By Javier Chagoya

Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics Dr. Ralucca Gera, right, and Professor and Chair of Applied Mathematics Dr. Craig Rasmussen, left, are pictured with the latest graduates of the Network Science Academic Certificate program on the Spanagel Hall rooftop, March 8. The diverse group represents officers from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, including the department's first graduating Second Lieutenants from the Army's newly-formed Cyber branch, and even an enlisted Sailor.Gera is the Network Science Program Coordinator. She contends that the scientific community has realized that networks are widespread and persist through fields which are numerous and varied.

"The NPS academic certificate program in Network Science provides current education in the emerging field of network science by using mathematical methods for the analysis, understanding and exploitation of complex networks, which include biological, technological, informational and social networks," said Gera.

The Network Science certificate program is designed to give the student a thorough understanding of the underlying mathematics essential for the interpretation and further development of methods, models, and approaches to problems involving complex networks. For more information on the Network Science Academic Certificate program, check out theirwebsite.