UCLA mathematicians recognized for work
By Jennifer Lin
Jan. 12, 2009 10:04 p.m.
UCLA mathematicians Terence Tao and Joseph Teran were recently named in Discover magazine’s “Special 50″ issue as two of the “50 most important, influential, and promising people in science.”
Tao and Teran were both honored for their work in the magazine’s “20 Best Brains Under 40″ feature.
The feature listed top young scientists whom are pioneers in their respective fields.
Tao became the youngest UCLA professor ever in 1999 at the age of 24, and he currently holds the James and Carol Collins Chair in the College of Letters and Sciences.
The magazine listed Tao first in the category of “20 under 40″ and described him as “one of the most prolific and esteemed mathematicians in the nation.”
“There isn’t anyone like him,” said Stanley Osher, professor of mathematics at UCLA. “The planet Earth is lucky to have him, let alone UCLA.”
Osher said that Tao’s work in compressed sensing has also influenced his own research.
According to Discover magazine, Tao’s work in compressed sensing helps engineers who aim to improve imaging technology for MRIs, astronomical instruments and digital cameras.
Tao is also well-known for his research in prime number patterns.
Teran is an assistant professor and applied mathematician whose work includes creating virtual surgery programs that would allow a surgeon to practice on a “digital double” in the virtual world before performing operations on the real patient.
Last year, Teran led a workshop on virtual surgery for the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics at UCLA.
“It’s well-deserved; he’s doing extremely interesting things,” said Osher, who is also director of special projects for the institute.
Osher added, “He’s probably one of the founders of this virtual surgery stuff ““ it may well change the way surgery is performed eventually.”
Teran, who has only been at UCLA for two years, also does work in graphics and solid and fluid mechanics.
Osher taught one of Teran’s professors and thus considers the younger mathematician a “grandstudent.”
