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.cb Evaluation of Ralph Gomory's work in science and technology

	Ralph Gomory received his PhD in mathematics from Princeton
University.  His thesis work and his most important subsequent
mathematical work was in a branch of mathematics called integer programming.
Integer programming is concerned with finding whole number values of some
variables that optimize (get the best value of) some quantity subject to
some known constraints.  In the applied problems there are typically
hundreds to thousands of variables and constraint conditions, and
therefore the only practical way of dealing with such problems is with
computers.

	In this work Gomory showed himself to be a very strong and
deep mathematician, solving important problems where others had
been unsuccessful in order to make integer programming a practically
useful technique.

	Gomory continued this work when he went to work for IBM in 1959
but he soon became involved in management and has been Director of
Research and Director of IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Laboratory since
1970.  This is IBM's major scientific research laboratory - as distinct
from the product development laboratories.  He became a vice-president in
1973.  In this work he has shown a strong ability to understand work
in the many domains of science in which the Laboratory is active.

	Under Gomory's leadership and with IBM's resources, this
laboratory has become one of the two or three most important industrial
laboratories in the country devoted to long range research.  It has been
strongest in physics and applied mathematics.

	In computer science, the Laboratory has been very active and of
considerable importance, but its scientific contributions have not been in
the same proportion to its resources as have those of some of the major
universities.  Gomory has some part of the responsibility for both the
successes and the deficiencies of the Laboratory he has led for sixteen
years.
.if false then begin
from G. Dantzig
began in diff. eq. with Lefschetz, in Navy as Reserve Officer, could
he make outstanding contributing, got interested in integer programming,
remarkable contribution, techniques for generating cutting planes,

deep cuts got him into group theory, exceptionally strong mathematician
sees very deeply, 
.end