Professor Mark Ablowitz of the University of Colorado at Boulder applied mathematics department will deliver the 101st annual Distinguished Research Lecture on Friday, April 3, at 3:30 p.m. in the Old Main Chapel.
The Distinguished Research Lecture is the highest honor bestowed on a faculty member by the Graduate School, recognizing an entire body of creative work and research.
The lecture titled "Amazing Waves" is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception in the CU Heritage Center. During his lecture Ablowitz will trace the history of solitary waves, or solitons, and will explain why mathematics played a crucial role in both historical and modern developments regarding these waves.
Ablowitz is considered a pioneer in the field of applied mathematics, and his work in the field is among the most highly cited in the world. He is best known for his landmark contributions to the "inverse scattering transform," a method used to solve nonlinear wave equations. Mathematicians and physicists have used IST to gain a better understanding of phenomena such as water waves.
Ablowitz was named a College Professor of Distinction by the College of Arts and Sciences in 2006 in recognition of his exceptional service, teaching and research or creative work. He joined the CU-Boulder faculty in 1989.
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