Inside Dr. Andy Miller's Complex Analysis Class

This semester, CSM is excited to offer a new advanced class that delves into the world of complex analysis. Taught by Dr. Andrew Miller , this course provides students with a unique opportunity to explore the functions of complex numbers, standardly notated as a+bi.

The course had not been offered at Belmont for several years. After a handful of students expressed interest in the subject matter, Miller — whose passion for complex analysis dates back to his own student days — was the perfect fit to reintroduce the course this fall.

"Complex analysis is very beautiful, and in many ways, it is much 'nicer' than calculus – it deals with complex functions that behave nicer than general differentiable real functions," shared Miller. "I love the material and thought very seriously about specializing in this area during graduate school."

For students keen on attending graduate school themselves, the class serves as excellent preparation, challenging them to work with a higher level of abstraction and rigorous analysis — skills that will serve them well in future advanced math courses. Additionally, complex analysis has strong applications in engineering and physics, making it a valuable course for students interested in those fields.

"Because we have some physics majors in the class, we'll be looking into some of those applications," noted Miller. "I'll be learning along with them, which is always something I enjoy."

He is hopeful that if the course is well-received, it could become part of a regular rotation, giving more Belmont students the opportunity to explore this specialized mathematical subject. For now, the class consists of 10 students who share a genuine interest in the material, creating an ideal environment for deep learning.

The return of complex analysis exemplifies CSM's dedication to its students. Born from student interest and spearheaded by an enthusiastic professor, the course is preparing them for future pursuits in mathematics, engineering, physics and more.

For more CSM news, read here: https://www.belmont.edu/stories/categories/academics/science-math.html