John Todd and the development of modern numerical analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to mark the centenary of the birth of John Todd, a pioneer in the fields of numerical analysis and computational science. A brief account is given of his early life and career, and that of his wife, Olga Taussky, including experiences during World War II that led to him engaging with the then developing field of numerical analysis. Some of his contributions to the field, and the contexts in which they arose, are described.