The CU-Boulder Graduate School is sponsoring a computer modeling and simulations symposium in the Duane Physics Building on Saturday, Oct. 3, to enhance research opportunities among different departments and institutes.
The symposium will highlight a number of cutting-edge computer modeling and simulation efforts, from the effects of El Nino on monsoons and DNA-protein interactions that regulate gene expression to modeling the physics of the human body and even simulating seismic effects on structures.
"CU-Boulder is very strong in modeling and simulation research," said Jerry Peterson, assistant vice chancellor for research and organizer of the symposium. "We have learned enough about how pieces of things react to have confidence that we can assemble those pieces into a whole," he said.
"Engineers, for instance, can design an airplane and 'fly' it under extreme circumstances on computers to see what happens. A simulated crash, for example, is as informative as a real crash, and it can be simulated hundreds of times, providing inexpensive but very positive learning opportunities for students, as well as better aircraft designs."
Much of the new modeling work involves chaos and complexity research, he said. CU-Boulder recently launched the Colorado Center for Chaos and Complexity involving CU students, faculty, state businesses and industry in research projects.
Merrill Patrick, chief science and technology officer of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Computer and Information Science, will speak at the conference at 3:30 p.m in room G030 of Duane Physics. Patrick sits on a national committee designed to move universities into the next realm of modeling and simulation as a way to bolster federal and industrial research and development.
For more information, contact Peterson at 303-492-2889 or Jim Scott in the public relations office at 303-492-3114.