The Center is a research arm of the Mathematics Department and is located on the second floor of the Economics building near Old Main. The entire budget for operating the Center is derived from funding won under competitive research grants. The Center has ties to a local high power semiconductor laser manufacturer, Opto Power Corporation, and the latter company has applied for a patent on a new laser design developed by ACMS researchers. The primary goal of the Center has been to provide an environment for research and learning in the Mathematical Sciences. Basic research themes currently include the modeling, understanding, and applicability of nonlinear processes in optics, fluids, plasmas, and biological systems, with continuing investigations into pattern dynamics, nonlinear stability, low dimensional chaos, turbulence, dynamical systems, and the nature of integrable systems of differential equations.
Research takes place at all levels.
There is long-range ongoing research with a strong multidisciplinary flavor, which reflects the unique admixture of skills of Center faculty, colleagues with regular visiting arrangements, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. Second, there are collaborations with colleagues from other universities, Air Force research centers, and industry. Thirdly, the Center hosts a regular Nonlinear Optics Workshop each Fall which is attended by applied mathematicians nationwide and from overseas. In addition, the weekly applied mathematics PDE, modeling, biomathematics, and fluids seminars are held at the Center. The Center promotes learning through research.