New ISMaRT LAB
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Author: vsiefken
ISMART: A New Hub for Math Collaboration, 0379 Carver Hall
On January 30, the Department of Mathematics proudly unveiled the ISMART Lab—Iowa State Mathematics Research Teams—a newly created hub designed to encourage collaborative student research, data‑focused projects, and hands‑on mathematical discovery.
Students, faculty, and staff gathered for the ribbon‑cutting celebration, toured the updated space, and explored how ISMART will support team‑based problem solving and creative approaches to modern mathematical challenges. The launch marks an exciting expansion of the department’s commitment to fostering community and providing meaningful research experiences.
The new hub is already home to a vibrant collection of research projects spanning pure, applied, and computational mathematics. Current topics being explored in the ISMART space include:
- Advanced numerical methods for partial differential equations, such as the generalized direct discontinuous Galerkin method for doubly nonlinear diffusion in dam‑break modeling.
- Machine‑learning‑based approaches to fluid dynamics, including neural network methods for the two‑dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations and bound‑preserving neural network techniques for linear PDEs.
- Random matrix theory and quantum information through the ISMART project Exploring Random Matrices, where researchers investigate the structure of large matrix algebras using abstract theory and large‑scale simulations.
- Graph theory and combinatorics, with students studying monochromatic subgraphs in edge‑colored graphs and tackling open problems connected to Ryser’s Conjecture.
- Algebraic combinatorics and computational algebra, where teams work to classify simplicial complexes that produce Artinian algebras with the weak Lefschetz property, supported by computational tools such as Python and Macaulay2.
With the opening now official, the ISMART Lab is ready to welcome student groups eager to tackle real‑world mathematical questions in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
Feeling inspired? Bring a team, brainstorm a project, and make the ISMART Lab your go‑to spot for innovative work.
Room reservations for study groups and research teams are available through the Math Office.