Remembering Karl Menger
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On Monday, April 14, 2008, the Department of Applied Mathematics at IIT will host an a half day event to honor Professor Karl Menger, who is considered to be one of the finest mathematicians of the twentieth century, and was a professor at IIT from 1946 to 1971. Lloyd N. Trefethen FRS, Professor of Numerical Analysis and Fellow of Balliol College at Oxford University, will deliver the IIT Karl Menger Lecture, "Computing numerically with functions instead of numbers" at 4:30 pm. The lecture will be preceded by a reception and followed by a ceremony awarding the IIT Karl Menger Student Award for exceptional scholarship; other events are detailed below. All are invited to attend. |
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R.S.V.P. by phone 312.567.3132 or by email: cronin AT iit DOT edu |
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Made possible with the generous support of the Menger family; Department of Applied Mathematics, Illinois Institute of Technology; the Menger Fund; and Alumni Relations. |
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More About Karl Menger |
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Schedule of Events
Monday, April 14, 2008
McCormick Tribune Campus Center (MTCC), Main Campus12:45 p.m. - Campus Tour
A Mies Society Campus Tour will leave MTCC at 12:45 pm
12:50-1:40p.m. - Math Club with Professor Trefethen
Talk title: Eigenmodes of drums (and Physics Nobel Prizes)
Life Sciences Building, room 111
Events from 1:45 - 5:40 p.m. will take place in the McCloska Ballroom, MTCC
1:45 p.m. - Reception & Memories of Karl Menger
Join in as alumni and friends tell their stories of Professor Karl Menger
2:35 p.m. - Poster Session
Viewing of 2008 Student Research Posters
3:15 p.m. - Research Presentation
Recent Applied Mathematics Department Research Advances - Presentation by Assistant Professor Robert Ellis and Jon Beagley, 4th year Undergraduate
4:30 p.m. - Lecture
"Computing numerically with functions instead of numbers"
Delivered by Professor Lloyd N. Trefethen, Professor of Numerical Analysis and Fellow of Balliol College at Oxford University.
Nick Trefethen is Professor of Numerical Analysis and head of the Numerical Analysis Group at Oxford University. He was educated at Harvard and Stanford and held professorial positions at New York University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Cornell before 1997. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.
As an author he is known for his books Numerical Linear Algebra (1997), Spectral Methods in MATLAB (2000), Schwarz-Christoffel Mapping (2002), and Spectra and Pseudospectra (2005). He is an ISI Highly Cited Researcher, with about 90 journal publications in numerical analysis and applied mathematics, and has served as editor for many of the leading numerical analysis journals. He has lectured in about 15 countries and 25 American states, including invited lectures at both ICM and ICIAM congresses.
Some of Trefethen's recent activities include the SIAM 100-Dollar, 100-Digit Challenge, the notion of Ten Digit Algorithms ("ten digits, five seconds, and just one page"), the chebfun system for numerical computation with functions instead of numbers, and a book in preparation called Neoclassical Numerics.
5:40 p.m. - Presentation
Presentation of the IIT Karl Menger Student Award for exceptional scholarship by a student
6:00 p.m. - Dinner
Pritzker Club, MTCC
On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, Nick Trefethen will meet with students and faculty
12:30 p.m. - Lunch with Faculty
3:30 p.m. - Meshfree Methods Seminar: Informal Discussion
Location TBA
4:40 p.m. - Lecture: "How to Be a Successful Applied Mathematician"
A talk for graduate students, location TBA
Travel
Out-of-state travelers: for questions or hotel suggestions, please call 312.567.3132
Campus Map (including a Parking Map), Directions to IIT, and Transportation
Discounted Hotels for IIT visitors: [Older list] [Newer List] (Best Westerns are the best bet, followed by the Hyatt Regency McCormick)
Not on the lists: Club Quarters (2 locations downtown; must mention "Illinois Institute of Technology").