Herbert Edelsbrunner
Herbert Edelsbrunner, Arts & Sciences Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics, received his Ph.D. in Technical Mathematics from Graz University of Technology in 1982. Through appointments at Graz University , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Hong Kong University , Duke, and other institutions, Edelsbrunner has guided exciting research in the emerging field of computational topology.
Dr. Edelsbrunner's nominators for the 2007 Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring echo the sense that Dr. Edelsbrunner excels at being an insightful and effective mentor from the very beginning of the graduate career, all the way to degree completion, and beyond. His nominations are peppered with phrases such as from the first step , right away , and early on .
“I still remember the first question that he asked me when I approached him asking if he was willing to be my advisor: What do YOU want to work on? Theoretical problems or practical implementations? Within the framework of his NSF funded project on BioGeometry, there was scope to work on both aspects but he wanted the decision to be mine and based on my interests. Right from the first step of choosing a research problem, he encouraged me to make independent decisions about my research career while providing the necessary support and guidance.
Edelsbrunner also excels at giving quick and practical feedback on writing, teaching and research skills. His students appreciate the noticeable improvements they've seen in their presentation skills and writing style as a result.
“ From my very first homework to the most recent public presentation, Herbert has closely monitored and dissected every word I write and say. His sense of what I do best and what I really should work on is remarkable: I notice my presentation style improve with every recommedation that he has given me: I speak slower now, carefully watch for the feedback from my audience, and adjust my presentations on the fly to cater to my listeners' interests. All these skills I learned thanks to Herbert. Same goes for my technical writing skills. Not only has Herbert provided detailed feedback on every paper I have written, but he has figured out entire patterns of my writing which I did not recognize before.”
Students note how the impact of Edelsbrunner's mentoring extend well beyond their years as graduate students, both through the lasting collaborations that he fosters and through the example he sets for his students to follow.
“Herbert often collaborated with John Harer from the Math Dept. at Duke University and was gracious in introducing me to John. John's vast knowledge of the field of Topology and Herbert's expertise in distilling this knowledge into practical algorithms to solve real-world problems played a crucial role in my progress towards the completion of my doctorate. In fact, I use the insight and technical know-how that I learned during my graduate studies in my current job…I know that when I'm in a position where I can be of assistance to another student I will be able to follow Herbert's example. This is the most important lesson I take from my experience working with Herbert, and I see this as the hallmark of a great mentor.”