Thomas P. Witelski, Professor of Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science  


Thomas P. Witelski
Contact Info:
Office Location:  295 Physics
Email Address:   send me a message
Web Page: http://www.math.duke.edu/~witelski

Education:

Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1995
B.S.E., The Cooper Union, 1991
Research Interests: Fluid Dynamics, Perturbation Methods, Asymptotic Analysis, Nonlinear Ordinary and Partial differential equations

My primary area of expertise is the solution of nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations via perturbation methods. Using asymptotics along with a mixture of other applied mathematical techniques in analysis and scientific computing I study a broad range of applications in physical systems. Focuses of my work include problems in viscous fluid flow, dynamical systems, and industrial applications. Through my research I am working to extend the understanding of nonlinear diffusion processes in physical systems. Studying problems in a range of different fields has given me a unique opportunity to interact with a diverse set of collaborators and to transfer analytic techniques across the traditional boundaries that separate fields.

Areas of Interest:

Fluid dynamics
Partial differential equations
Asymptotics/Perturbation methods
Industrial and Applied mathematics

Specialties:

Applied Math
Applied Math
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

Top 5% teaching, March 11, 2019, Duke Arts and Sciences
Top 5% teaching, Duke Arts and Science, April 13, 2018
Teaching Award: Among top 5% of all undergraduate instructors at Duke, Trinity College, Duke University
Top 5% teaching, Duke Arts and Science, February 22, 2017
Outstanding Referee, American Physical Society (APS) Outstanding Referee Program, 2015
Nominated for 2004-05 Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2005
Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, National Science Foundation
Sloan Research Fellowship-Mathematics, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Sloan Research Fellowship-Mathematics, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Teaching (Spring 2024):

  • MATH 577.01, MATHEMATICAL MODELING Synopsis
    Physics 235, WF 01:25 PM-02:40 PM
Teaching (Fall 2024):

  • MATH 553.01, ASYMP/PERTURBATION METHODS Synopsis
    Physics 227, WF 03:05 PM-04:20 PM
Office Hours:

Tuesdays 10:00am-1:00pm or other times by email request
Representative Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

  1. Witelski, T; Bowen, M, Methods of Mathematical Modelling: Continuous Systems and Differential Equations (September, 2015), pp. 1-305, Springer International Publishing [doi]  [abs] [author's comments].
  2. Ji, H; Witelski, T, Steady states and dynamics of a thin-film-type equation with non-conserved mass, European Journal of Applied Mathematics, vol. 31 no. 6 (December, 2020), pp. 968-1001, Cambridge University Press (CUP) [doi]  [abs].
  3. Liu, W; Witelski, TP, Steady states of thin film droplets on chemically heterogeneous substrates, IMA Journal of Applied Mathematics, vol. 85 no. 6 (November, 2020), pp. 980-1020, Oxford University Press (OUP) [doi]  [abs].
  4. Witelski, TP, Nonlinear dynamics of dewetting thin films, AIMS Mathematics, vol. 5 no. 5 (January, 2020), pp. 4229-4259 [doi]  [abs].
  5. Dijksman, JA; Mukhopadhyay, S; Behringer, RP; Witelski, TP, Thermal Marangoni-driven dynamics of spinning liquid films, Physical Review Fluids, vol. 4 no. 8 (August, 2019) [doi]  [abs].
  6. Bowen, M; Witelski, TP, Pressure-dipole solutions of the thin-film equation, European Journal of Applied Mathematics, vol. 30 no. 2 (April, 2019), pp. 358-399 [doi]  [abs].
  7. Gao, Y; Ji, H; Liu, JG; Witelski, TP, A vicinal surface model for epitaxial growth with logarithmic free energy, Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems - Series B, vol. 23 no. 10 (December, 2018), pp. 4433-4453, American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) [doi]  [abs].
Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

    Postdocs Mentored

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