Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

About the PNAS Member Editor
Name de Boor, Carl R.
Location University of Wisconsin-Madison
Primary Field Applied Mathematical Sciences
Secondary Field Mathematics
 Election Citation
De Boor has made fundamental contributions to the theory of approximation by splines and piecewise polynomials; these are the mainstays of current geometric modeling technology. His work is characterized by a sharp focus on fundamental issues -- a pursuit of clarity that has greatly influenced the style of numerical analysis research.
 Research Interests
My main interests are in approximation theory and numerical analysis. Specifically, I am interested in the use of piecewise polynomials, univariate or multivariate, for the representation of functions. This requires methods of approximation theory, such as interpolation or best approximation, when the function is given explicitly. When the function is given implicitly, as the solution of a differential, integral, or other functional equation, numerical analysis techniques come into play. When the function is to describe a curve or surface in some design (or some designer's head), the tools of computer-aided design are used. I am also interested in algorithms for the generation and use of piecewise polynomials in these and other contexts as well as in a mathematical understanding of their capabilities and limitations.

 
These pages are for the use of PNAS Editorial Board members and authors searching for PNAS member editors. For information about the National Academy of Sciences or its membership, please see http://www.nasonline.org.
National Academy of Sciences | Copyright ©2026, All Rights Reserved