Toward Making Mathematics a Laboratory ScienceUsing state of the art Computer Algebra Systems and working in teams, students are experimenting with applying mathematics to physics and engineering problems. Emphasis is on modeling, insight, conceptual understanding and interpretation of results, rather than on routine calculations. The aim of the projects is to profoundly effect the teaching of the freshman/sophomore sequence, and ultimately all of the curricula. The plan is to focus on the relatively few truly central ideas, to make them memorable, and to stress the interrelation between these key mathematical concepts and their relevance to the world of science and engineering.
