************************************************************************ ILAS-NET ************************************************************************ 17 April, 2007 ......... ILAS-NET Message No. 1588 ---------------------------------------------------------- CONTRIBUTED ANNOUNCEMENT FROM: Vadim Olshevsky SUBJECT: Biswa Datta Honored in an IEEE Banquet at an International Workshop ---------------------------------------------------------- Biswa Datta, a Distinguished Research Professor at Northern Illinois University, an IEEE Fellow and an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer was honored in an IEEE Banquet ceremony held during the International Workshop on "Numerical Linear Algebra in Signal, Systems, and Control" at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India on January 10, 2007, for his outstanding contributions to "Numerical Linear Algebra related to Control". The ceremony was attended by mathematicians, computational scientists, and engineers from several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, and USA. The ceremony was presided by Professor Kishore, the President of IEEE Kharagpur Chapter and Professor Rajendra Bhatia, an eminent Indian mathematician from Indian Statistical Institute, was the banquet speaker. The other speakers were Professors Gene H. Golub of Stanford University, Paul Van Dooren of Universite Catholique de Louvain, Volker Mehrmann of Technische Universitat Berlin,and V. K. Mohan of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Professor Kishore gave a brief account of Datta's biography and his principal achievements, honors and distinctions. Professor Bhatia noted the versatility of his research expertise and contributions, ranging from theoretical linear algebra to practical control and vibration engineering with a reference to his more than one hundred interdisciplinary research papers, two popular interdisciplinary books, Numerical Linear Algebra and Applications, and Numerical Methods for Linear Control Systems, and three software packages and toolboxes, MATCOM, MATCONTROL, and Advanced Numerical Methods. Special mentions were made about his outstanding contributions on stability, D-stability, matrix equations, pole placement, observer design, and vibration control. Professor Golub remarked on his ability to bring diverse groups of researchers together. He had also some kind words about his wife's' contribution to his academic career. Professor Van Dooren talked about his leadership activities, especially related to several successful interdisciplinary conference organizations, some of which he referred to as simply "Datta Conferences". Professor Mehrmann mentioned about his ability to talk to and motivate young researchers about emerging topics of research and how he and his work influenced numerous researchers, including his own. Professor Mohan discussed his activities and contributions to the scientific and industrial developments in India as a Non-resident Indian Scientist. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Datta was awarded with a Plaque of Honor and a flower bouquet by Professor Kishore. In his acceptance speech, Datta mentioned that he was proud of his mathematical heritage of India, a country that made some fundamental contributions to the development of Mathematics and Science and that this honor given by a primer institute of India, his native country, was very special to him. Datta, his wife, Karabi Datta, and Professor Golub were interviewed by an Indian Television Channel on this occassion. The reports of the conference and honoring ceremony were published in several Indian news media.