One of the most common complaints of university students studying some level of mathematics (who range from business and management students all the way to chemical and biomechanical engineers) is that they are never shown how the subject translates to their field or any other real life application. The main goal of this module is to address these concerns by showing well-established mathematical models which are in everyday use in various fields.
The module will offer an introduction to optimization and operations research by discussing the most simplistic versions of well-known algorithms such as the simplex method, the Hungarian algorithm or the Gale-Shapley algorithm. We will also cover the topic of scheduling by building a modeling framework which can help categorizing everyday problems and examine the techniques to solve some of them, for example a Gantt chart.
Throughout the module students will be expected to solve some numerical problems related to and to research, present and discuss various applications of the methods covered in small groups. This will provide an opportunity for students with different interests and backgrounds to develop how they can work together. Thus all students, but especially those interested in mathematics, computer science and economy are welcome.