Applied Mathematics is an interdisciplinary area, encompassing modelling, analysis, algorithm development and simulation for problems arising throughout science, engineering and commerce. Research in this area explores the mathematical properties of systems in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, astronomy, materials science, fluid mechanics, the environment, finance, management and many other disciplines.

The following diagram describes schematically the research activities of the Department of Applied Mathematics. The common theme is the mathematical and computational modelling of complex systems. It rests on firm mathematical foundations in the areas of nonlinear phenomena, computational mathematics, applied analysis and optimization, and stochastic models. Key application areas include environmental modelling, biomathematics, finance, engineering and physics. It has strong involvement in two research centres, and in regional and national high performance computing centres.

All these areas are closely connected, with frequent interactions between groups, with other departments in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, and with other Schools and Faculties both within and outside UNSW. Application areas frequently drive new advances in mathematics – over the past century this has been mainly in physics and
engineering, but applications to biology and medicine, the environment, finance and commerce are now as important.

The Department of Applied Mathematics at UNSW is one of the largest and most successful in Australia. It is an active centre for research, both fundamental and applied. The research areas of the Department are currently grouped as follows:

The Department of Applied Mathematics is also an active participant in the following centres: