Friday, July 15

MS78
Historical Aspects of Numerical Linear Algebra

9:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Room: Eglington Windton - 2nd Floor

Numerical Linear Algebra is a mature field with a fascinating history.

Its roots can be found in the work of XIX Century mathematicians such as Gauss, Jacobi, Seidel and others, but the field's modern development began in earnest only around the middle of the XX Century with the advent of electronic computers.

The speakers in this minisymposium will touch on several key moments in the history of matrix computations, including Jacobi's work on the calculation of eigenvalues and its influence on recently developed algorithms, the role played by John von Neumann in the 1940s, and early work in the UK by such figures as Alan Turing, Jim Wilkinson, and their collaborators.

Organizer: Michele Benzi
Emory University

9:45-10:10 John von Neumann's Analysis of Gaussian Elimination

Joseph F. Grcar, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

10:15-10:40 Early Numerical Linear Algebra in the UK

Nicholas J. Higham, University of Manchester, United Kingdom; Sven J. Hammarling, Numerical Algorithms Group Ltd, United Kingdom

10:45-11:10 Matrix Computations in the `60s: Prelude to the Handbook of Wilkinson and Reinsch

Beresford N. Parlett, University of California

11:15-11:40 Jacobi's Ideas on Eigenvalue Computation in a Modern Context

Henk van der Vorst, Utrecht University, The Netherlands