Joseph Benson

Professor Benson’s research background is in differential geometry and mathematical physics.  He is interested in the properties of curve and surface evolutions invariant under a given Lie (or transformation) group.  He is also interested in differential equations, difference equations, and differential-difference equations, both ordinary and partial, particularly those arising from physical models and equipped with some symmetry group.  He has become recently interested in mathematical modeling, and has begun a collaboration studying pedestrian dynamics using an agent-based modeling approach.  He loves teaching, and has worked hard to move away from a predominantly lecture style to a much more active learning approach, with particular interest in inquiry based learning techniques.  When he is not working, his wife and three children occupy most of his free time.