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Mathematics and Computer Science

Wilkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Scientific Computing

The Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) Division of Argonne National Laboratory invites outstanding candidates to apply for the J. H. Wilkinson Fellowship in Scientific Computing.

This fellowship was created in memory of James Hardy Wilkinson, F.R.S., who had a close association with the Mathematics and Computer Science Division as a consultant and guiding spirit for the EISPACK and LINPACK projects. 

The Wilkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship is intended to encourage early-career scientists actively engaged in state-of-the-art research in scientific computing. The fellowship provides an exceptional opportunity for innovative research in computational mathematics and scientific computing on advanced computing architectures.

Areas of interest span the applied mathematics, scientific computing and computational sciences and include algorithmic differentiation, applied statistics and probability, computational fluid dynamics, data assimilation, data science, discretization of PDEs/ODEs/time-stepping, linear algebra, machine learning, meshing, modeling and simulation, solvers, multifidelity/multilevel/multiphysics/multiscale algorithms, quantum computing, operations research, optimization, statistics, stochastic systems, and uncertainty quantification.

We seek applicants with interests in applying scientific computing methods to science and engineering applications. MCS scientists are working with experts in many broad areas and applying computational methods to complex scientific and engineering applications, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD), climate and weather models, molecular dynamics, power grid, design of complex systems such as PDE-constrained design of cloaking devices, as well as many other areas. Current interests at Argonne in applied mathematics, numerical software, and statistics are described at https://​www​.anl​.gov/​m​c​s​/lans.

Argonne provides a collaborative, open-science environment where scientists from various disciplines are engaged in solving challenging fundamental and practical problems. We value and strive for diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. At Argonne, one also has access to extreme-scale computing and experimental facilities.

The application must include a curriculum vitae (including publications, significant presentations, and links to preprints and software); a research proposal for a two-year self-directed research program (this should include a description of how this program builds on the applicant’s current research and interests); and contact information for three non-Argonne scientists who will be asked by Argonne to submit letters of recommendation. In order to receive full consideration, applications and letters should be submitted by December 1, 2023. The selection process is expected to conclude in early spring of 2024.

Find out how to apply. 

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About James Hardy Wilkinson

James Hardy Wilkinson, F.R.S., was a world leader in numerical analysis. During World War II he worked with the British Government Ministry of Supply doing research on the thermodynamics of explosions. After the war he joined the National Physical Laboratory, where he worked with Alan Turing on the design of one of the earliest automatic electronic computers, the Pilot ACE machine. He also used mechanical computing machines for matrix eigenvalue computations. Wilkinson developed the theory and practice of backward-error analysis for floating-point computation and implemented many algorithms in numerical linear algebra. For his groundbreaking discoveries he received both the Turing Award and the John von Neumann Lecture Award. Wilkinson had a close association with Argonne’s Mathematics and Computer Science Division as a consultant and guiding spirit for the EISPACK project: Wilkinson’s research on eigenvalue algorithms and their Algol implementations led directly to EISPACK.

Recent Fellows

Rebecca Durst (2023-)

Current Fellow
Srinivas Eswar (2022-2023)

Argonne Scholar
Paul Manns (2020-2021)

Assistant Professor at TU Dortmund University
Johann Rudi (2018-2019)

Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech
Anthony Austin (2016-2017)

Assistant Professor at Naval Postgraduate School
Torsten Bosse (2014-2015)

Scientist at Friedrich Schiller University Jena

J.H. Wilkinson Fellows

  • Jaydeep Bardhan (2006-2007)
  • Taehun Lee (2005)
  • Michael Friedlander (2002-2003)
  • Traian Iliescu (2000-2001)
  • Mihai Anitescu (1997-1998)
  • Richard Lehoucq (1995-1996)
  • Andrew Conley (1993-1994)
  • Barry F. Smith (1990-1991)
  • Magnus Ewerbring (1989)
  • Christian Bischof (1988)