The Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Consulting (CIRC) is a consulting service for mathematics and statistics provided by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at UMBC. Established in 2003, CIRC is dedicated to supporting interdisciplinary research for both the UMBC campus community and the general public. We provide a full range of consulting services from free initial consulting to long term support for research programs.
CIRC offers mathematical and statistical expertise in broad areas of applications, including biological sciences, engineering, and the social sciences. On the mathematics side, particular strengths include techniques of parallel computing and assistance with software packages such as MATLAB and COMSOL Multiphysics. On the statistics side, areas of particular strength include Toxicology, Industrial Hygiene, Bioequivalence, Biomechanical Engineering, Environmental Science, Finance, Information Theory, and packages such as SAS, SPSS, and S-Plus.
In addition, CIRC strives to provide mathematics and statistics students with vital consulting experience needed for industry and academia jobs. Students who have participated in CIRC activities are learning how to work effectively with outside faculty and industry researchers:
“This was my first time working with someone outside the Math/Stat department. I really enjoyed the consulting meetings because I acquired vocabulary that researchers use in the context of ecological studies …”
– Ronny Vallejos, Stat 750 Student, Spring 2004
“… what I like most about being a CIRC Research Assistant is the opportunity to see real-world applications of mathematics, in particular, the modeling of natural phenomena using Partial Differential Equations.”
– Alen Agheksanterian, CIRC Mathematics RA, Fall 2006
“This experience provides me with excellent exposure to the challenges of interdisciplinary consulting, and it allows me to see how I can apply my skills in mathematics and statistics to solve some very interesting problems.”
– Martin Klein, Math 750 Student, Fall 2006