Mueller, William

Department of Mathematics

University of Arizona

Bldg 89, Rm117

Tucson, AZ 85721

mueller@math.arizona.edu



Mathematical Modeling



1) I am developing a full-length text for a course in mathematical 

modeling. The course is meant to follow a "reformed" (i.e. context-based 

and computer literate) calculus/ODE/linear algebra sequence, and follow up 

on students' newly won ability to formulate realistic problems 

mathematically. The texts for the course will be self- contained 

interactive presentations of non-trivial problems, which the students will 

be able to investigate along a variety of paths. Students will pick a 

number of these texts to work through during the course. The text that I am 

developing focuses on the events surrounding the infamous Mann Gulch forest 

fire of 1949, which overtook 12 of the US Forest Service's best 

firefighters, and later became the subject of a best-selling book by Norman 

MacLean. It involves models of fire spread as a function of variables such 

as topography, fuel types, and wind fields. It is being developed as a 

"handbook" in Mathcad.



2) I am also working on a series of interactive modules for courses in 

ODEs, linear algebra, and engineering mathematics. These are self-contained 

lessons that are meant to be transportable to a variety of different course 

settings. The modules are also being developed as short "handbooks" in 

Mathcad.





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