W Randolph Franklin

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About

W. Randolph Franklin  develops and implements fast parallel algorithms on very large geometric datasets in CAD and GIS.   He's also modeled and processed large terrain databases, e.g., to compress, to compute hydrography and visibility, and to site observers, and compressed 5D environmental data sets.    The algorithms are the fastest in their class.

His current research hobby is designing and implementing small, simple, and fast data structures and algorithms for large geometric datasets.  Note that efficiency in both space and time can become more important as machines get faster.  This research is applicable to computational cartography, computer graphics, computational geometry, and geographic information science.

He is now currently studying parallel CAD operations, such as overlaying 3D triangulations (tetrahedrulations).  3D-EPUG-Overlay is an algorithm for exactly computing the intersection (it can also compute general overlays) of pairs of 3D triangulated meshes. Each input mesh may represent a single solid or a more complex polygonal subdivision (representing multiple solids, each one identified by a label). 3D-EPUG-Overlay employs a combination of several techniques to ensure its correctness and efficiency.

His  last major NSF research project was to understand the mathematics of terrain.   Another recent NSF project, together with Cutler and Zimmie, was analyzing how levees erode when overtopped, and testing models in a geotechnical centrifuge.  Subprojects include compressing terrain while preserving slope, compressing multidimensional environmental data, and extending partial hydrological data to a complete and consistent river network.

Another major project compressed and operated on terrain for DARPA/DSO/GeoStar.  The operations included multiple observer siting and path planning.  His longterm uneachable goal is to establish terrain modeling
on a proper formal foundation that respects its physical properties.

Previous positions include: Visitor at Georgia Tech, spring 2016, Program Director, Numeric, Symbolic, and Geometric Computation Program, CISE, National Science Foundation, 2000—2002, visiting positions at Genoa, Laval, CSIRO Canberra, National University of Singapore, 1992—1993, and Visiting Professor, UC Berkeley,
1985—1986.

Education & Training

Ph.D. Applied Mathematics (Harvard University, 1978), A.M. Applied Mathematics (Harvard University, 1975), B.Sc. Computer Science (University of Toronto, 1973), 3 short courses from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, 2001-2002.

Other affililations: Computer Science

Research

Primary Research Focus
efficient parallel and GPU algorithms for large geometric and spatial datasets
Other Focus Areas

parallel computing, computational geometry, geographic information science, computer aided design, modeling terrain, quantum computing

Publications

The following is a selection of recent publications in Scopus. W Randolph Franklin has 108 indexed publications in the subjects of Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering.

Marcelo de Matos Menezes, Salles Viana Gomes de Magalhães, Matheus Aguilar de Oliveira, W. Randolph Franklin, Rodrigo Eduardo de Oliveira Bauer Chichorro
CAD Computer Aided Design
, 150
, 2022
.
Salles Viana Gomes de Magalhães, W. Randolph Franklin, Marcus Vinícius Alvim Andrade
CAD Computer Aided Design
, 120
, 2020
.
Salles Viana Gomes de Magalhães, W. Randolph Franklin, Marcus Vinícius Alvim Andrade
Lecture Notes in Computational Science and Engineering
, 127
, 2019
, pp.365-383
.
W. Randolph Franklin, Salles Viana Gomes De Magalhães, Marcus Vinícius Alvim Andrade
Proceedings of the 7th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Analytics for Big Geospatial Data, BigSpatial 2018
, 2018
, pp.16-19
.
Salles Viana Gomes Magalhães, W. Randolph Franklin, Ricardo Dos Santos Ferreira
GIS: Proceedings of the ACM International Symposium on Advances in Geographic Information Systems
, 2018
, pp.622-625
.
W. Randolph Franklin, Salles V.G. Magalhªes
BigSpatial 2017 - Proceedings of the 6th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Analytics for Big Geospatial Data
, 2017
, pp.20-26
.
Salles V.G. Magalhães, W. Randolph Franklin, Marcus V.A. Andrade
GIS: Proceedings of the ACM International Symposium on Advances in Geographic Information Systems
, 2017-November
, 2017
.
Ileana Streinu, Karoly Bezdek, János Pach, Tamal K. Dey, Jianer Chen, Dina Kravets, Nancy M. Amato, W. Randolph Franklin
Handbook of Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics, Second Edition
, 2017
, pp.925-1022
.
Wenli Li, W. Randolph Franklin, Salles Viana Gomes de Magalhães, Marcus V.A. Andrade
Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
, 83
, 2017
, pp.439-446
.
Joseph O'Rourke, Don Sheehy, W. Randolph Franklin, Carsten Grimm, Tom Shermer
CCCG 2017 - 29th Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry, Proceedings
, 2017
, pp.73-76
.

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