Mathematics plays a key role in scientific computing

Abstract

I attended a very interesting workshop at the research center MFO in Oberwolfach on “Recent Developments in the Numerics of Nonlinear Hyperbolic Conservation Laws”. The title sounds a bit technical, but in plain language we could say: The theme is to survey recent research concerning how mathematics is used to study numerical algorithms involving a special class of equations. These equations arise from computer simulations to solve application problems including those in aerospace engineering, automobile design, and electromagnetic waves in communications as examples. This topic belongs to the general research area called “scientific computing”.