Biology, the science of all life and living matter, is an incredibly diverse discipline offering students the opportunity to learn about topics ranging from the fundamental chemical reactions that fuel all living organisms to the population dynamics of entire ecosystems all the way to the question of how our brains give rise to the complexities of human cognition and experience. Applied mathematics is an increasingly important component of modern biological investigation. Modern technologies have enabled the creation of vast new biological data sets that often require sophisticated mathematical and statistical models for interpretation and analysis. Advances in computing have similarly enabled the simulation of biological phenomena at increasingly fine levels of detail. Entire subfields, such as bioinformatics and computational neuroscience, have developed around these new paradigms of biological investigation. The foundations of these new fields are inherently mathematical, with a focus on probability, statistical inference, and systems dynamics.

The Applied Mathematics – Biology concentration allows students to develop complementary expertise in biology and applied mathematics. Students will focus their advanced biological coursework in an area of particular interest to them. The applied math requirements emphasize those areas of mathematics that have found widespread use throughout all of the biological sciences. The program culminates in a senior capstone experience that enables students to participate in creative research collaborations with faculty.