Staff Directory

Andy Terrel

Andy Terrel

High Performance Computing Group
(512) 475-9504
ROC 1.436
aterrel@tacc.utexas.edu

Andy's research focuses on automatically generating scientific simulations from high level languages thus lowering the barriers of entry for non-experts using high performance computing resources. He joined TACC in 2010 as postdoctoral researcher working with Victor Eijkhout and Robert van de Geijn. As a graduate student at the University of Chicago, he held visiting positions at Argonne National Labs, Delft University of Technology, and Sandia National Labs.

Areas of Research

  • Automated Scientific Computing
  • Finite Element Methods
  • Computational Rheology

Current Projects

  • Rheology Application Engine (Rheagen): A non-Newtonian fluid library that generates simulations from high level fluid model descriptions and explores the space of available numerical method for solving the given model. See also http://www.fenics.org/wiki/Rheagen
  • The FEniCS Project: A collection free software projects for automated solution of differential equations. We provide software tools for working with computational meshes, finite element variational formulations of PDEs, ODE solvers and linear algebra. See also http://www.fenics.org

Selected Publications

  • A.R. Terrel, R.C. Kirby, M.G. Knepley, and L.R. Scott. Finite elements for incompressible fluids. Submitted as chapter to A. Logg, K.A. Mardal, and G. N. Wells, editors. Automated Scientific Computing}. Springer-Verlag. http://www.fenics.org/wiki/FEniCS_book
  • R.C. Kirby, A. Logg, and A.R. Terrel. \emph{Common and unusual finite elements}. Submitted as chapter to A. Logg, K.A. Mardal, and G. N. Wells, editors. Automated Scientific Computing}. Springer-Verlag. http://www.fenics.org/wiki/FEniCS_book
  • R.C. Kirby, M.G. Knepley, A. Logg, L.R. Scott, and A.R. Terrel. Discrete optimization of finite element matrix evaluation. Submitted as chapter to A. Logg, K.A. Mardal, and G. N. Wells, editors. Automated Scientific Computing. Springer-Verlag. http://www.fenics.org/wiki/FEniCS_book
  • A.R. Terrel, L.R. Scott, M.G. Knepley, and R.C. Kirby. \emph{Automated FEM discretizations for the Stokes equation}. BIT Numerical Mathematics, July 2008, Vol 48, pp 389--404.
  • R.C. Kirby, L.R. Scott, A. Logg, and A.R. Terrel. Topological optimization of the evaluation of finite element matrices. SIAM Journal of Scientific Computing, January 2006, Vol 28 No 1, pp 224-240.

Speaking Engagements

  • FEM automation of non-Newtonian fluids. Seminar, Institute of Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas. November 2009.
  • Mathematical interfaces for automated scientific computing. Computing Techniques Seminar, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL. November 2009 and ITTC Seminar, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. November 2007.
  • Exact fluid solvers for FEM. FEniCS'09, Simula Laboratories, Oslo, Norway. June 2009.
  • Algorithms for the grade-two fluid model. Simula Laboratories, Oslo, Norway. September 2008.
  • FEniCS and Sieve tutorial. Automated Scientific Computing Workshop, Center for Computation and Technology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. March 2008.
  • Topology optimizations with applications in microfluidics: a comparison of level set methods. Applied Mathematics Seminar, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.. September 2006.

Conference Participation

  • FEM automation of Oldroyd-B fluids. USNCCM 10, Columbus, Ohio. July 2009.
  • Automation of finite element assembly using a topology based mesh library. BIT Numerical Circus, Oslo, Norway. August 2008.
  • Finite element assembly on arbitrary meshes. AMS 2008 Spring Central Sectional Meeting, Bloomington, Indiana. April 2008.
  • A case for developing with a PDE language. SIAM Computer Science and Engineering, Costa Mesa, California. February 2007.
  • Abstractions in FEM software. FEniCS'06, Delft Technical University, Delft, The Netherlands. November 2006.
  • Optimizing local matrix computations for finite element methods. SIAM Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. June 2005.

Community Involvement

  • Open source software contributor: FEniCS, Sympy, Sundance, PETSc
  • Google Summer of Code Mentor

Education

  • Ph.D. Computer Science. The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. (expected June 2010) Advisers: L. Ridgway Scott and Matthew G. Knepley. Thesis: FEM software automation of non-Newtonian fluid models. Concentration: Computational Mathematics.
  • M.S. Computer Science, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. 2007. Advisers: L. Ridgway Scott and Robert C. Kirby. Thesis: FEM software automation with a case study on the Stokes equations. Concentration: Computational Mathematics.
  • B.S. Physics and Mathematics with honors, cum laude. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. 2004.
  • B.A. Philosophy with honors, cum laude. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. 2004.