Popular Science Lecture to Explain Applied Mathematics

Abstract

[evdate 1991-10-22] THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE G TECHNOLOGY Clear Water Bay A Kowloon ' ap Hong Kong Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Chio-Wei Woo. Ds. MA For immediate release 22 October 1991

Popular Science Lecture to Explain Applied Mathematics

"What is Applied Mathematics" is the title of the fourth in a series of free popular

science lectures being held at the Hong Kong Science Museum. Professor Din-Yu Hsieh, Head of the Department of Mathematics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will be the speaker. The lecture is open to the public, and is scheduled for 4:30-6 p.m., Sunday, 27 October, in the Museum's Lecture Hall (2 Museum Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East).

In order to help people understand the essence of applied mathematics, Professor Hsieh will describe and distinguish between "applied" and "applicable"

mathematics. Branches of mathematics such .as differential equations, probability and

statistics, numerical analysis, and operations research can be called Applicable

Mathematics. On the other hand, using mathematics as a tool to solve problems in

physics, space engineering, geology, biology, economics, etc., then is the Application

of Mathematics. Professor Hsieh is a distinguished mathematician in the field of fluid dynamics.

His vigorous research in this field as well as in a wide range of other areas of applied

mathematics have won him international respect. Before joining HKUST, Professor Hsieh was Professor of Applied Mathematics at Brown University. He has also taught

at the California Institute of Technology, has held visiting appointments at MIT and the

University of Cambridge, among other insitutions, and has been an advisor to the new

Ningbo University since its establishment five years ago. Professor Hsieh has published widely, including three technical books in Chinese. Professor Hsieh earned a BS at National Taiwan University, a MSc at Brown University and a PhD at the California Institute of Technology. The Science Museum lecture series seeks to introduce selected topics of modern science and technology of interest to the general public. There will be one

lecture on the last Sunday of each month, with the last lecture in December. All

speakers will be from the faculty of HKUST, and have particular expertise in their

chosen lecture topics. Direct enquiries to the Office of Public Affairs, telephone 358-6316.