The Role and Importance of Mathematics in Innovation

This book is a collection of papers presented at the “Forum Math-for-Industry 2015” for which the unifying theme was “The Role and Importance of Mathematics in Innovation”, held at the Institute of Mathematics for Industry, Kyushu University, October 26–30, 2015. The theme highlights two key roles that mathematics plays in supporting innovation in science, technology, and daily life, namely, needs-based and idea-based. For the former, mathematics assists with sorting through the possibilities and putting matters on a more rigorous foundation, and for the latter, mathematical models of the possible implementations play a key role. The book gives excellent examples of how mathematics assists with stimulating innovation and, thereby, highlights the importance and relevance of the concept Mathematics_FOR_Industry. The contents of this volume address productive and successful interaction between industry and mathematicians, as well as the cross-fertilization and collaboration that result when mathematics is involved with the advancement of science and technology.