, thus serving to stimulate research activity in applied mathematics at minority serving institutions.