Social scientists often overlook the vital role of mathematics in national security and counterterrorism. From September 28-30, the Institute of World Politics hosted the Third Conference on Mathematical Methods in Counterterrorism.

The conference was organized by Dr. Jonathan Farley (pictured), a Harvard and Oxford-educated mathematician who is affiliated with the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.

Cryptography, game theory and military planning are among the disciplines that demand skilled mathematicians working in close collaboration with professionals in the social sciences. Areas addressed at the onference included strategies for detecting terrorist cells, terrorist cell formation and growth, data analysis of terrorist activity, terrorism deterrence strategies, information security, and border penetration and security.

(Photo courtesy Harvard Magazine)