Computing and Mathematics at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Past, Present, and Future

Michael Parks

Event Details
Friday, March 29, 2024
Talk:
4 PM, 115 Avery Hall

Reception:
5 PM, 115 Avery Hall

Michael Parks, Ph.D.

Director of the Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

Abstract

Domain decomposition generally means the splitting of a partial differential equation (PDE) into coupled problems on smaller domains forming a partition of the original domain, such that the solution to the partitioned problem is the same as the original unpartitioned problem. This is commonly driven by the desire to utilize parallel computers. However, the origins of domain decomposition methods date to the mid-1800s, pre-dating modern computation. I share the mathematical origins of domain decomposition methods, discuss their convergence, and show how they can be applied to the coupling of heterogeneous models for multiscale modeling.

Speaker Bio

Michael Parks is the Director of the Computer Science and Mathematics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Prior to moving to ORNL, he was the manager of the Computational Mathematics department in the Center for Computing Research at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His research interests include nonlocal models, especially peridynamics, multiscale modeling and simulation, domain decomposition methods, and iterative solvers. He holds bachelor’s degrees in computer science and physics as well as a master’s degree in computer science from Virginia Tech. He earned his Ph.D. in computer science with the scientific computing group at the University of Illinois.