Elite program for dynamical systems? Mathwonk

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around identifying elite graduate programs in dynamical systems, particularly from the perspective of a participant currently studying in New York who is seeking options outside the Northeastern United States. The conversation explores various institutions, their strengths in the field, and personal preferences regarding geographic location.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Mathwonk inquires about elite programs for dynamical systems, suggesting schools like Penn State, Cornell, Stony Brook, and Boston University based on their dedicated research groups.
  • One participant mentions Portland State University as having a good system science Ph.D. program, though they express uncertainty about its fit for mathematical dynamical systems.
  • Another participant clarifies that they meant dynamical systems in the mathematical sense and expresses a desire to avoid schools in the Northeast.
  • Discussion includes a critique of the Northeast's weather and a desire for new experiences outside that region.
  • Participants mention the University of Maryland at College Park as strong in symbolic dynamics and highlight the University of Washington for similar strengths.
  • Caltech is noted for its program focused on dynamical systems, with one participant acknowledging its reputation among top California schools.
  • Several participants reference specific faculty members and research groups at various institutions, including Cornell, Princeton, and Maryland, as notable in the field.
  • There is a playful exchange about the relationship between dynamical systems and chaos theory, with some confusion expressed about their definitions.
  • Participants discuss potential applications of dynamical systems, including air pollution studies, linking it to fluid dynamics and partial differential equations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various opinions on which programs are elite, with no consensus on a definitive list of schools. There is also a mix of agreement and playful disagreement regarding the relationship between dynamical systems and chaos theory.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the current strength of programs mentioned, such as SUNY Stony Brook's status in complex analytic dynamical systems. Additionally, there are references to personal preferences that may influence program selection, such as geographic location and climate.

JasonJo
Messages
425
Reaction score
2
Elite program for dynamical systems? **Mathwonk

Which school has an elite program for dynamical systems? I currently go to school in NY, and if possible, I would like to go to a grad school not in the Northeastern region.

If I had to guess I would say:
Penn State, Cornell, Stony Brook and Boston University since they all specific research groups dedicated to dynamics. But I checked UCLA, Berkeley and Stanford (three schools I was looking to attend possibly) and none of them seem to be extremely strong in dynamics. I also checked Harvard, only 1 senior faculty member is interested in dynamics. PSU, Cornell, SBU, BU are all on the east coast.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Not totally sure if this will address your area of study; however, Portland State Univeristy (West Coast), has, what I hear at least, a very good system science's Ph.D program.

Heres the link: http://www.sysc.pdx.edu/"

If you are referring to Dynamic Systems, as in mathematics soley, well I can't answer that. However, I would bet that the system science's program could accomidate the type of research you wish to do.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
oops, yeah i meant dynamical systems in the mathematical sense. I know NYU has an elite fluid dynamics program, but again, bleh Northeast :)

thanks though
 
What is wrong with the northeast?
 
its cold, and wet (although this year its been pretty warm)
 
verty said:
What is wrong with the northeast?

eh, I am just kinda tired of seeing the same things, the same weather, etc. i would like to see what else is in this country.
 
why did you put mathwonks name into the thread name.

come to california. UC system would welcome you with open arms (mmm maybe not but try anyways)
 
Because mathwonk is actually a mathematics professor and I hoped he could give his professional opinion on it. It's like basketball players, they can tell you who is really the best because they know the game better than non-ball players.

but what school in california has a strong dynamics program? I'm just looking to escape the cold Northeast.
 
Graduate programs strong in dynamical systems

JasonJo said:
Which school has an elite program for dynamical systems? I currently go to school in NY, and if possible, I would like to go to a grad school not in the Northeastern region.

I take it we are sticking to American graduate programs in mathematics? (So I can't mention Warwick?).

The University of Maryland at College Park is very strong for dynamical systems, especially symbolic dynamics (roughly the study of shift spaces, the most abstract kind of dynamical system) which based upon the rigorous foundation of ergodic theory, as well so called "applied chaos theory", which tends to be at the opposite end of the spectrum (hopefully I won't step on any toes by saying that!). If you are also interested in information theory, symbolic theory should interest you, but shift spaces appear everywhere in dynamics, for example in the Mandlebrot set and in Penrose tilings. (Years ago, SUNY Stony Brook was strong in complex analytic dynamical systems--- I am not sure if that is still the case.) My alma mater, the University of Washington (in Seattle), is also quite strong in symbolic dynamics.

The DC area tends to have mild winter weather. Seattle has severe winter weather (windstorms, flooding) in years when an El Nino phenomenon occurs, but otherwise has mild winter weather compared with say New York City or Boston or Chicago.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
  • #10
im sorry i thought your title meant **** you, mathwonk!

har har. anyway when iwas AT UNC chapel hill, they had a good guy in dynamical systems named sheldon ... glashow??
 
  • #11
oops, it was sheldon newhouse.
 
  • #12
newhouse seems to be at michigan state now.
 
  • #13
mathwonk said:
im sorry i thought your title meant **** you, mathwonk!

:smile: :smile: :smile:

dynamical systems is a branch of chaos theory isn't it?
 
  • #14
After poking around a bit I found out that Cal-Tech has a program called CDS, which to me appeared to be heavily focused on Dynamic Systems.

Just throwing it out there.
 
  • #15
^_^physicist said:
After poking around a bit I found out that Cal-Tech has a program called CDS, which to me appeared to be heavily focused on Dynamic Systems.

Just throwing it out there.

wow I actually completely forgot about Caltech, I guess because it's such a small school. Yeah thanks, it seems like they have an active dynamics group over there. And clearly Caltech is part of the upper echelon in that California ring of grad schools: Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA, Caltech and then the other UC's
 
  • #16
You might not want to stay around there, but Guckenheimer's group at Cornell is very good: http://www.cam.cornell.edu/

Also, like you mention, they do good bio stuff at BU: http://math.bu.edu/research/dynamics/faculty.html

Philip Holmes at Princeton: http://mae.princeton.edu/research/e48/dynamics_control_sys.html?PHPSESSID=71828ebe92379f569f626aeee99c2cb7

Yorke's group at Maryland: http://www.glue.umd.edu/~yorke/

To get more of a flavour check out the invited speakers at Snowbird this year: http://www.siam.org/meetings/ds07/invited.php - biggest and best (biannual) dynamical systems conference.

ps: you should check out Europe too :smile:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #17
Ki Man said:
dynamical systems is a branch of chaos theory isn't it?
Other way round :-p
 
  • #18
whoops :blushing:

where can you apply dynamical systems
 
  • #19
Ki Man said:
where can you apply dynamical systems
Again, you need to move that around.

Where can't you apply "dynamical systems" :smile:
 
  • #20
I see your point. hmmmm... possibly in studying air pollution? the only things i can think of arent physics/math related
 
  • #21
Ki Man said:
I see your point. hmmmm... possibly in studying air pollution? the only things i can think of arent physics/math related
Air pollution?

Fluid dynamics -> pdes -> dynamical systems :smile:
 

Similar threads

Programs Universities for Research in Dynamical Systems of Fluids
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Admissions Comments on my physics PhD applicant profile
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Admissions Could I please get critique on my SOP? (Experimental Biophysics)
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Suggestions for Quantum Computation Ph.D Program?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Schools What would be my chance of admission for graduate school
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Schools Princeton vs. UChicago Biophysics Undergrad
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Admissions PhD Programs for Mathematical Physics (Experimental Condensed Matter Physics)
  • · Replies 119 ·
4
Replies
119
Views
18K
Schools Grad School Admissions Plan: Advice for Math Major
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Top Physics Grad Program Rankings- according to students
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
Schools Chances of Getting Into Graduate School Ph.D Programs
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
10K