Professor: Geman Course format: Lecture Number of respondents: 16 Total Enrollment: 17 Class Composition: Froshs: 2 Sophs: 2 Jrs: 5 Srs: 5

Instructor Average: 1.41 Course Average: 1.43

"Mathematical Methods in the Brain Sciences" is a course in the Applied Math department that integrates differential equations, probability, statistics, and information theory, and ties them all into neurology. This course really covers a wide range of mathematical topics. When entering this class, it is a good idea to have some calculus background, but it should be noted that no biology background is needed.

Most students felt that Professor Geman was a very good lecturer. He seemed to care about them, and always was interesting. Students liked that he sometimes told funny stories, as these would help keep their attention. A few students did feel, however, that the professor's lectures went a little too fast, but this may have been due to the fact that there was so much material to cover.

The course work consisted of weekly homeworks that were counted toward your grade only if they could help, and three non-cumulative, in-class, open-book, untimed exams. There was no final examination.

In summation, most people got what they had expected from this course. They only spent from one to three hours per week outside of class. Overall this is an interesting class with a very good professor that relates three seemingly unrelated fields of math.

View AM/0040 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.