Jorge Nocedal Receives Dantzig Prize for Work in Mathematical Optimization

Jorge Nocedal, professor of industrial engineering and management sciences at the McCormick School of Engineering and director of McCormick’s Optimization Center, has been awarded the 2012 Dantzig Prize in honor of his outstanding contributions to the field of mathematical optimization.

The prize, awarded jointly by the Mathematical Optimization Society and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, was presented this week at the 2012 International Symposium on Mathematical Programming in Berlin, Germany.

Named after George Bernard Dantzig (1914-2005) — an American mathematical scientist known for his development of the simplex algorithm — the prize is presented every three years in recognition of original research that has a major impact on the field of mathematical optimization.

Nocedal’s research lies at the interface between computer science, operations research, and applied mathematics. He has made fundamental contributions to the theory of nonlinear optimization methods, and has created new algorithms for a variety of applications. His non-linear optimization software, KNITRO, is used in the energy, computer, and financial industries to optimize everything from the design of computer chips to the production and delivery of electricity.

Also receiving the 2012 Dantzig Prize was Laurence Wosley of Catholic University of Louvain, an expert in the field of integer programming.