Can mathematical models contribute to our understanding of biology? In
this lecture, Professor Waxman aims to show that by using various
‘theoretical tools’ that include mathematics, statistics and computer
simulations, it is possible to explore some of the phenomena that
populations of living organisms exhibit. A model often constitutes a
simplified ‘story’ that includes key features of a problem, but omits
details that – hopefully – only make a small difference. Through his
talk, Professor Waxman will introduce the idea of mathematical models
in biology and discuss examples taken from his research in this area.