Project Title: Mathematical Modeling of Warfare
Project Description: My project aims to create a mathematical framework for decision-making in a military setting. I examine historical data about various battles, wars, and combat engagements through the lens of mathematical modeling and statistics. I plan to use methods of game theory and stochastic calculus to optimize the strategy used in warfare. Battlefield is never symmetric or deterministic, as such we need models to predict the results of engagements in situations of incomplete information and uncertainty. The focus of my research is how can we minimize casualties on our side while still achieving the same operational success, predicting the enemy’s next move, as well as optimization of military supply chain in situations of asymmetric intelligence. While my project focuses mostly on strategic and operational levels of war, I try to implement a holistic approach to understand the influence of tactical decisions on optimization. Lastly, I plan to use computational methods to develop algorithms that can help make decisions rapidly which is crucial in the context of war.
Most Important Accomplishment: Winning Nova Scotia Wrestling Provincial Championship in high school
Reflections on the College Scholar Program: The College Scholar program provided me with great resources to support my research ranging from advising by faculty members to a community of likely-minded people who can provide a fresh perspective on the topic of my research. The program also allowed me to take classes from a variety of academic departments that my project requires and explore subjects both broadly and deeply, which is often not possible when bound by a traditional major.