A Personal Perspective on Numerical Analysis and Optimization

TL;DR

This paper offers a non-technical historical overview of numerical analysis and optimization, highlighting past developments, emerging trends, and future challenges in the field.

Contribution

It provides a personal, high-level perspective on the evolution and future directions of numerical analysis and optimization, based on a keynote speech.

Findings

Historical development of numerical analysis and optimization

Emerging trends in the field

Future challenges and directions

Abstract

I give a brief, non-technical, historical perspective on numerical analysis and optimization. I also touch on emerging trends and future challenges. This content is based on the short presentation that I made at the opening ceremony of \emph{The International Conference on Numerical Analysis and Optimization}, which was held at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, on January 6--9, 2020. Of course, the material covered here is necessarily incomplete and biased towards my own interests and comfort zones. My aim is to give a feel for how the area has developed over the past few decades and how it may continue.