MTH 450—Network Theory

Network Theory - the science of mapping physical systems to mathematical graphs - provides an attractive methodology to describe and quantify real-world systems. In this course, we will explore the mathematical foundations of network theory and the network statistics used to quantify network structure. The course will especially emphasize connections to real-world data and the importance of interpreting network statistics in the context of the system being studied. Students will identify a physical system of interest and ultimately prepare a research paper that uses tools from network theory to quantify the structure of their system and provide a meaningful interpretation of their findings. Dual listed with MTH 550.