Simons Foundation Lecture - Douglas Arnold
The Third Pillar Of Science
Speaker: Douglas Arnold, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota
In the late 20th century science underwent a revolution as computational science emerged as the third mode of scientific inquiry alongside experiment and theory. Computer simulation of physical reality has played an equally transformative role in virtually all areas of technology, affecting many aspects of modern life. We now depend on simulation to design, predict, and optimize natural and engineered systems of all sorts, ranging from mechanical to chemical to electronic, and at scales ranging from atomic to terrestrial to cosmological. Mathematical algorithms have been crucial to these advances, even more so than advances in computer technology. In this talk we will discuss some of the key ideas that have emerged and the ongoing challenges facing computational mathematics in simulating the physical world.