Mathematics

Between October 1999 and June 2005, I was studying "Technical Mathematics" at the Vienna University of Technology. I have been interested in mathematics ever since, and thanks to my succes at the Mathematical Olympiad, the decision concerning my field of study was quite an easy one.

Basically, the study of technical mathematics was divided into four different branches at the time I started my studies. Since then, the curriculum has changed multiple times. Therefore, the following description is only of historic interest:

1. Mathematics in Natural Science
2. Mathematics in Economics
3. Mathematics in Computer Science
4. (Financial and) Actuarial Mathematics

I have decided to choose the branch "Mathematics in Computer Science", where the main focus is not on programming skills or on detailed computer literacy, but rather on constructing and analysing algorithms which are widely used nowadays, or on mathematical modeling and simulation.

In the first part of the study (between the first and the fourth semester according to the old curriculum), there are hardly any branch-specific courses – for the most part, one studies the basics of analysis (sequences and series, differential and integral calculus, differential equations) and (linear) algebra (vectors and matrices).

In the second part of the study (between the fifth and the tenth semester according to the old curriculum), each student has more possibilities to choose his or her own courses. All in all, there are 26 hours per week of elective courses, which may be chosen from different catalogs – according to the various branches of study. Personally, I was (and still am) very interested in mathematical modeling and simulation as well as in the (admittedly very diversified) area of applied mathematics. Therefore, I have chosen most of my elective courses from these two branches. I have even written my diploma thesis in the field of modelling. For this purpose, I was working at the PROFACTOR GmbH in Steyr (Upper Austria). In my thesis, I focused on the use of simulation for the purpose of the detailed planning of process steps at a production plant.

Of course, students of Technical Mathematics also also the possibility to spend one ore more terms abroad. For example, one can study in France at the Ecole Centrale Paris for two years, and gain two diplomas at the same time. Moreover, a lot of universities all over Europe are cooperating with the Vienna University of Technology within the framework of the ERASMUS program. Finally, there are several joint study programs with universities in Japan, Russia, in the United States and in South America. For instance, I spent one semester abroad at the City College of New York (CCNY) during my seventh semester (i.e., in autumn 2003).

For more thorough informationen about the study of Technical Mathematics (especially concerning the other branches of study and the current curriculum), I recommend the (German) website of the Fachschaft Technische Mathematik.

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