Christopher J. Larsen

Biography

BS Physics Carnegie Mellon University 1989 JD University of Maryland 1992 MS Applied Mathematics Carnegie Mellon University 1994 PhD Mathematics Carnegie Mellon University 1996 Many interesting physical phenomena are difficult to pin down mathematically, which is a necessary first step in order to make predictions confidently. This is particularly true in the study of the evolution of defects in materials; for example, predicting the growth and paths of cracks. My research is in applied analysis, and my goals are to formulate mathematically- and physically-reasonable models for these problems, as well as understand the properties of solutions (even proving their existence itself is often a serious problem). At WPI, I involve both graduate and undergraduate students in these projects, who often make important contributions.

Research Interest

Partial Differential Equations Calculus of Variations Geometric Measure Theory Applications to Materials Science, especially Fracture Mechanics