Serving the Full Spectrum of Navy STEM Education

Applied Mathematics serves as a common foundation for STEM education across NPS. Our faculty teach and mentor students enrolled in a wide range of curricula, providing the analytical tools that underpin advanced study in engineering, modeling and simulation, data science, autonomy, and operational analysis.

By supporting students across multiple departments and degree programs, Applied Mathematics strengthens the Navy’s ability to develop officers who can integrate theory, computation, and real‑world constraints—skills that are increasingly critical in an era defined by speed, complexity, and contested domains.

• Engineering disciplines (Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Systems)
• Operations Research and Analytics
• Computer Science
• Information Sciences
• Meteorology and Oceanography
• Physics

Through this service mission, Applied Mathematics directly supports a large share of the NPS student body each year, ensuring mission‑relevant STEM proficiency across the Naval enterprise and US Department of the War.

"Studying in the Applied Math Department while completing the Undersea Warfare Curriculum at NPS was a phenomenal experience. I was able to conduct operationally relevant research with amazing faculty across NPS immediately after commissioning. The unique environment at NPS allowed me to connect with senior officer mentors in an academic setting, while leveraging their experience to enhance my graduate education. Starting my career with studies at NPS  bolstered my technical acumen and set me up to succeed as a submarine officer, and my current follow-on tour as a Mathematics Instructor at the United States Naval Academy.  My time at NPS has benefited me at every point in my career, and I cannot recommend the Applied Mathematics curriculum too highly." 

- LT Christian Sorenson, Math Instructor, Math Dept, USNA
M.S. in Applied Mathematics @NPS in 2020
Posted on 4/30/2026

"Studying in the Applied Math Department at NPS was one of the highlights of my career. The combination of interesting research projects with dedicated and supportive faculty was incredible. There are tremendous opportunities waiting for the next group of officers headed to Monterey, and if I was to start my career all over again I would aim to be one of them." 

- CDR Aaron Geary, Military Associate Chair, Math Dept, USNA
M.S. in Applied Mathematics 2009, Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics @NPS in 2022. 
Posted on 3/4/2026
 

"The Certificate in Network Science at NPS Applied Math was the ideal complement to my doctoral studies in Operations Research.  I learned the important theoretical background necessary for my novel research into the optimal defense and attack of network flows. I use what I learned at NPS Applied Math in my undergraduate teaching at US Naval Academy every day." 

- CAPT Gary Lazzaro, USN, Military Deputy Dean, School of Math & Science, US Naval Academy  
M.S. in Management 2013, Ph.D. in Operations Research @NPS in 2016
Posted on 3/3/2026
 

"No institution has contributed more to the advanced education of our faculty in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the United States Military Academy than the Naval Postgraduate School. Over the past 20 years, this partnership has produced a deep bench of faculty talent, with 16 current faculty members and over 40 faculty overall earning their MS in Applied Mathematics from NPS. NPS equips our military faculty with the technical rigor and analytical depth required to excel at teaching in the classroom and advising cadets in technical research. As a result, cadets learn from instructors who are both accomplished scholars and experienced Army leaders, directly advancing the Academic Program’s goal of developing graduates who integrate knowledge across disciplines to address complex challenges." 

- COL Michael Scioletti, USA, Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, US Military Academy West Point 
M.S. in Operations Research @NPS, Ph.D. in Operations Research at Colorado School of Mines
Posted on 3/4/2026
 

"When I arrived at the Naval Postgraduate School, I came in with what I would describe as a relatively weak math background and, like many military students, I had been out of an academic environment for several years. So I was naturally concerned about whether I would be able to succeed in a rigorous graduate-level mathematics program.  What I experienced instead was incredibly supportive and rewarding. The professors at NPS were not only patient and approachable, but genuinely invested in helping students learn; not just complete assignments or pass exams, but truly understand the material and be able to apply it in meaningful ways. They met students where they were and helped us grow in both confidence and capability.  My time at NPS fundamentally changed how I view mathematics and my own ability to engage with it at an advanced level. Looking back, if I had to make the choice again among all the schools available to me, I would choose NPS without hesitation." 

- CPT Carl Springfels, USA, Instructor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, US Military Academy West Point 
M.S. in Applied Mathematics @NPS
Posted on 3/4/2026