Teaching

CEE 4215/6215: Stochastic Modeling of Complex Systems

The molecular components of a cell, mobile genetic elements in a microbial community, and individuals within a population often operate and live in noisy environments. What are the sources of stochasticity in these systems, and how does such stochasticity affect their dynamics? In this class, we review the fundamentals of the theory of stochastic processes through examples taken from cellular and molecular biology, biophysics, population dynamics, population genetics and environmental sciences. You will learn how to mathematically model dynamical systems with intrinsic and extrinsic noise sources, simulate their dynamics, and explore how the interplay between stochasticity and nonlinear dynamics can significantly impact the behavior of such systems.