About the Conference Honorees

Jim Douglas Jr.

Dr. Douglas is known world-wide for his pioneering and life-long contributions in the areas of developing theory, applications, and solution techniques for partial differential equation models in science and engineering and in particular in the area of flow in porous media. Douglas, a native Texan, received his undergraduate training at the University of Texas and then received the Ph.D. degree in mathematics from Rice University in 1952. As the computer came into our world in the early 1950’s several individuals had great insight and foresight and began to couple mathematics with this emerging powerful tool. Science scholars and historians today recognize the seminal work that Douglas and his colleagues produced at Humble Oil and Refining Company here in Houston during the five-year period from 1952-1957 as very important pioneering work in fostering scientific numerical methods and simulation for partial differential equation models Douglas has mentored students and influenced researchers across the world for the past 50 years. His contributions are truly legendary. He is a co-recipient of the Robert Earl McConnell Award (AIME) for Contributions in the Field of Simulation Methods for the study of Petroleum Reservoirs.

Donald W. Peaceman

Dr. Peaceman is known for his contributions to the development and use of transient three-dimensional multiphase simulators for predicting the performance of petroleum reservoirs. He received his Ph. D. degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 1951. Among his many contributions to computational models in the oil and gas industry, Peaceman well models are well known in the industry, most of the simulators used today incorporate numerical algorithms and well models he developed. In addition to writing the book Fundamentals of Numerical Reservoir Simulation, Peaceman copublished the first paper on numerical calculation of multidimensional multiphase immiscible displacement and coinvented the alternating-direction implicit method for the solution of parabolic partial differential equations. Other significant industry contributions include the widely adopted equation for “equivalent well block radius” and participation in the development of the Exxon Production Research Multiple Application Reservoir Simulator. Peaceman joined the Humble Oil & Refining Company (now Exxon Production Research Company) in 1951 and remained there until his retirement in 1986. Over the years he has worked effectively with applied mathematicians, to further the understanding of flows in porous media and has been very supportive of students in the field and university programs, especially those at Rice University, where he is currently an adjunct professor. In 1999 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. He is a co-recipient of the Robert Earl McConnell Award (AIME) for Contributions in the Field of Simulation Methods for the study of Petroleum Reservoirs.

Henry H. Rachford Jr.