Dr. Steven Wise, association professor of mathematics at the University of Tennessee, will present “Simulations for Solutions: Solving problems through scientific computing” at the next UT Science Forum Friday, April 4.
Computer simulation is used in almost every aspect of our lives, from the design of the antenna on our smartphones, to the weather forecast that we rely on before we leave for work in the mornings. But, what are computer simulations really? Are they reliable? Are there problems that we cannot solve with computers?
There are some amazing success stories in the history of computer simulation, and, in fact, there are certainly things that human beings simply could not do without relying upon computers to crunch the numbers. However, with any subject that has a history, there are also great failures and cautionary tales we all should heed.
Dr. Wise will discuss the advent of scientific computing, from the early days at Princeton and Los Alamos and the building of the first atomic weapons, to the present day and the great triumphs of modern computing. Wise’s lecture is also speculative about the future, as he will speak about what challenges lie ahead and how we might—and might not—be able to solve some of our biggest problems with the help of computers.
The UT Science Forum starts at 12 p.m. in the Thompson-Boling Arena Cafe, Rooms C-D. The 40-minute presentation is followed by a Q&A session.