Universität Wien

250156 VU Modeling in evolutionary ecology and epidemiology (2023W)

7.00 ECTS (4.00 SWS), SPL 25 - Mathematik
Continuous assessment of course work
ON-SITE
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes

Lectures on 2.10., 9.10.,16.10., 23.10. - Mondays 12:20-14:45 (3x 45 min, 10 min break). Seminar room biomathematics (9th floor OMP 1).
Deadline to chose projects: 27.10. Deadline for de-registration: 31.10.
Work on projects, with tutoring support: 30.10. -> 16.2. (most work should be finished prior to the presentations on 22.1./29.1.)
Short informal 10-min presentations: 27.11.
Presentations (20-30 mins) on 22nd and 29th January.
Deadline to submit written project report: 16th of February.

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

In this course, students will develop the ability to formalize problems in mathematical biology, particularly in ecological, evolutionary, and epidemiological modeling. The course is structured as a combination of lectures and integrated projects, students complete, with tutorial guidance. Students will learn to construct mathematical models that describe the dynamics and interactions of processes in biological systems. The students will also learn about basic analytical tools used for analyzing a complex model, such as dimensional analysis, branching processes, and the separation-of-time-scales technique. The course will introduce the simulation procedures, and the students will practice implementing these methods using a programming language of their choice, and interpreting the results in the relevant context. Programming languages supported include (but are not limited to) Julia, Python and Mathematica.

Prerequisites: basic mathematical knowledge taught in the bachelor's program - in particular fundamentals of probability and statistics, basic theory of ordinary differential equations, basic programming skills.

Assessment and permitted materials

In addition to active participation in the lectures, students will be required to investigate a topic of their choice, and present it in the last weeks of the course. A list of possible projects, based on the course material, will be provided during the course. Students will give a brief overview of their project topic shortly thereafter to receive feedback on both their topic and their presentation skills. This short presentation is mandatory, but not graded, and will conclude the weekly lectures. Students will thereafter continue working on their project, with a tutoring support of one of the lecturers. They will be expected to apply the methods learned during the course and implement their model in their chosen programming language. Course attendance is mandatory and the grade will be given based on the a short written report and a concluding oral presentation at the end of the project.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

In order to qualify for a passing grade, the following is required: i) participation in the lectures ii) brief presentation of the project and its background iii) written report of the results of the project, in appropriate context iv) final presentation of the project. Only the last two are graded.

Examination topics

There is no exam in the usual sense: the students obtain their grade based on their project reports (see above).

Reading list

Association in the course directory

MBIV

Last modified: Mo 29.01.2024 10:46