Richard Tapia Inducted into the National Academy of Engineering

For his research in linear programming and encouragement of minorities in science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM) fields, CRPC researcher and Rice University professor Richard Tapia was recently inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. Annou ncements of the induction were made in February 1992 and the formal ceremony was held on September 29,1992 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Tapia's research has focused on improving interior point methods for linear programming as well as designing sequential quadratic methods for nonlinear programming.

As a minority scholar and researcher, he has been actively involved in increasing minority involvement in SEM fields. In 1990, he was named one of the 20 most influential leaders in minority mathematics education by the National Research Council and was g iven the Hispanic National Achievement Award for Education from the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers. As director of Education and Human Resources at the CRPC, Richard Tapia has successfully organized and directed the "Spend a Summer with a Scientist" program and "Mathematics and Computational Science Awareness" workshops. Both programs are exemplary models of the CRPC's goal of increasing minority students' interest in SEM fields at all educational levels. Tapia credits the CRPC for "providing the vehicle that allowed me to successfully implement ideas that I have wanted to act upon for some time."

Table of Contents