A pile of opened books in front of chalkboard with math equations

Research

The Department of Mathematics plays a central role in advancing the research and teaching missions of the university, especially as they relate to the advancement of the STEM disciplines.

Faculty Research Areas

As a mathematics department at a research one university, the Department of Mathematics contributes in numerous ways to the research environment of the university. Foremost among these is the research activity and output of the mathematics faculty.

The  number of grants held by faculty are  significantly above the national median among our peers nationwide. Consequently, students at KU are often learning directly from highly regarded research mathematicians who bring their scientific expertise into the classroom. These perspectives are especially important for courses with significant mathematical content that serve the needs of students in the natural sciences and engineering.

The department also has a number of faculty engaged in interdisciplinary research and these activities bring wider exposure to mathematics at a higher level to students in other disciplines where a deeper understanding of mathematics is often a key ingredient to success with research.

Research Activities

Smith Colloquium

The colloquium is an important forum for faculty and students to learn about interesting work happening in mathematics and to stimulate research.

Seminars

The department's research groups hold weekly seminars where faculty, students and invited speakers share their research.

Conferences/Workshops

Many of the faculty host conferences/workshops in their research area. Most are supported by the National Science Foundation.

Distinguished Lecture Series

Each year, the Mathematics Distinguished Lecture Series invites renowned mathematicians to KU to deliver a distinguished lecture and to meet with faculty and students.