Premium
Prospects for mathematical crystallography
Author(s) -
McColm Gregory
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.742
H-Index - 83
ISSN - 2053-2733
DOI - 10.1107/s2053273313033573
Subject(s) - field (mathematics) , identity (music) , product (mathematics) , point (geometry) , management science , data science , computer science , mathematics , engineering , physics , pure mathematics , geometry , acoustics
The potential of mathematical crystallography as an emerging field is examined from a sociological point of view. Mathematical crystallography is unusual as an emerging field as it is also an old field, albeit scattered, with evidence of continued substantial activity. But its situation is similar to that of an emerging field, so we analyse it as such. Comparisons with past emergent efforts suggest that a new field can grow if given an economic demand for its product and a receptive environment. Developing a field entails developing a sense of identity, developing infrastructure and recruiting practitioners.