X-Message-Number: 7689 Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 19:29:35 -0800 From: Paul Wakfer <> Subject: New Prometheus Project Science Advisor As documented at our Web Site, some time ago the Prometheus Project established a Board of Science Advisors. The purpose of this board is to "be actively involved in the formulation of the scientific plans and, later, the oversight of the execution of the Project". A few months ago, the first appointment to the Board was Thomas Donaldson, PhD. a well known cryonicist who is particularly knowledgeable about brain operation. His CV is on display at the Prometheus Project Web Site. Today, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Prof. Lester Ingber, PhD. has accepted appointment to the Board of Science Advisors. As documented in his full CV at http://www.ingber.com/ingber_CV.txt, Prof. Ingber has been a leader in several physical and research disciplines. Today, primarily via the Internet, he works with many groups world-wide who use his codes and algorithms, e.g., his Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA) optimization C-code, available to the public from his Internet archive. He also aperiodically performs short-term consulting, maintains the ASA code, and regularly helps others apply these sophisticated techniques. Since 1992, he has worked with thousands of people to apply his ASA code across many disciplines. ASA applications have been made by other scientists, e.g., neural networks, imaging, chaos, etc. Prof. Ingber has recently brought to a reasonable focus several major research projects in multivariate nonlinear stochastic systems which he has pursued for several years. He has developed some powerful models and algorithms for extracting signal out of noise for certain classes of systems, e.g., that typically arise in such diverse fields as finance, neuroscience, and combat simulations. The abstract of a recent paper serves to summarize some of the main features of his work: ABSTRACT: A modern calculus of multivariate nonlinear multiplicative Gaussian-Markovian systems provides models of many complex systems faithful to their nature, e.g., by not prematurely applying quasi-linear approximations for the sole purpose of easing analysis. To handle these complex algebraic constructs, sophisticated numerical tools have been developed, e.g., methods of adaptive simulated annealing (ASA) global optimization and of path integration (PATHINT). In-depth application to three quite different complex systems have yielded some insights into the benefits to be obtained by application of these algorithms and tools, in statistical mechanical descriptions of neocortex (short-term memory and electroencephalography), financial markets (interest-rate and trading models), and combat analysis (baselining simulations to exercise data). SCIENTIFIC PURSUITS. Lester Ingber has published over 85 papers and books in the categories of: theoretical nuclear physics, neuroscience, finance, general optimization, combat analysis, karate, and education. NUCLEAR PHYSICS: From 1965-1972, he published in atomic, nuclear, astro-, and elementary particle physics. His major work was to develop a nucleon-nucleon interaction described by exchanged mesons, and to apply this interaction to calculate properties of nucleon-nucleon scattering, the deuteron, nuclear matter, and neutron stars. In 1983-1986, he used modern methods of nonlinear functional analysis developed in the late 1970's to discover contributions induced by velocity-dependent potentials to nuclear matter binding energies. NEUROSCIENCE: Since 1978, he has developed a statistical mechanics of neocortical interactions applicable to a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, using modern methods of nonlinear nonequilibrium statistical mechanics to calculate brain `observables' from neuronal dynamics, e.g., short-term memory and EEG analyses. FINANCE: Since 1980, he has developed a statistical mechanics approach to financial markets, e.g., to multivariable term structure and stochastic markets. His publications in neuroscience in 1983 and in finance in 1990 were the first papers accepted on these subjects in the premier physics journal Physical Review. OPTIMIZATION/MODELING: Since 1987 he has developed Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA), one of the most powerful optimization algorithms for nonlinear and stochastic systems, working with thousands of users. Other codes have been developed to model multivariate nonlinear stochastic systems. In 1994-1995, as principal investigator (PI) of an NSF Supercomputer grant, he ported his codes onto parallel supercomputers. COMBAT SIMULATION: From 1986-1989, as PI of an Army contract, he applied these methods of mathematical physics, leading a team of scientists and officers to develop mathematical comparisons of Janus computer combat simulations with exercise data from the National Training Center (NTC), developing a testable theory of combat successfully baselined to empirical data. PRESENT: Through Lester Ingber Research (LIR), he develops projects in several areas of expertise as documented at: http://www.ingber.com. EDUCATION AND POSITIONS. He received: his diploma from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1958; his B.S. in physics from Caltech in 1962; his Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics from UC San Diego in 1966, having studied at the Niels Bohr Institute in 1964, and having consulted at RAND in 1965-1966. He was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley in 1967-1968 and at UC Los Angeles in 1968-1969, an Assistant Professor in physics at SUNY at Stony Brook from 1969-1970, and a research physicist in the Physics department and in the Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences (IPAPS) at UC San Diego from 1970-1972. From 1970-1986, he was President of Physical Studies Institute (PSI), a nonprofit corporation he founded in 1970, which was an agency account in IPAPS from 1980-1986. From 1970-1972, he developed teaching methodologies for academics and fine arts, instructing in and administrating a six-course program through UC San Diego Extension. From 1972-1978, though PSI, he founded, funded, and instructed in an experimental alternative high school offering 30+ courses in academics, fine arts, and physical disciplines. He was a Research Associate at UC San Diego in the Music department from 1972-1974 and in IPAPS from 1980-1986. He was awarded a Senior Research Associateship for 1985-1986 by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences, taken at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA. >From 1986-1989, he was Professor of Physics at NPS at a GS-15 Step 10 equivalent position. In March 1988 he was officially offered an ES-4 Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment as Assistant Director of the Joint Tactical C3 Agency (JTC3A); he declined in order to complete his projects. From February through June 1989, he was on extended temporary duty at US Army Concepts Analysis Agency (CAA) in Bethesda, MD. In 1989, he won a second NRC Senior Research Associateship, taken at the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) in San Diego. From 1989-1990, he was Research Professor of Mathematics at The George Washington University (GWU), D.C. Since 1990, through Lester Ingber Research, he has consulted on projects in his fields of expertise. OTHER PURSUITS. KARATE: From 1958-1988, he founded and instructed karate classes at: Caltech, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, SU New York at Stony Brook, UC San Diego, PSI, and NPS. He has developed and published in several textbooks techniques promoting the learning of attentional skills in parallel with the learning of traditional physical skills. He received his black belt in karate in 1961 and became the first Westerner to receive the Instructor's (Sensei) degree from the Japan Karate Association in 1968. >From 1989-1991, he was Director of Scientific Studies of the American JKA Karate Associations (AJKA). Now he is a 7th Dan karate Sensei. BUSINESS: He is married to Louise Frazer Ingber, previously Principal Ballerina and Director, Conservatory of Ballet Arts Company in CA. They have grown Dansant Boutique since 1987 into a retail and mail-order business serving the ballet community. Lester Ingber may be contacted as follows: email: , FTP: ftp://ftp.ingber.com, Web Site: http://www.ingber.com, or postal mail: Prof. Lester Ingber, PO Box 857, McLean, VA 22101-0857 It is indeed a pleasure to have Prof. Ingber as one of the supporters of the Prometheus Project's revolutionary goal. -- Paul -- Paul Wakfer email: phone:909-481-9620 pager:800-805-2870 HELP TO ACHIEVE - PERFECTED SUSPENDED ANIMATION WITHIN 20 YEARS! Check out the Prometheus Project web site at URL: http://www.prometheus-project.org/prometheus/ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7689