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Applied Mathematics |Прикладная математика

LESSON 2

Read the text: APPLIED MATHEMATICS IN ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

Historically, mathematics was most important in the natural sciences and engineering. However, in recent years, fields outside of the physical sciences have spawned the creation of new areas of mathematics, such as game theory, which grew out of economic considerations, or neural networks, which arose out of the study of the brain in neuroscience, or bioinformatics, from the importance of analyzing large data sets in biology.

Academic institutions are not consistent in the way they group and label courses, programs, and degrees in applied mathematics. At some schools, there is a single mathematics department, whereas others have separate departments for Applied Mathematics and (Pure) Mathematics. It is very common for Statistics departments to be separate at schools with graduate programs, but many undergraduate-only institutions include statistics under the mathematics department.

Many applied mathematics programs (as opposed to departments) consist of primarily cross-listed courses and jointly-appointed faculty in departments representing applications. Some Ph.D. programs in applied mathematics require little or no coursework outside of mathematics, while others require substantial coursework in a specific area of application. In some respects this difference reflects the distinction between "application of mathematics" and "applied mathematics".

Some universities in the UK have departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, but it is now much less common to have separate departments of pure and applied mathematics. Schools with separate applied mathematics departments range from Brown University, which has a well-known and large Division of Applied Mathematics that offers degrees through the doctorate, to Santa Clara University, which offers only the M.S. in applied mathematics Research universities dividing their mathematics department into pure and applied sections include Harvard and MIT.

At some universities there is some tension between applied and pure mathematics departments. One reason is that pure mathematics is often perceived as having a higher intellectual standing. Another reason is a different level of compensation, as applied mathematicians are often paid more. Applied mathematics also enjoys better opportunities to bring external funding from many sources, not limited to the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF) like much of pure mathematics. External funding is highly valued at research universities and is often a condition for faculty advancement.

1. Match the left part with the right:

2. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: statistics, advancement, tensions, research

External funding is highly valued at ____________universities and is often a condition for faculty______________. Similar____________ can also exist between_______________ and mathematics groups and departments.