The Department of Mathematical Sciences was founded in 1982 (under the name of the Division of Applied Mathematics), offering a graduate program in mathematics. A separate department in charge of the undergraduate program was established three years later, and the two departments merged in 1990. The current name has been in use since 2007 and, in spite of its short history, the Department of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) has gained a reputation as a leading institution of mathematical research and education, both domestically and internationally. As the role of mathematics in science and engineering is becoming increasingly important, it is our mission to promote an integrated view of the mathematical sciences and their applications to other fields such as physics, computer science, economics, and life sciences. This philosophy is reflected in our diverse composition of faculty and their broad range of research activities. Today our faculty consists of 33 full-time professors, 3 affiliate professors, 12 emeritus professors, and a varying number of research professors and post-doctoral researchers. The main objectives of the DMS are research and education. The department has an outstanding faculty with expertise in both pure and applied mathematics, and it offers first-rate undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs. The Department of Mathematical Sciences offers a wide range of courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Our faculty members are dedicated to providing a first-rate education to our students, and through advanced graduate courses and seminars, our graduate students are guided to the frontiers of mathematical research. There is an ongoing dual degree program with the Department of Mathematics at the Technical University of Denmark, giving graduate students an opportunity to study abroad and develop a global network for future collaboration. Currently, we have about 200 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students in the department.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences aims at bringing in talented students and researchers from Korea and around the world to make our department a vital international center of mathematical research. Supplementing the facilities and resources provided by KAIST, the Department of Mathematical Sciences manages five externally funded research centers which play a crucial role in the department’s research activities. These research centers host a variety of workshops, conferences, and advanced topics summer schools as well as offer financial support for graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, short-term visiting scholars, and long-term visiting professors.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences also organizes annual workshops in collaboration with Fudan University and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique (INRIA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) for joint research and personnel exchange.