Postgraduate Studies and Research in Dynamical Systems at the University of Cambridge

Dynamical Systems has a substantial history in Cambridge; Newton could be said to have created the subject, and Cartwright and Littlewood found chaos here in the 1940s, way ahead of the ``chaos'' revolution.

The Nonlinear Centre provides a focus for research in dynamical systems and related aspects of nonlinear science in the University. It is based in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), run in collaboration with the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics (DPMMS), and directed by Prof Michael Proctor.

Opportunities to study aspects of Dynamical Systems exist at the MSc, PhD and postdoctoral levels.

 

MSc level

The Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics (the Cambridge equivalent of a one-year MSc, and also known at Part III) is administered by the Faculty of Mathematics and each year, a selection of Dynamical Systems courses are offered. Much more information on the structure and content of the course is available here . During the year 2001-02, the courses relevant to Dynamical Systems include:

• Local and Global Bifurcations (Dawes)
• Symmetries and Patterns (Proctor)
• Population Dynamics (Keeling)
• Symplectic Geometry and Hamiltonian Systems (Paternain)
• Essays - a full list of titles available in 2000-01 (last year) is available here.

Any of the above may be replaced by a wide selection of courses from cosmology, relativity, quantum field theory, fluid mechanics, statistics, topology, geometry, analysis or number theory. Details of all the courses offered this year are available here.

Details of the admissions procedure are available here.

 

PhD

The Nonlinear Centre  offers supervision for promising research students, leading to the PhD degree. Current areas of research interest are given here. The normal route to starting a PhD is via the Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics. Nonetheless, if you demonstrate exceptional ability and already have sufficient training, it may be possible to waive this requirement: discuss it with a potential supervisor before applying. Applications should be made via the Board of Graduate Studies.

Some possible ways to get PhD funding

• Studentships offered by Cambridge colleges
• EPSRC studentship (for UK students)
• Your government

It is possible that, from time to time there might be studentships to work on specific projects.

 

Postdoctoral level

The Nonlinear Centre is pleased to host people with proven research ability to work on problems in dynamical systems and related areas. Plans should be discussed with a member of the Nonlinear Centre. In most cases, funding must be arranged on an individual basis.

Some possibilities for obtaining postdoctoral funding:

• Royal Society University Research Fellowship
• EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship
• Research Fellowship at a Cambridge college
• NATO Fellowship
• EC Training and Mobility of Researchers Individual Fellowship
• EPSRC named Research Assistantship application (via a member of staff here)
• NERC have recently indicated that they are particularly keen to attract more applied mathematicians and physicists into the environmental sciences
• British Council
• Your government

Nonlinear Centre, DAMTP, University of Cambridge
Silver Street, Cambridge CB3 9EW, U.K.
fax:+44-1223-337918
e-mail: nlc@damtp.cam.ac.uk

Last updated on 4th September 2001.