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Introduction Over the years Modeling Weeks have become very popular among students; in this respect, we refer to the article in SIAM News (1998, November issue). In 1999, the postgraduate program Mathematics for Industry of the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven decided to organize a Modeling Week each year in order to train its own students in mathematical modeling and team work and in order to assess new candidates for the program. The Modeling Week April 2008 is the 12th in a row and will take place from Monday the 31st of March until Monday the 7th of April 2008. The objectives of this modeling week are threefold. It is a workshop for the trainees of the program, training them in working in teams, communicating with a problem owner and carrying out the first steps towards mathematical modeling. It is also an assessment for new applicants to the program, so that they can show that they have the right attitude and mathematical qualities towards problem solving by mathematical means. Finally, it is a means to attract new candidates for the program. Projects During the Modeling Week students from all over Europe come together to work, in teams of four or five, on a project: modeling a real world problem. The project is brought in by a group of problem owners, who are representatives from a particular company. The projects are screened by the Modeling Week's organizing committee to ensure that the problems are appropriate for the various purposes aimed at. In particular, the problems must be amenable to being "modeled" using mathematical relations. In order to comply with the range of the students' mathematical background and field of specialization, it is necessary that the problems are of a varied nature having links with, for instance, continuum physics, control theory, signal processing, statistics, combinatorial optimization, etc. This modeling week, the projects are brought in by Corus. Corus is Europe's second largest steel producer, with revenues in 2006 of £9.7 billion and crude steel production of 18.3 million tonnes, primarily in the UK and the Netherlands. Corus comprises three operating Divisions, Strip Products, Long Products and Distribution & Building Systems and has a global network of sales offices and service centres, employing 41,200 people at the end of 2006. Combining global expertise with local customer service, Corus offers value, reliability and innovation. The Corus brand represents a mark of quality, loyalty and strength. Corus is a subsidiary of Tata Steel, the world's sixth largest and second most global steel producer. With a combined presence in nearly 50 countries, Tata Steel including Corus has 84,000 employees across five continents and a crude steel production capacity of 27 million tonnes in 2007. Strategic direction Corus' strategy is focused on carbon steel to further develop a strong and sustainable competitive position in its Western European markets and locations and increase its exposure to lower cost, higher growth regions. Corus people Corus is proud of its workforce, and it recognises the contribution made by its employees. Corus employs some 41,000 employees worldwide. Manufacturing Corus has manufacturing operations in many countries with major plants located in the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Belgium. Background Corus was formed on 6th October 1999 through the merger of British Steel and Koninklijke Hoogovens. On April 2 2007, Corus became a subsidiary of Tata Steel. Corus Research Development & Technology Within Corus Research Development & Technology, over 800 employees are continuously searching for opportunities to improve our production processes and to develop new products. The Rolling Metal Strip (RMS) department initiates industrial innovations for the production of steel and aluminium strip, by optimising existing and developing new process technology. The aim is to help our Business Unit partners excel in product quality, cost efficiency and flexibility. Our partners are the steel and aluminium strip plants of Corus. |