Computers for scientific discovery in the 21st C
massey-university
Fri Feb 27 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Computers for scientific discovery in the 21st C
Friday, 27 February 2009, 4:44 pm
Press Release: Massey University
Caption: Professor Ken Hawick with two of his doctoral students Daniel Playne (left) and Arno Leist.
Computers for scientific discovery in the 21st century
Forecasting weather, predicting planetary interactions, mapping traffic flow and modelling the behaviour of single cell organisms are among the many ways computer simulation is impacting on scientific endeavour in 21st century science, says Ken Hawick, a Professor of Computer Science.
On Wednesday Professor Hawick will discuss the latest developments in the use of computers to explore and solve difficult scientific problems in the first of four professorial lectures at the Albany campus this semester.
His lecture, Simulated worlds: doing science with computers, aims to provide insights on the mechanics, as well as the many and varied applications, of computer simulations currently being used or developed.
He will discuss how the creation of computer games and animated films such as the Shrek movies and partially-animated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, rely on complex mathematical equations on which modelling software and systems are based.
“Simulation modelling, coupled with advanced graphics, has enabled important new industries such as animation for computer games, and computer generated scenes and characters in movies,” says Professor Hawick.
In other scientific applications, computer simulations are used to observe what it is called “emergent behaviour” – or unpredictable, chaotic reactions – arising from the collective interactions of many participants that have been mathematically mapped and represented visually. These might include transactions in a management situation, or encounters and conflicts in a defence scenario.
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Professor Hawick, who is currently building up a Complex Systems Simulations research group within the Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences at the Albany campus, studied computer science and physics at Edinburgh University. He has worked as a researcher in Computer Science at Edinburgh University, Syracuse University in New York, the British Meteorological Office, Adelaide University in Australia and was the Foundation Chair of Computer Science at the University of Wales. He joined Massey University in 2003.
Other lectures in the series cover evolutionary biology, psychology and engineering.
Professorial lecture: Simulated worlds: doing science with computers – March 4, 7pm – Sir Neil Waters Lecture Theatres NW200, Massey University, Gate 1, Albany expressway. RSVP k.triggs@massey.ac.nz or tel: 09-414-0800 ext 9555.
ENDS
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