Engineering Students Learn About Mathematical Beauty in Rome

Photos/Sam Sun

How did the Romans use geometry to design the Colosseum? How does an aqueduct work? What engineering principles were used to build the Pantheon's dome?
These were some of the questions that students will be tackling for "Mathematical Beauty in Rome," a five-week class held in Rome as part of UC San Diego's Global Seminars program. The class is taught by Joe Pasquale, a professor of computer science and engineering at the Jacobs School. Among his students this year is Sam Sun, a structural engineering major who is also a great photographer. Sam allowed us to share some pictures from the class' first few weeks.
Students don't just study math. They visit many of Rome's monuments to see how it was applied. The class also travels to Florence and Pisa.
A few links to learn more about the class:
https://sites.google.com/site/mathinrome/
http://icenter.ucsd.edu/pao/start-your-journey/program-options/global-seminars/rome-math/index.html