THE REES DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES
Professor Richard S. Falk
Department of Mathematics
Rutgers University
Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Approximation
(Undergraduate Talk)
Wednesday November 7, 2007
102 Gore Hall
3:30 - 4:30
We describe the use of mathematical models in science and engineering and the key role played by numerical simulation in making this into a practical approach for studying a large number of important scientific problems.
Refreshments immediately following the lecture in Ewing 436
Friday November 9, 2007
102 Gore Hall
3:30
- 4:30
We discuss the numerical approximation by finite element methods of several modern problems described by partial differential equations. Using some computational examples and basic finite element theory, we show that choosing finite element spaces that will produce numerically stable methods is a subtle issue and that some simple, seemingly obvious choices do not always give convergent methods.