Lively discussions and stimulating research were part of a five-day conference on Mathematical Methods in Nonlinear Wave Propagation sponsored by the NSF and CBMS. This volume is a collection of lectures and papers stemming from that event. Leading experts present dynamical systems and chaos, scattering and spectral theory, nonlinear wave equations, optimal control, optical waveguide design, and numerical simulation. The book is suitable for a diverse audience of mathematical specialists interested in fiber optic communications and other nonlinear phenomena. It is also suitable for engineers and other scientists interested in the mathematics of nonlinear wave propagation.