Math Modeling and Passion Projects

1. Predicting Homelessness Trends

● Problem: Homelessness remains a growing issue in many cities.
● Modeling Application: Use machine learning and statistical models to analyze factors
like housing costs, unemployment rates, and mental health data to predict areas or
populations most at risk of homelessness. The model can help guide targeted
interventions.

2. Optimizing Food Bank Distribution

● Problem: Many food banks struggle to distribute resources efficiently to those in need.
● Modeling Application: Create an optimization model that considers factors like
population density, demand, transportation costs, and food perishability to improve
delivery routes and resource allocation.

3. Tackling Traffic Congestion

● Problem: Traffic congestion leads to lost productivity and increased carbon emissions.
● Modeling Application: Develop a simulation model to analyze traffic flow and suggest
improvements, such as signal timing optimization or alternate routes, to reduce
bottlenecks and commute times.

4. Reducing Water Scarcity

● Problem: Many regions face limited access to clean water.
● Modeling Application: Use mathematical modeling to optimize water usage by
households and industries, or to analyze rainfall patterns and groundwater levels for
sustainable water resource management.

5. Improving Education Access

● Problem: Educational resources are often distributed unequally.
● Modeling Application: Build a model that identifies disparities in educational access by
analyzing socioeconomic data, student-teacher ratios, and school funding. The output
could guide equitable resource distribution.
6. Mitigating Climate Change
● Problem: Global warming continues to impact communities worldwide.
● Modeling Application: Use differential equations and climate models to study the
impact of carbon emissions on temperature and sea levels. The model could also help
policymakers assess the effectiveness of carbon reduction strategies.

7. Addressing Income Inequality

● Problem: Widening income gaps can destabilize communities.
● Modeling Application: Develop models using economic and social data to evaluate the
impact of proposed policies (e.g., universal basic income or tax reforms) on reducing
income inequality.

8. Enhancing Public Health Responses

● Problem: Managing disease outbreaks is complex and resource-intensive.
● Modeling Application: Create epidemiological models (e.g., SIR models) to predict the
spread of infectious diseases and recommend strategies like vaccination rollouts or
social distancing measures.

9. Reducing Energy Waste

● Problem: Energy is often wasted due to inefficient usage.
● Modeling Application: Use predictive analytics to analyze energy consumption patterns
and suggest optimal strategies for reducing energy waste in homes or industries.

10. Improving Urban Planning

● Problem: Poorly designed cities exacerbate social inequality.
● Modeling Application: Use geometric and agent-based models to simulate how
different layouts of housing, public transport, and green spaces affect quality of life,
commuting, and access to resources.

11. Preventing Cyberbullying

● Problem: Cyberbullying has a significant impact on mental health.
● Modeling Application: Use sentiment analysis and network models to identify trends in
online bullying and propose interventions for social media platforms.
12. Optimizing Disaster Relief
● Problem: Delivering aid during disasters is often delayed.
● Modeling Application: Build models to optimize supply chain logistics for emergency
supplies, considering factors like road conditions, population density, and disaster
severity.

13. Maximizing Affordable Housing

● Problem: Affordable housing remains limited in many areas.
● Modeling Application: Use spatial modeling to identify areas where housing
developments would be most effective and cost-efficient based on zoning laws, available
land, and population needs.

14. Improving Access to Healthcare

● Problem: Healthcare access is unequal, especially in rural areas.
● Modeling Application: Create a model to analyze patient-to-provider ratios, travel
distances, and wait times to recommend new clinic locations or telehealth solutions.

15. Preventing Wildlife Extinction

● Problem: Habitat destruction threatens biodiversity.
● Modeling Application: Use mathematical models to simulate population dynamics and
habitat usage, providing insights into how to protect endangered species.

16. Encouraging Voter Participation

● Problem: Low voter turnout impacts democracy.
● Modeling Application: Analyze demographic and behavioral data to predict voting
trends and develop strategies to increase voter participation, such as targeted education
campaigns.

17. Reducing Workplace Burnout

● Problem: Burnout affects employee well-being and productivity.
 ● Modeling Application: Use queuing theory to model workloads and propose optimal
staffing solutions or schedule adjustments to reduce employee stress.

18. Reducing Waste and Littering

● Problem: Improper waste disposal harms the environment.
● Modeling Application: Use mathematical optimization to design efficient recycling and
waste collection programs tailored to specific community needs.

19. Fighting Food Insecurity

● Problem: Millions lack access to nutritious food.
● Modeling Application: Build a predictive model to identify food deserts and simulate the
impact of mobile food banks, grocery delivery, or urban farming initiatives.

20. Predicting Mental Health Crises

● Problem: Mental health issues often go undetected until too late.
● Modeling Application: Use statistical models and data from surveys or social media to
predict and prevent mental health crises through early interventions.

LA Fires and Math Modeling

1. Define the Problem and Objectives

● Problem: Wildfires in Los Angeles spread quickly due to dry conditions, urban-wildland
interfaces, and wind patterns.
● Objective: Predict the spread of fires to aid firefighting efforts, evacuation planning, and
resource allocation.

2. Key Factors to Model

Include the most significant variables that affect fire spread:
 ● Fuel: Vegetation type, dryness, density.
● Topography: Elevation, slope, and terrain.
● Weather: Wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity.
● Ignition Points: Locations where fires begin.
● Urban Structures: Proximity to buildings and roads.

3. Mathematical Frameworks
Several mathematical models are commonly used for wildfire analysis:

A. Cellular Automata (CA) Models

● Divide the area into a grid (e.g., 10m x 10m cells).

● Each cell has a state (e.g., burning, burnt, unburnt).
● The spread of fire is determined by:
○ Neighboring cells.
○ Probabilities based on fuel, wind, and slope.

B. Differential Equations

● Use partial differential equations to describe the fire's spread as a continuous process
over time and space:
○ ∂T∂t=α∇2T−β\frac{\partial T}{\partial t} = \alpha \nabla^2 T - \beta
■ TT: Fire temperature.
■ α\alpha: Heat diffusion rate.
■ β\beta: Heat loss due to cooling or lack of fuel.

C. Graph Theory

● Represent the area as a network of nodes (e.g., high-risk points) and edges (e.g.,
possible fire spread paths).
● Use algorithms to simulate fire spread between nodes based on wind and fuel
conditions.

D. Machine Learning Models

● Train models on historical fire data to predict fire spread patterns.

● Algorithms like Random Forests or Neural Networks can incorporate weather forecasts,
vegetation maps, and human activity data.

4. Collect and Use Data

To make the model realistic, gather data:

● Satellite Data: Maps of vegetation, fire hotspots, and burn scars.

● Weather Data: Real-time and historical wind, temperature, and humidity information.
● Topography: Digital elevation models (DEMs) from sources like USGS.
 ● Fire Records: Historical data on fire perimeters and durations.

5. Build the Model

● Step 1: Create a simulation environment (e.g., Python with libraries like NumPy,
Matplotlib, or TensorFlow).
● Step 2: Define initial conditions (e.g., ignition points, weather at the time of fire).
● Step 3: Implement rules for fire spread based on your chosen framework.
● Step 4: Run simulations and validate with historical fire data.

6. Test and Validate

● Compare the model's predictions to real wildfire case studies in Los Angeles (e.g.,
Woolsey Fire, Getty Fire).
● Adjust parameters (e.g., wind effect strength, fuel load thresholds) to improve accuracy.

7. Application of the Model

● Early Warning Systems: Use the model to identify high-risk areas in advance.
● Evacuation Planning: Simulate fire spread to prioritize evacuation zones.
● Resource Allocation: Predict which areas will require firefighting resources.

8. Tools and Software

● Python Libraries: Pyrosim (fire spread simulation), SciPy (mathematics), GeoPandas
(geospatial data).
● GIS Software: ArcGIS or QGIS for visualizing and analyzing spatial data.
● Specialized Models: FARSITE (Fire Area Simulator) or Prometheus (wildfire growth
simulation).