David H. Bailey, a researcher at the Computational Research Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and research associate in the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Davis, will present the James S. Plant Distinguished Scientist Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m., in the Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.
In his lecture, titled “Mathematics, Computing and the Acceleration of the Scientific Process,” Bailey will address the disconnect between the impact of science and the public’s perception of science.
Bailey is a leading figure in the field of high-performance scientific computing, with research ranging from numerical algorithms to supercomputer performance studies. He is author or co-author of one book and over 100 papers in this field.
Bailey earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Brigham Young University, and his master’s and doctorate in mathematics from Stanford University. He worked for 14 years at NASA Ames Research Center, and has since 1998 worked at the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. Bailey’s research has focused on topics as diverse as parallel computing, numerical analysis, and mathematical finance. He is perhaps best known as the co-author of 1997 paper that presented a new formula for calculating Pi. In 1993, Bailey received the Sidney Fernback award from the IEEE Computer Society, as well as the Chauvenet and Hasse prizes from the Mathematical Association of America.
In addition to the technical work that Bailey has done, he has also explored the intersection of science and religion, as well as popular science. He is the editor of the Science Meets Religion website, which is a repository of articles and information on issues at the juncture of science and religion.
