The use of mathematics is an essential and natural part of everyday life. It is used to calculate the most efficient way to reach classes. It is used intuitively when making on-the-spot decisions or balancing spending habits for the month.

Bernard Deconinck, UW applied mathematics associate professor and the department’s graduate program coordinator, even applies math to mother nature. He has studied problems related to surface water waves, which are the waves seen on beaches.

“This work is hopefully relevant to tsunamis and rogue waves,” Deconinck said. “Currently, together with a Katie Oliveras, one of my Ph.D. students, I’m investigating the stability of periodic surface water waves — waves on the water surface that repeat.”

Other topics include Bose-Einstein condensates, fluid mechanics, lattice dynamics and plasma physics.

“Mathematics to me is like playing a game,” Deconinck said. “You have rules and manipulate rules for a certain problem. Math is the language of science.”

Like any language or subject, math requires a strong foundation and effort. And the strong sense of satisfaction after solving a hard problem is undeniable.

“The main thing is for people to put in their effort early,” Deconinck said. “This will allow them to master the fundamentals. Once those are in place, going further is a lot easier. It’s like with other languages: you need a lot of vocabulary before you can start talking [in] grammatically sophisticated sentences.”

Hailing from Belgium, Deconinck received his doctorate and master’s in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado at Boulder after receiving his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering (physics option) from the University of Ghent. His graduate thesis, titled “The Initial-Value Problem for Multiphase Solutions of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili Equation” involved a lot of theoretical — or pure — math.

Despite this, Deconinck chose to pursue applied math instead of pure math due to its relevance to the real world and solving specific application problems.

“The research is different in that the problems we study are motivated by applications, as opposed to mathematical issues in their own right,” Deconinck said.

Currently teaching AMath 573: Nonlinear Waves and Solitons, Deconinck chose to become a professor at the UW due to its location (he is an avid hiker), world ranking, academic freedom and the quality of students — both undergraduate and graduate.

However, teaching a class on solitons, Hamiltonian dynamics or Riemann surfaces can be intimidating for both the professor and student. Applied math classes are not offered below the 300-level.

“[You] need to remember what you are teaching is novel to [the students],” Deconinck said. “I try to be interactive and look at students’ reactions. Their questions will let me know how I should explain things.”

During the lecture, Deconinck maintains eye contact with the class, checking to see if the students seem to understand and going back to re-explain concepts from a different angle. Involving students in the process of working through problems, heads nod along as he recaps important points and makes sure that everyone seems to understand.

As the coordinator for the Nonlinear Waves Research group seminar and graduate program coordinator, Deconinck has an extremely busy schedule and a long list of ongoing projects with students, limiting formal collaborations with other departments.

“What’s more common for me is conversing with other departments,” he said. “[This] has offered insights that get put into a big safe of stuff that will hopefully get used. The fun part is just learning.”

Reach reporter Doris Wu at news@dailyuw.com.