Paco Lagerstrom
Encyclopedia
Paco Axel Lagerstrom was an applied mathematician and aeronautical engineer. He was trained formally in mathematics, but worked for much of his career in aeronautical applications. He is known for pioneering work in applying the method of asymptotic expansion
to fluid mechanics problems. Several of his works have become classics, including "Matched Asymptotic Expansions: Ideas And Techniques".
. He then came to America as a graduate student at Princeton University
, earning a PhD in 1942 in mathematics under Salomon Bochner
with a dissertation entitled "Measure and Integral in Partially Ordered Spaces". During this time, Lagerstrom was also a mathematics instructor.
He left Princeton in 1944 to work briefly at Bell Aircraft
in Niagara Falls, New York until 1945, after which he worked for a similarly brief period at Douglas Aircraft
in Santa Monica. While he had already published significant results in pure mathematics, he was, by this time, firmly interested in its applications to fluid dynamic and aerodynamic problems. In 1946, Lagerstrom was recruited by Hans Liepmann
to the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory
at Cal Tech
. He was later promoted to Professor of Aeronautics in 1952 and Professor of Applied Mathematics in 1967, having departed only briefly to the University of Paris
in 1960-1961 as visiting professor on a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Asymptotic expansion
In mathematics an asymptotic expansion, asymptotic series or Poincaré expansion is a formal series of functions which has the property that truncating the series after a finite number of terms provides an approximation to a given function as the argument of the function tends towards a particular,...
to fluid mechanics problems. Several of his works have become classics, including "Matched Asymptotic Expansions: Ideas And Techniques".
Biography
Lagerstrom earned bachelor and master's degrees, 1935 and 1939 respectively, at the University of StockholmStockholm University
Stockholm University is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. It has over 28,000 students at four faculties, making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world...
. He then came to America as a graduate student at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, earning a PhD in 1942 in mathematics under Salomon Bochner
Salomon Bochner
Salomon Bochner was an American mathematician of Austrian-Hungarian origin, known for wide-ranging work in mathematical analysis, probability theory and differential geometry.- Life :...
with a dissertation entitled "Measure and Integral in Partially Ordered Spaces". During this time, Lagerstrom was also a mathematics instructor.
He left Princeton in 1944 to work briefly at Bell Aircraft
Bell Aircraft
The Bell Aircraft Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States, a builder of several types of fighter aircraft for World War II but most famous for the Bell X-1, the first supersonic aircraft, and for the development and production of many important civilian and military helicopters...
in Niagara Falls, New York until 1945, after which he worked for a similarly brief period at Douglas Aircraft
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
in Santa Monica. While he had already published significant results in pure mathematics, he was, by this time, firmly interested in its applications to fluid dynamic and aerodynamic problems. In 1946, Lagerstrom was recruited by Hans Liepmann
Hans W. Liepmann
Hans Wolfgang Liepmann German American engineer and emeritus Theodore von Kármán Professor of Aeronautics at the California Institute of Technology....
to the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory
Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory
The Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology , was a research institute created in 1926, at first specializing in aeronautics research. In 1930, Hungarian scientist Theodore von Kármán accepted the directorship of the lab and emigrated to the United States. Under...
at Cal Tech
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
. He was later promoted to Professor of Aeronautics in 1952 and Professor of Applied Mathematics in 1967, having departed only briefly to the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1960-1961 as visiting professor on a Guggenheim Fellowship.