Simulating complex phenomena in nature and engineering requires the integration of mathematical approaches, algorithms, subject knowledge, and the creation of software. In this talk, I will outline some of my interdisciplinary work on using modern numerical methods for solving problems in the applied sciences. In particular, I will use examples from the geosciences and biomedical imaging, along with the open source software deal.II (see http://www.dealii.org) we have created to support such simulations.

Dr. Wolfgang Bangerth is now a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Colorado State University. He obtained his PhD in Heidelberg in 2002, after working at ETH Zürich (Switzerland), and three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin,  he was previously a Professor in Texas A&M University. Professor Bangerth's field of work is developing methods and widely usable software for the numerical solution of partial differential equations by the finite element method.  He is the principal author and maintainer of  the open source finite element software library deal.II.