Computational Science & Engineering

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) is a rapidly growing multidisciplinary area with connections to the sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. It focuses on the integration of knowledge and methodologies from all of these disciplines to create powerful problem-solving tools for a wide range of important and timely problems in science and engineering.

Computational Science and Engineering faculty develop advanced computational models and software with applications to furthering the understanding of real-world phenomena. CSE is highly interdisciplinary and involves various computing and mathematical modeling technology, often in collaboration with researchers in engineering, science or social science.

Research Themes in Computational Science & Engineering

CSE research typically involves one or more subfields in numerical and discrete algorithms, modeling and simulation, visualization, data mining and high performance computing. Examples of current research topics include:

  • Computational algorithms and software for discrete stochastic simulation
  • Solution of partial differential equations
  • Graph analysis via linear algebra techniques
  • Computational physics
  • Computational medicine and biology
  • Health informatics
  • Web data analytics and retrieval
  • Advanced computational materials
  • Computational fluid dynamics

At UCSB, we offer an interdisciplinary Master's and Ph.D. degree emphasis in CSE, in collaboration with the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering.

UCSB has a long tradition of interdisciplinary research, and strong programs in the CSE departments. The CSE emphasis offers a broad multidisciplinary educational experience with strong foundations in both the enabling technologies of computer science and applied mathematics and in cutting-edge applications in engineering and science. The CSE emphasis provides both depth in a traditional academic area, and breadth in CSE technologies.