Assistant professors Jiahui Chen and Chen Liu have each received grants from the National Science Foundation to support their research in applied and computational mathematics. These awards will provide essential resources for Chen and Liu for the next three years.

Dr. Chen's project, titled Multiscale Differential Geometry Approaches to Protein Interaction Mechanism, aims to develop robust computational tools to better understand protein interactions — key processes in biology, especially in the context of viral invasion of host cells. His work seeks to enhance society's ability to anticipate and respond to emerging viral threats, including mutational variants. A distinctive feature of Chen's research is its integration of techniques from diverse areas of mathematics, including algebraic topology, differential geometry and machine learning.

Dr. Liu's project, titled Robust and efficient high-order algorithms for fluid dynamics simulations: structure-preserving methods and optimization-based limiters, focuses on understanding the flow of fluids. The Navier-Stokes equations, which underpin fluid flow modeling, are notoriously complex — so much so that they are listed among the seven Millennium Prize Problems, each carrying a $1 million reward for a solution. Liu's research aims to construct approximate solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations that preserve key physical principles such as conservation laws, bounds and energy laws, while remaining efficient for large-scale simulations. This work has broad applications in aeronautics, astronautics and the petroleum industry.

Both grants will significantly benefit the University of Arkansas, not only by advancing these important research initiatives but also by creating hands-on training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Students will be actively involved in cutting-edge research in mathematics and interdisciplinary fields.

"The NSF grants received by Dr. Chen and Dr. Liu are highly competitive. These awards demonstrate the national impact of mathematical research at the University of Arkansas and its relevance across multiple scientific disciplines," said Matt Clay, chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences. "I am very proud of Dr. Chen and Dr. Liu for this recognition, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these grants have on our students."