The Great Bridge Controversy
James Paul Fink
Department of Computer Science
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
jfink@gettysburg.edu
ABSTRACT
Once upon a time long ago, a bridge collapsed. The date was
November 7, 1940, and the bridge was the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. This
spectacular collapse was captured on film, and resonance is frequently
and conveniently blamed for the disaster. But what really happened
on that fateful day? What was the real culprit? In this talk, we will
take a closer look at the fascinating story of the Tacoma Narrows
Bridge collapse and the ensuing controversy over its cause.
Bio
Jim graduated from Drexel University with a B.S. in physics
(1963) and earned an M.S. in mathematics (1965) and a Ph.D. in
mathematics (1967) from Stanford University. Before coming to
Gettysburg College in 1992, Jim spent 19 years at the University of
Pittsburgh and 6 years at Butler University (Indianapolis). His
professional interests include differential equations, numerical
analysis, and dynamical systems. He has published over 35 articles,
co-edited a research textbook, and serves on the editorial board
of a professional journal. He also enjoys skiing, running, traveling,
and, of course, good food and fine wine.
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