This three-year, $247,328 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Integrative Activities program will support research at Howard University into mathematical models for designing freeform optical surfaces that direct light intensity distribution in a controlled manner. The university will study optimal transport and refractive surfaces in geometric optics to reduce the size and amount of optical components needed in devices like antennas, solar panels, and medical equipment. Researchers will develop numerical techniques using entropy optimal transport and Minkowski arguments, as well as analytically investigate intrinsic geometric properties and generated Jacobian equations like the Monge-Ampère equation. In addition to advancing knowledge of refractive optical design, the grant aims to enhance Howard's research infrastructure and provide training for underrepresented students in interdisciplinary STEM activities linking mathematics, physics and engineering.
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