Faculty Profiles

• Dynamical Systems
• Computational Science
• Applied Mathematics
• Mathematical Modeling

The focus of Dr. Diedrichs' research is mathematical modeling; he specializes in nonlinear dynamical systems, bifurcation theory and catastrophe theory. His modeling approaches are used in the analysis, control and design of complex interacting networks in cell biology, biochemistry, ecology, epidemiology and supply chain logistics. As a civil engineer, Dr. Diedrichs has done research in structural engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, where he developed a mathematical model for the composite resistance of multi-span wood-concrete beams.

Raised and educated in Switzerland, Dr. Diedrichs is fluent in five languages, he holds a U.S. customs broker's license and private pilot's license. He has extensive professional experience in engineering and intermodal (sea/rail/road) international supply chain logistics gathered throughout his ten-year-long career prior to coming to Wheaton College. Dr. Diedrichs' other interests include playing the piano and remaining active outdoors. In the summer, he enjoys hiking, biking and swimming, and in the winter, skiing and ice skating. He is an amateur ice dancer and competes in freestyle figure skating at the USFSA adult gold level.

University of Iowa
Ph.D., Applied Mathematical and Computational Sciences, 2012

University of Iowa
M.S., Mathematics, 2009

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)
EPF Diploma, Civil Engineering, 1997

College Rousseau
Maturité in Science, Latin and Modern Languages, 1992

• Association for Christians in the Mathematical Sciences (ACMS)
• American Scientific Affiliation (ASA)
• Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

Inquiry-oriented approach to teaching differential equations through modeling projects
MathFest Conference, Cincinnati, OH, 2019

Conjoint analysis approach for defining part worth utilities to criteria weighing into the "go/no-go" decision faced by NGOs in disaster response (poster)
Mathfest Conference, Cincinnati, OH, 2019

Using harvesting models to teach modeling techniques, bifurcation analysis, and solution methods in ordinary differential equations
MathFest Conference, Chicago, IL, 2017

Quantifying Communication Effects in Disaster Response Logistics: A Multiple Network System Dynamics Model
Joint Mathematics Meetings, Atlanta, GA, 2017

Clustering Trends of Overweight and Obesity in Students in DuPage County
DuPage County Health Department, Wheaton, IL, 2015

The Schedule Effect: Can Recurrent Peak Infections be Reduced without Vaccines, Quarantines or School Closings? (poster)
Midwest Mathematical Biology Conference, University of Wisconsin La Crosse, 2014

Mathematical Model for the Unfolded Protein Response to Stress in the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Mammalian Cells. (poster)
Nonlinear Dynamics and Stochastic Methods conference, Pittsburgh, PA, 2014

Reverse Engineering of the Unfolded Protein Response using Polynomial Dynamical Systems
Joint Mathematics Meetings, San Diego, CA, 2013

 

• Math 235 - Calculus I
• Math 236 - Calculus II
• Math 237 - Calculus III
• Math 245 - Linear Algebra
• Math 301 - Introduction to Upper Level Math
• Math 333 - Differential Equations
• Math 364 - Mathematical Modeling
• Math 385 - Numerical Analysis
• Math 433 - Partial Differential Equations
• Math 493 - Mentored Research

• Mathematical modeling
• Dynamical systems
• Computational science
• Applications of mathematics in:
  • Biology
  • Ecology
  • Epidemiology
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Population dynamics
  • Supply chain logistics

Dynamical simulation of the Syrian refugee crisis: quantifying the driving factors of forced migration, Simulation, Diedrichs DR, Hill A, Li Y, Schubert AM, 2024

Transition to Advanced Mathematics, Taylor & Francis, Diedrichs DR, Lovett S, 2022.

Identifying most typical and most ideal attribute levels in small populations of expert decision makers: Studying the Go/No Go decision of disaster relief organizations, Journal of Choice Modelling
Isihara P, Shi C, Ward J, O'Malley L, Laney S, Diedrichs DR, Flores G, 2020

A priori assessment of a smart-navigated unmanned aerial vehicle disaster cargo fleet, Simulation
Larson J, Isihara P, Flores G, Townsend E, Diedrichs DR, Baars C, Kwon S, McKinnon W, Nussbaum J, Steggerda C, Yan J, 2020

Is now the time to invest in emergency smart-navigated multiple-response quadcopter fleets?, Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems
Kartawijaya T, Townsend E, Tully K, Isihara P, Diedrichs DR, Flores G, Shi C, Ward J, 2019

Using harvesting models to teach modeling with differential equations, PRIMUS Journal
Diedrichs DR, 2019

Mathematics Reveals Patterns that Reflect the Orderly Character of God, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
Diedrichs DR, 2019

Archimedean, Logarithmic, and Euler spirals: Intriguing and ubiquitous patterns in nature, The Mathematical Gazette
Diedrichs DR, 2019

A data-entrained computational model for testing the regulatory logic of the vertebrate unfolded protein response, Molecular Biology of the Cell
Diedrichs DR, Gomez J, Huang C, Rutkowski DT, Curtu R, 2018

Disaster Relief Modeling: ILAP Module, The UMAP Journal
Isihara PA, Diedrichs DR, Kartawijaya T, Townsend E, Tully K, 2017

Number Parity Duality, Non-Distributivity, and a Nonlinear Error-Correcting Code, Pi Mu Epsilon Journal
Diedrichs DR, Dinkins H, Edman J, Flora S, Isihara PA, McNeill C, Swain E, Thomas H and Varberg N, 2016

Introducing PEARL: A Gini-like index and reporting tool for public accountability and equity in disaster response, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Carlson CE, Isihara PA, Sandberg R, Boan D, Phelps K, Lee KL, Diedrichs DR, Cuba D, Edman J. Gray M and Hesse R, 2016

Quantifying Communication Effects in Disaster Response Logistics: A Multiple Network System Dynamics Model, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Diedrichs DR, Phelps K, Isihara P, 2016

The Schedule Effect: Can Recurrent Peak Infections be Reduced without Vaccines, Quarantines or School Closings?, Mathematical Biosciences
Diedrichs DR, Isihara P, Buursma D, 2014

Regulation of the Transcriptome by ER Stress: Non-Canonical Mechanisms and Physiological Consequences, Frontiers in Genetics
Arensdorf AM, Diedrichs DR, Rutkowski DT, 2013

Small-Scale Modeling Approach and Circuit Wiring of the Unfolded Protein Response in Mammalian Cells, In Advances in Computational Biology, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, H.R. Arabnia, Ed.
Curtu R and Diedrichs DR, 2010