De Boor Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Carl de Boor, a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor of mathematics and computer sciences, is one of 60 U.S. scholars elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) this morning.

Membership in NAS is among the highest honors that can be bestowed on an American scientist or engineer. De Boor was the only Wisconsin scholar elected today.

The Chebyshev Professor of Mathematics and Computer Sciences and Steenbock Professor of Mathematical Sciences, de Boor is well known for his contributions to numerical analysis and methods, especially numerical tools used in computer-aided geometric design.

A specialty of de Boor’s is the study of splines, mathematical constructs of use in representing curves and surfaces originally developed by I.J. Schoenberg, a long-time faculty member at University of Wisconsin–Madison. Splines are essential to a computer’s ability to draw a smooth curve, handle complex graphic designs, or even describe the shape of the letters used in computer typesetting.

De Boor has helped to develop simpler and better methods for calculating with splines.

De Boor joined the UW–Madison faculty in 1972. His election today during the business session of the Academy’s 134th annual meeting brings total UW–Madison membership to 46.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to advancing science and its use for the general welfare. Established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation, signed by Abraham Lincoln, the Academy acts as an official advisor to the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science or technology.