AMS Exhibits on Capitol Hill

The AMS sponsored an exhibit at the 21^st annual Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) Exhibition & Reception on Capitol Hill held on April 29, 2015.  Katharine Gurski, Howard University, presented work on “Mathematical Algorithms for Space Weather, Tsunamis, and Plasma Physics.”  The Exhibition was attended by 275 people, including ten Members of Congress, to view 35 exhibits on research funded by the National Science Foundation.
 
The dynamics of space weather is modeled by the magnetohydrodynamics (MFD) equations that capture the interaction between magnetic fields and moving, conducting fluids.  The governing equations of MHD consist simply of Newton’s laws of motion and the Maxwell form of the laws of electrodynamics.  The goal of Gurski’s research group project is to develop numerical algorithms from applied mathematics to develop solvers for robust, highly accurate, adaptive ideal divergence-free MHD on multidimensional meshes, including geodesic meshes.  Partitioning algorithms will enable the numerical simulations to achieve high levels of parallelism.

The algorithms are extended to model multi-dimensional non-conservative hyperbolic systems (for example: shallow water equations including tsunamis, granular flow and plasma physics flows) using path conservation methods and Riemann solvers.  Better numerical algorithms based on mathematical insights will result in better simulation models for more accurate predictions.
 
Professor Gurski and the other exhibitors were able to present their work, funded by the National Science Foundation, to congressional representatives and explain the critical importance of increased, sustained federal investments in basic scientific research.
 

CNSF is an alliance of over 130 professional societies, universities and corporations  united by a concern for the future vitality of the national science, mathematics and engineering enterprise.  CNSF supports the goal of increasing the national investment in the National Science Foundation's research and education programs.

Previous AMS exhibits at CNSF Exhibitions include:

• Beyond Coursework: Extending a Successful Model for Building Diversity in STEM to University Campuses presented by Talea Mayo, University of Central Florida
• Berry Smart: Mathematics for Food and Water Security presented by Lea Jenkins, Clemson University
• On the Movement of Cells, Birds, Fish and Other Agents: Mathematical Modeling in Biology and Ecology presented by Konstantina Trivisa, University of Maryland
• Mathematical Algorithms for Space Weather, Tsunamis, and Plasma Physics presented by Katharine Gurski, Howard University
• Topological Sensor Networks presented by Robert Ghrist, University of Pennsylvania
• The Boltzman Equation: Where Mathematics and Science Collide presented by Philip T. Gressman, University of Pennsylvania
• ICERM: Connecting Mathematics and Computing through Experimentation presented by Jill Pipher and Lauren Barrows, ICERM
• Efficient Energy Conversion: Mathematics of Nanoscale Networks presented by Keith Promislow, Michigan State University
• Industrial Modeling and Simulation: The Wave of the Future presented by Susan Minkoff, University of Maryland-Baltimore County
• Modeling Outbreaks in Agricultural Systems, Human Communities and Computer Networks presented by David Hiebeler, University of Maine
• Mathematics and Cardiology: Partners for the Future presented by Suncica Canic, University of Houston
• Computational Models for Cardiovascular Disease Assessment and Surgery Design presented by DalinTang, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Disease Prediction and Treatment Design presented by Eva K. Lee, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Mathematics for Advanced Composites Technology presented by Robert Lipton,Louisiana State University
• Mathematical Modeling of Swimming Organisms presented by Lisa Fauci and Nick Cogan, Tulane University
• Mathematics of Sea Ice presented by Kenneth M. Golden, University of Utah
• Liquid Films and Image Inpainting presented by Andrea Bertozzi, Duke University
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities Made Possible by NSF presented by Dr. John Bush, MIT
• Computer Simulation of Blood Flow in the Heart presented by Charles S. Peskin, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University
• Mathematical Foundations of Image Analysis and Computational Vision presented by Don McClure, Brown University
• Ergodic Theory presented by Doug Lind, University of Washington
• The Energy of Knots presented with JPBM by Jonathan K. Simon, University of Iowa and Gregory R. Buck, Saint Anselm College