Mathematical Biology

(Also BIO 415). 4 hours; 4 credits. This course will address the growing interaction between mathematics and the biological sciences and will provide a practical context for the mathematical description and analysis of biological processes. The emphasis will be on the construction and analysis of models consistent with empirical data. Biological problems in ecology and conservation, epidemiology, cell biology, and neuroscience will be used to illustrate the equations, including especially nonlinear equations. The computer program MATLAB will be used extensively. Prerequisites: MTH 230 and MTH 231 or equivalent, MTH 229, and one BIO 300-level course.