LEAPS-MPS: Exploring Properties of Linear Compartmental Models

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $249,996 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

This project explores how mathematical diagrams called linear compartmental models (LCMs) can help researchers understand the structure and behavior of systems involving movement or flow, including how diseases spread, how nutrients cycle through ecosystems, or how medications are processed in the body. These models represent systems as interconnected compartments, with arrows indicating how quantities move between them. The investigator aims to identify when meaningful information about these systems, such as flow rates, can be reliably extracted from data, and when different models might appear identical in practice. The project’s goal is to create simple, visual tests for analyzing these characteristics of LCMs, making the process more accessible and less computationally intensive. This project provides undergraduates with opportunities to participate in cutting-edge mathematical research and equips them with background needed to pursue further education. A new colloquium series will further expand students’ exposure to graduate-level research and support their preparation for advanced study. This project addresses fundamental questions of identifiability and indistinguishability in linear compartmental models, which are widely used to represent dynamical systems with flow. Identifiability, the ability to recover model parameters from input-output data, has been well-studied for single-input, single-output, strongly connected LCMs, and this project extends the scope of

Key facts

NSF award ID
2532620
Awardee
California State University-Stanislaus (CA)
SAM.gov UEI
SRT1YX7KJQL4
PI
Cashous W Bortner
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Estimated total
$249,996
Funds obligated
$249,996
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/15/2025 → 08/31/2027