Mathematics plays critical role in war against terror

RIT hosts free conference on counterterrorism, Sept. 20-22

A terrorist cell quietly forms and grows in a pattern—crossing countries, oceans, hemispheres. Surprising to many, a “weapon” just as quiet—mathematics—can connect the dots and reveal the organizational pattern of something this sinister.

Approximately 40 mathematicians and interdisciplinary scholars from Denmark, Germany, England, Canada and the United States will convene at the Rochester Institute of Technology Sept. 20-22 to discuss the role mathematics and computational techniques play in analyzing terrorist activity. The fourth Conference on Mathematical Methods in Counterterrorism, hosted by RIT’s School of Mathematical Sciences, will highlight the use of mathematical techniques such as graph-, lattice- and game theory to mine data for patterns and potential solutions to:

• Strategies for disrupting terrorist cells

• Border penetration and security

• Terrorist cell formation and growth

• Terrorism deterrence strategies

• Information security

• Emergency response and planning
  
  

“I really think that people need to realize how important math will be in the war against terror,” says Bernard Brooks, one of the conference coordinators and an assistant head of research programs in RIT’s School of Mathematical Sciences. “Chemistry was the science for World War I. Physics was the science for World War II. Now, math will play a critical role in the war against terror.”