This book will not be a text devoted to a pedagogical presentation of a specialized topic
nor will it be a monograph focused on the author’s area of research.
It will however, accomplish both these things while providing a rationale
for why the reader ought to be interested in learning about the fractional calculus.
This book is for the researcher who has heard about many of
these scientifically exotic activities, but could not see how they fit
into their own scientific interests, or how they could be made compatible
with the way they understand science.
It is also for the novitiate who has not yet decided where their scientific talents
could be most productively applied.
The book will provide insight into the long-term direction of science
and show how to develop the skills necessary to successfully do research
in the twenty-first century.