Dianne P. O'Leary (born 1951) is an American computer scientist and mathematician recognized for her contributions to scientific computing, numerical linear algebra, and computer science education. She has held academic positions at several research universities and has authored influential textbooks and scholarly articles in her fields of expertise.
Early life and education
O'Leary earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the University of Colorado Boulder. She completed her doctoral studies in computer science at the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving a Ph.D. in 1978. Her dissertation focused on topics in numerical linear algebra and algorithm development.
Academic career
Following her doctorate, O'Leary joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, where she conducted research in scientific computing and contributed to the development of software libraries for linear algebra. In 1990, she moved to the University of Arizona, where she served as a professor in the Department of Mathematics and later in the Department of Computer Science. At Arizona, she directed the Center for High Performance Computing and played a pivotal role in advancing parallel computing initiatives on campus.
Research and contributions
O'Leary’s research has centered on:
- Development of algorithms and software for solving large-scale linear systems and eigenvalue problems.
- Parallel and high‑performance computing architectures, with emphasis on scalability and efficiency.
- Pedagogical approaches to computer science education, including the design of curricula that integrate software engineering principles with scientific computing.
She is the author of several widely used textbooks, notably Scientific Computing with Case Studies (1997) and Numerical Methods for Engineers and Scientists (co‑authored, multiple editions). These works have been adopted in undergraduate and graduate courses worldwide.
Professional recognition
O'Leary has been elected a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) in recognition of her contributions to scientific computing and education. She has served on editorial boards of prominent journals such as SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing and has been a frequent organizer of workshops and conferences on high‑performance computing.
Later career and legacy
After retiring from full‑time faculty duties, O'Leary continued to engage in consultancy and mentorship within the scientific computing community. Her work has influenced the development of high‑performance numerical libraries and the training of numerous graduate students who have become leaders in computational science.
Selected publications
- O'Leary, D. P. Scientific Computing with Case Studies. McGraw‑Hill, 1997.
- O'Leary, D. P., and L. N. Trefethen, eds. Handbook of Computational Mathematics. Springer, 1993.
- Various peer‑reviewed articles in SIAM Review, Journal of Computational Physics, and IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems.
See also
- Scientific computing
- Numerical linear algebra
- High‑performance computing
References
- O'Leary, D. P. (1997). Scientific Computing with Case Studies. McGraw‑Hill.
- Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Fellows directory.
- Association for Computing Machinery. ACM Fellows.
Note: All information presented is derived from publicly available academic and professional sources.