“Domestic and Global Economic Issues”
Robert Mundell, Ph.D.
1999 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences
Fifth Annual Lynford Lecture
Remarks by Jeffrey H. Lynford
October 2002
Today's convocation marks the fifth anniersary of our IMAS lecture series. Each October, my wife
Tondra and I attend this educational fotum, where Poly opens its auditorium doors and invites the larger academic community to join in a thoughtful presentation by a noted guest speaker. On these occasions, we have sought the keenest of intellects to share with us, either their latest research, or lessons from their life's work.
In 1998 Professor Edward Witten, of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, lectured about his
theoretical work in String Theory; in 1999, Dr. J. Craig Venter presented a status report about his pioneering laboratory efforts to decode the human genome; in 2000, Mr. Bill Joy, Chief Scientific Officer of Sun Microsystems, conjectured about the challenges that may be presented by the nanotechnology of the 21st century; and in 2001, Dr. Alan Key, one of the originai architects in the development of the personal computer, explained why the computer revolution isn't over. These lectures have successfully informed and challenged us.
This annual Lecture Series was conceived and orchestrated by Professors David and Gregory
Chudnovsky, the intellectual founders of IMAS. The Chudnovsky brothers are world-renowned experts in pure and applied mathematics, mathematical physics, computer architecture and large-scale numerical calculations. IMAS has been established at Poly to develop interdisciplinary bridges between mathematics and other areas of science and technology and to solve complex problems in engineering and applied science.
The new office of IMAS has recently been opened on the third floor of the Rogers Hall Academic Building, where a new supercomputer, designed personally by David and Gregory, will be operating shortly. That computer is now used to help the Chudnovskys with the design of a new powerful chip that will be the heart of the next generation of IBM's "Blue Gene – Cyclops" supercomputers. Also of interest is the mathematical floor of IMAS, depicting all hypergeometric series expressing Pi.
Today we have visiting us our first Nobel Laureate, Professor Robert Mundell, and he will be introduced by former New York City Deputy Mayor, Dr. Alair Townsend, recipient of a PhD degree, honoris causis, from Polytechnic in 1989.
Now I would like to introduce Alair Townsend, the publisherof Crain's New York Business, which many
of you know as a metropolitan weekly newspaper. it is required reading for all informed participants in our City's and region's economic life. Her ties to Brooklyn are long and strong, having been instrumental in helping form MetroTech when she served as Deputy Mayor for Finance and Economic Development.
Previously, Dr. Townsend has held many important public sector posts both in New York City and
Washington, D.C., including Associate Director of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives and Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget in the Department of Health and Human Services. Currently, she is a member of the Board of Overseers of TIAA-CREF and Lincoln Center, to name a few of her directorships.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is Polytechnic's pleasure to welcome back Dr. Alair Townsend.