Study Abroad
Study Abroad Opportunities
Visit the Study Abroad website to learn about short or long-term opportunities for study abroad.
Students majoring in mathematics have plenty of opportunities to spend a semester or year abroad. Because mathematics is so universal a subject, virtually every university around the world has extensive offerings in our discipline, so it is usually the case that our students abroad can satisfy some of their major requirements.
Students in actuarial science have somewhat more limited options for going abroad because the professional exams that they will take rely heavily on particular courses which are not always found in overseas universities
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In J-Term 2012, Dr. Cheri Shakiban (Math) and Dr. Mike Hennessey (Engineering) will lead a group of students through Greece, Turkey and Italy. Read the course description below and feel free to contact them for more information.
Enrollment opens: March 28, 2011
Priority deadline: April 8, 2011
Final deadline: October 3, 2011
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Mathematics and Mechanics of Byzantine, Greek, Roman and Islamic Architecture (UMAIE) Flyer
The purpose of this course is to achieve an understanding of the Greek, Byzantine, Roman and Islamic cultures from the perspective of mathematics and engineering and to appreciate the influence of their technical advances on world culture throughout the ages, including contemporary times. We will investigate how they developed such sophisticated levels of mathematics and engineering to design magnificent buildings such as the Acropolis of Athens (468–430 BC), the Coliseum of Rome (70 - 72 AD), and Hagia Sophia of Istanbul and will compare the architecture of these different locations. We will use modern techniques in mathematics, including group theory, abstract algebra, and linear algebra to study the mathematics incorporated in their art and architecture from the point of symmetry including characterizing the frieze patterns and tessellations that are found in their buildings, on their domes, columns, and arches. We will then discuss the engineering mechanics of their architecture using concepts and techniques such as elastic instability (buckling), stress and strain (tensor quantities), inertia and moments, stability of structures and finite element analysis (FEA) with the help of high-powered software such as MATLAB, Mathematica and Solidworks.
Prerequisites: Math 200 or 210 or permission of instructors
Maximum participants: 26
Counts toward: Math 298 or Engineering 298
Fee: To be determined
Fulfills: Human Diversity
Faculty Directors: Cheri Shakiban & Michael Hennessey, St. Thomas
In J-Term 2010, Dr. Cheri Shakiban (Math) and Dr. Mike Hennessey (Eng.) led a trip to Peru. Course flyer. Read about their trip here...In J-Term 2008, Dr. Shakiban and Dr. Shvartsman led a group of students to Peru.
In J-Term 2007, Dr. Cheri Shakiban and Dr. Mikhail Shvartsman led a group of students to Spain.
Molly shares her reflections on studying abroad here...
Machu Picchu
Inca city in Peru
