The Course is currently being offered at the University of Canterbury in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Spring 2017-S2.
This is an undergraduate course that applies mathematical techniques to understand materials engineering topics such as materials structure, symmetry, diffusion, mechanics and physics of solids. The class uses examples from the materials science and engineering core courses to introduce mathematical concepts and materials-related problem solving skills. Topics include linear algebra, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, quadratic forms, tensor operations, symmetry operations, calculus of several variables, introduction to complex analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations, theory of distributions, and Fourier analysis, transformations, and calculus of variations.
- Course Title: Mathematical Methods in Materials Engineering
- Course Number: MTLE-4720/BMED-4720 (RPI) or ENME483 (UC)
- Meeting times: Monday and Thursday 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
- Meeting location: E201 Computer Lab
- Instructor: Associate Professor Dan Lewis Office: MRC-110 (RPI), E504 (UC)
- Office hours: Monday through Wednesday 12 PM - 1 PM
- E-mail: lewisd2@rpi.edu or daniel.lewis@canterbury.ac.nz
- Skype: dan_lewis_at_rpi
Prerequisites: A desire to improve one’s ability to solve mathematical problems in materials engineering.
Textbooks: You will need a functional Python installation and know how to start the Jupyter notebook. There are no required texts for this class. See the web links below for additional resources.
Python Crash Course: An all-in-one tutorial is found here.
Scientific Computing with Python: An excellent tutorial can be found here.
Lecture Materials: Download the lecture materials here.
Students are expected to be in-class for all lectures. If you require an official excused absence you must go to the "Student Experience" office on the 4th floor of Academy Hall, x8022, se@rpi.edu (RPI). Contact the instructor if you are at Canterbury and there is an concern with attendance.
Students who satisfactorily complete this course will demonstrate:
- an ability to conceptualize, formulate and solve mathematical problems in materials science and engineering;
- an ability to use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice including symbolic computation tools and numerical solvers.
The homework grades will constitute 50% of the course grade. A final project will constitute the other 50% of the course grade.
There will be 10 homework assignments for this class due approximately weekly.
This is a three (3) credit course. While you will be in lecture for approximately three hours each week, you will spend an additional 2-4 hours each week performing homework assignments. You may work in groups to complete the problems set by the instructor.
It is likely that you will wish to or, in some cases, need to work with other members of the class to complete assignments. All submitted work must be your original work and must clearly indicate with whom you have collaborated.
See Rensselaer’s official policy statement and regulations on academic integrity. This policy clearly identifies activities that are "academically dishonest". All matters of academic integrity are to be brought to the instructor’s attention immediately. Any and all "academically dishonest" acts erode the relationship between the instructor and student and harm the educational process.
Violation of this policy will result in failure of the course.