Speaker: Keegan Kirk 

 PhD Student, Department of Applied Mathematics

University of Waterloo

Abstract:  The finite element method (FEM) has been an indispensable tool used in engineering design to simulate problems in structural analysis, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, and electromagnetics since the mid-20th century. At its heart, FEM is a technique for numerically solving differential equations, which presents many challenges of mathematical and computational interest. Six decades after its inception, it remains an extremely active field of research for mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists alike.

In this talk, I will provide an introduction to the basic ideas of FEM through the study of some simple model problems. Afterward, I will present some numerical simulations for more physically realistic problems with applications to solid and fluid mechanics. I will also briefly discuss a few of the major active areas of research related to FEM. The topics will be relatively self-contained, but some familiarity with calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis, and differential equations will be assumed.

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