Colorado State University Statistics and Math Professor Receives Scholarship Impact Award

Note to Reporters: A photo of Don Estep is available with the news release at http://www.news.colostate.edu.

Don Estep, longtime statistics and mathematics professor in the College of Natural Sciences, has received Colorado State University’s annual Scholarship Impact Award, one of the highest honors at the university.

Estep received his award today at the university’s annual Celebrate Colorado State event.

Estep is recognized for his research in numerical and applied analysis and differential equations. The Scholarship Impact Award, bestowed by the Office of the Vice President for Research, recognizes outstanding faculty whose scholarship has had a major impact nationally and/or internationally. The award includes $10,000 and a plaque of recognition.

Estep’s research involves the development of new computational techniques, mathematical and statistical analysis, investigation of complex systems, and software development. Much of his research is focused on quantification of errors in predications made from mathematical models and computer simulations.

Estep’s work has found application in ocean modeling, nuclear engineering, fusion and fusion reactor modeling, reacting flows, shock hydrodynamics, high performance polymers for aircraft construction, paper modeling, and ecological and biological models. Much of his work is carried out in close collaboration with Department of Energy laboratories and several companies and is supported by research grants from government agencies.

“Dr. Estep’s research is relevant, timely and highly cited, and four of his five textbooks have even been translated into German, suggesting their popularity in the field,” said Bill Farland, vice president for Research. “His work is highly competitive, resulting in an average of almost $1.2 million per year awarded to CSU over the last decade.”

Estep also holds the title as the university’s first Interdisciplinary Research Scholar, an award that recognizes professors who have obtained national and international prominence for their efforts to conduct research across disciplines. Estep serves as director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Mathematics and Statistics and was past co-director of the Program for Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Ecology and Statistics (PRIMES), which was the first NSF IGERT project at CSU.

Estep received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan. He taught at Georgia Tech and Caltech before coming to Colorado State in 2000.

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