Michael Fellows
Encyclopedia
Michael Ralph Fellows is Professor at Charles Darwin University
, Australia, and Director of the Parameterized Complexity Research Unit (PCRU). Fellows is recognized as one of the founders of Parameterized complexity
, a complexity
framework that uses structure in hard problems for the design and analysis of algorithm
s for their solution. Parameterized Complexity has strong connections to algorithmic engineering, and is increasingly important in fields as diverse as Artificial Intelligence
, Cognitive Science
, and Bioinformatics
. He was awarded an Australian Research Council Professorial Fellowship (for five years, beginning 2010). In 2007, Fellows was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Research Award for his leadership and development of the field. In 1999, he married Frances Novak Rosamond, also a scientist, who shares his love of mathematics and adventure.
Mike Fellows received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego in 1985, and his M.A., Mathematics, also from UCSD in 1982. He has taught in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. In 2007, Fellows was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award. His German host was Prof Rolf Niedermeier and Mike spent part of 2007 and most of 2008 at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität in Jena, Germany, working with Rolf Niedermeier.
Also in 2007, Mike
became one of the first Fellows of the Institute of Advanced Study (Durham)
, UK and a Fellow of Grey College at the University of Durham. He is an Area Editor for the Journal of Computer and System Sciences since 2004, and Advising Editor for the special Section on Parameterized Complexity in the Journal of Computer and System Sciences. He is Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Algorithms. He is Guest Editor (with others) for a Special Issue on Parameterized Complexity in the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization to be published in 2010, and in 2008 was Guest Editor for a special double issue of The Computer Journal with 15 surveys on Parameterized Complexity. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the conference series International Workshop on Parameterized and Exact Computation, proceedings published by Springer in Lecture Notes in Computer Science. He has published over 150 scientific articles and three books (see DBLP and ACM Authors) and is a popular speaker.
Professor Fellows is known for his innovative science communication. His books Computer Science Unplugged! (written with Tim Bell and Ian Witten), and This is MEGA-Mathematics! (with Nancy Casey)
convey sophisticated concepts such as intractability, sorting network
s, and cryptography
. They have won several science popularization awards, and been translated into languages including Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Spanish,
Swedish, and German, with more translations underway. Unplugged! was part of the famous British Fraraday Christmas Lectures
in 2008, which was given by Professor Christopher M. Bishop of UK Microsoft Research. Dr. Fellows is also the author of several passion plays about mathematics, with mathematical proofs enacted on-stage, which were performed at the Fringe Theatre in British Columbia.
Charles Darwin University
Charles Darwin University is an Australian public university with about 20,000 students in 2007.The University offers a wide range of Higher Education degrees and Vocational Education and Training courses with flexible study options, including part-time, external and online.CDU has campuses in the...
, Australia, and Director of the Parameterized Complexity Research Unit (PCRU). Fellows is recognized as one of the founders of Parameterized complexity
Parameterized complexity
Parameterized complexity is a branch of computational complexity theory in computer science that focuses on classifying computational problems according to their inherent difficulty with respect to multiple parameters of the input. The complexity of a problem is then measured as a function in those...
, a complexity
Computational complexity theory
Computational complexity theory is a branch of the theory of computation in theoretical computer science and mathematics that focuses on classifying computational problems according to their inherent difficulty, and relating those classes to each other...
framework that uses structure in hard problems for the design and analysis of algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
s for their solution. Parameterized Complexity has strong connections to algorithmic engineering, and is increasingly important in fields as diverse as Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
, Cognitive Science
Cognitive science
Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine...
, and Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
. He was awarded an Australian Research Council Professorial Fellowship (for five years, beginning 2010). In 2007, Fellows was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Research Award for his leadership and development of the field. In 1999, he married Frances Novak Rosamond, also a scientist, who shares his love of mathematics and adventure.
Mike Fellows received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego in 1985, and his M.A., Mathematics, also from UCSD in 1982. He has taught in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. In 2007, Fellows was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award. His German host was Prof Rolf Niedermeier and Mike spent part of 2007 and most of 2008 at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität in Jena, Germany, working with Rolf Niedermeier.
Also in 2007, Mike
became one of the first Fellows of the Institute of Advanced Study (Durham)
Institute of Advanced Study (Durham)
The Institute of Advanced Study is a research centre of Durham University. The IAS has been set up to bring researchers from across the world to collaborate on cutting edge research. The IAS was set up to mark Durham's 175th anniversary and will be housed in the Grade I listed Bishop Cosins Hall...
, UK and a Fellow of Grey College at the University of Durham. He is an Area Editor for the Journal of Computer and System Sciences since 2004, and Advising Editor for the special Section on Parameterized Complexity in the Journal of Computer and System Sciences. He is Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Algorithms. He is Guest Editor (with others) for a Special Issue on Parameterized Complexity in the Journal of Combinatorial Optimization to be published in 2010, and in 2008 was Guest Editor for a special double issue of The Computer Journal with 15 surveys on Parameterized Complexity. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the conference series International Workshop on Parameterized and Exact Computation, proceedings published by Springer in Lecture Notes in Computer Science. He has published over 150 scientific articles and three books (see DBLP and ACM Authors) and is a popular speaker.
Professor Fellows is known for his innovative science communication. His books Computer Science Unplugged! (written with Tim Bell and Ian Witten), and This is MEGA-Mathematics! (with Nancy Casey)
convey sophisticated concepts such as intractability, sorting network
Sorting network
A sorting network is an abstract mathematical model of a network of wires and comparator modules that is used to sort a sequence of numbers. Each comparator connects two wires and sorts the values by outputting the smaller value to one wire, and the larger to the other...
s, and cryptography
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
. They have won several science popularization awards, and been translated into languages including Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Spanish,
Swedish, and German, with more translations underway. Unplugged! was part of the famous British Fraraday Christmas Lectures
Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures on a single topic, which have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year since 1825. The lectures present scientific subjects to a general audience, including young people, in an informative and entertaining manner....
in 2008, which was given by Professor Christopher M. Bishop of UK Microsoft Research. Dr. Fellows is also the author of several passion plays about mathematics, with mathematical proofs enacted on-stage, which were performed at the Fringe Theatre in British Columbia.
See also
- Royal Institute Faraday Christmas Lectures Royal Institute Faraday Christmas Lectures 2008
- Computer Science Unplugged! website Computer Science Unplugged! website
External links
- Personal Homepage www.mrfellows.net personal homepage
- Charles Darwin University website CDU
- DBLP DBLP Author Michael R. Fellows
- Computer Science Bibliographies The Collection of Computer Science Bibliographies
- MathSciNet AMS MathSciNet
- Mathematical Genealogy Project Mathematical Genealogy Project