Why do some cars or aeroplanes experience more drag than others? How do we calculate the orbit of a satellite? How are partially autonomous vehicles controlled? How fast does blood flow through our veins?
While the degree programme in Mathematics is concerned with abstract matters, the emphasis of the Applied Mathematics programme is on constructing mathematical models to solve problems, simulate practical situations and analyze the results. For example, you may make a model to compute the flow of water or blood, or the flow fields around the wing of an aeroplane. Or, you may work on operating systems for robots, aeroplanes or satellites. While the ability to think abstractly is just as important as it is for Mathematics, in Applied Mathematics you also learn to structure your reasoning and draw conclusions.
The University of Groningen offers degree programmes in both Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The first year is largely the same for both Bachelor’s programmes, during which you explore the programmes and gradually work towards your specialization. It is possible to switch programmes at the end of the first year.
Applied Mathematics is an international Bachelor’s degree programme. All of the course units are taught in English, which gives Applied Mathematics an extra dimension as many of your fellow students and lecturers will come from abroad.
Listen to the podcast!
Want to know more about this Bachelor's programme? Listen to the podcast with a student and lecturer of the Applied Mathematics programme. You can listen to the podcast here. (Please note: podcast is in Dutch).
Read moreImpressed by the computing part
I decided to study mathematics when I first succeeded in a local olympiad in high school, in Chisinau, Moldova and got more confident in my mathematical skills. I chose Groningen, because of the universities' alumni as Wietse Venema, and famous physicists. Most of all I appreciate the consistency of the programme and I was impressed by the computing part, which rests on the simplest but complex pieces of code.
Living in this city makes me curious about its kind people. The architecture shows its history very nicely, that always makes the eye wonder and find beauty in shapes and structure. I do yoga by myself in the mornings, it helps to keep the pace for a disciplined study.
Read moreStudying ice caps
Leo wanted to do practical work after graduating in Applied Mathematics. He spent two years with Alten, a technical and engineering consultancy, where he developed software in Fortran and C++ for Shell. Last year he set a new course and he now works at Utrecht University where he is studying the changes in the Greenland and Antarctic ice caps using climate models
Dit heb ik met veel plezier gedaan, maar het begon op een gegeven moment weer te kriebelen en ben ik iets nieuws gaan zoeken. Tegenwoordig ben ik promovendus aan de Universiteit Utrecht, waar ik onderzoek doe naar veranderingen in de Groenlandse en Antarctische ijskappen in het recente verleden (1850-nu). Voor dit onderzoek doen maak ik gebruik van data-assimilatie technieken en klimaatmodellen.
In beide banen heb ik veel profijt van mijn goede wiskundige basis en de programmeervaardigheden die ik tijdens mijn studie Technische Wiskunde heb opgedaan. Verder heb ik één jaar van mijn master doorgebracht in Zürich, Zwitserland. Ik heb daar verschillende interessante dingen geleerd, maar het is tevens een terugkerend gespreksonderwerp geweest bij sollicitatiegesprekken. Het is, vermoed ik, op veel plaatsen een pre als je cv niet helemaal standaard is.'
