Computational Science

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Dr. Graziano Vernizzi, Director

Computational Science is a relatively new interdisciplinary field that has emerged as a new and distinct discipline. It is a highly functional mixture of applied mathematics, computer science, and the sciences. The goal of such a program is to teach a student to perform science computationally. A scientist trained in computational physics will bring computing skills to the solution of scientific problems-an approach traditional majors do not offer. Graduates of the program will be prepared for employment in research laboratories, business, and academia, and for further study in Computational Science and related disciplines.

Computational Science is the study of scientific problem solving using computers. It covers the formulation and analysis of problems, the use of software packages and programs to solve these problems computationally, simulations and modeling, mathematical and numerical analysis, visualization, and programming. A student emerging from such a program will have strong problem-solving skills with a multidisciplinary approach. Such skills make the computational scientist highly sought after.

Students may elect to major or minor in Computational Science. Courses for the Computational Science program at Siena are distributed among three departments: computer science, mathematics, and physics. For the major, seven courses are required in each of the three participating departments, plus a capstone course that may be elected in any one of the three departments. For the minor, three courses are required in each department.

A student planning to major in Computational Physics should consult each semester with the Computational Physics program director. Not every course is offered every year, so care must be taken in scheduling to assure completion of the major.

Programs

• Computational Science, B.S.

• Computational Science Minor

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