“`html

Laurent Demanet, a professor of applied mathematics at MIT, has been designated co-director of the MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE), starting Sept. 1.

Demanet, who has a dual appointment in the departments of Mathematics and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences — where he formerly acted as director of the Earth Resources Laboratory — succeeds Youssef Marzouk, who is currently the associate dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.

Collaborating with co-director Nicolas Hadjiconstantinou, the Quentin Berg (1937) Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Demanet will assist in steering CCSE, aiding students, faculty, and researchers while nurturing a dynamic community of innovation and exploration in computational science and engineering (CSE).

“Laurent’s skill in transforming computational science and engineering ideas into clear, practical applications is an invaluable advantage for CCSE. His interdisciplinary expertise enhances the visibility and influence of CSE research and education. I look forward to collaborating with him,” states Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

“I’m delighted to welcome Laurent into his new position as co-director of CCSE. His contributions significantly bolster the interdisciplinary approach central to the computational science and engineering community. I’m thrilled for CCSE to have a co-director from the School of Science and eager to observe the center expand its connections throughout MIT,” remarks Asu Ozdaglar, deputy dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, head of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department, and MathWorks Professor.

Founded in 2008, CCSE was integrated into the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing as one of its essential academic units in January 2020. As an interdisciplinary research and education hub dedicated to innovative applications of computation, CCSE encompasses faculty, researchers, and students from various MIT schools, including the schools of Engineering, Science, Architecture and Planning, and the MIT Sloan School of Management, along with additional college units.

“I am eager to collaborate with Nicolas and the college leadership in enhancing the profile of CCSE on campus and around the world. We will pursue a series of initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility of our research and fortifying our CSE PhD program, as well as broadening professional education offerings and deepening engagement with our alumni and industry,” shares Demanet.

Demanet’s research resides at the crossroads of applied mathematics and scientific computing, focusing on visualizing the structures beneath the Earth’s surface. He possesses a strong interest in scientific computing, machine learning, inverse problems, and wave propagation. As the principal investigator of the Imaging and Computing Group, Demanet and his students seek to tackle fundamental questions in computational seismic imaging to enhance the quality and precision of mapping and projecting changes in geological structures. The implications of his research extend to environmental monitoring, water resources, geothermal energy, and understanding seismic risks, among other areas.

He has been part of the MIT faculty since 2009. In 2011, he was granted an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship and the U.S. Air Force Young Investigator Award, followed by a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in 2012. He also held the Class of 1954 Career Development Professorship from 2013 to 2016. Before joining MIT, Demanet was the Szegö Assistant Professor at Stanford University. He completed his undergraduate education in mathematical engineering and theoretical physics at Université de Louvain in Belgium, and obtained a PhD in applied and computational mathematics at Caltech, where he received the William P. Carey Prize for best dissertation in the mathematical sciences.

“`