Institute for Systems Science @ DUT (ISS)
Our laboratory, a small, dedicated group of mathematical scientists, develops differential equation models to understand various natural systems.
The systems studied are quite varied, but the methods employed have synergies of approach. Prof. Duffy heads the group and is the South African National Research Foundation Chair: Applying Mathematics to Human and Natural Systems.
In the past 3 years the group has produced over 100 scientific publications (a representative sample can be found on these web pages). Also, three members of the group were recently rated in the top 2% of their research field worldwide.
Our approach revolves around change. Change is a fundamental aspect of nature. All things change over time. Stars grow or collapse. Rivers deepen or dry out. Populations grow or subside. Buildings decay. Cars traverse the landscape. Everything changes over time. A huge step in understanding nature was the development of a mathematics that describes change, and this was the calculus. Developed largely by Newton and Leibnitz, the calculus is used extensively in studies of the developing changes in nature. Extending the calculus, differential equations describe changes where parts of the system interact with each other as they change.</p
Ours studies range from stars and the cosmos to agriculture and wildlife systems. In each case the aim is understanding fundamental questions of the underlying dynamics by considering scenarios and analyses of the system equations considered.
Our laboratory, a small, dedicated group of mathematical scientists, develops differential equation models to understand various natural systems. The systems studied are quite varied, but the methods employed have synergies of approach. Prof. Duffy heads the group and is the South African National Research Foundation Chair: Applying Mathematics to Human and Natural Systems.
In the past 3 years the group has produced over 100 scientific publications (a representative sample can be found on these web pages). Also, three members of the group were recently rated in the top 2% of their research field worldwide.
Our approach revolves around change. Change is a fundamental aspect of nature. All things change over time. Stars grow or collapse. Rivers deepen or dry out. Populations grow or subside. Buildings decay. Cars traverse the landscape. Everything changes over time. A huge step in understanding nature was the development of a mathematics that describes change, and this was the calculus. Developed largely by Newton and Leibnitz, the calculus is used extensively in studies of the developing changes in nature. Extending the calculus, differential equations describe changes where parts of the system interact with each other as they change.
Ours studies range from stars and the cosmos to agriculture and wildlife systems. In each case the aim is understanding fundamental questions of the underlying dynamics by considering scenarios and analyses of the system equations considered.