The doctoral thesis completed by Frank Natterer in 1968, focused on bounds for large eigenvalues in second and fourth order ordinary differential equations, marked the beginning of a long career in numerical analysis. Born in 1941 in Wangen im Allgäu, Germany, his subsequent work fundamentally shaped the mathematical underpinnings of modern diagnostic imaging technologies.
Academic Progression and Research Appointments
Natterer attended the Universities of Freiburg and Hamburg for his initial studies. Following his PhD under the supervision of Lothar Collatz, he achieved his habilitation in 1971 with a study on generalized splines and singular boundary eigenvalue problems. His academic tenure included a visiting assistant professorship at Indiana University Bloomington. From 1973 to 1981, he held a full professorship at Saarland University. In 1981, he became the Director of the Institut für Numerische und instrumentelle Mathematik at the Westfälische Wilhelms Universität in Münster, a position he maintained until his retirement from active teaching in 2006.
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The core of Natterer’s research involves inverse problems, particularly in the domain of computed tomography, MRI, ultrasonic imaging, and positron emission tomography. In 1975, he demonstrated the pointwise convergence of finite element methods. His contributions include stability analysis of the Radon transformation in Sobolev spaces, consistency conditions for the exponential Radon transformation, and the regularization of inverse problems via discretization. He also developed sampling theorems intended to achieve optimal resolution while minimizing the required number of measurements.
Authoritative Texts and Professional Service
Natterer authored two influential books on tomography: The Mathematics of Computerized Tomography, first published in 1986, and Mathematical Methods in Image Reconstruction, released in 2001. His service to the academic community includes acting as the honorary editor for the journal Inverse Problems from 1995 to 1999 and holding a seat on the International Advisory Panel of Inverse Problems starting in 2000. He served on the editorial boards for multiple journals, including the IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging. In 1980, he established the conference series Mathematical Methods in Tomography at the Mathematical Research Institute of Oberwolfach.
Fast facts
- Born: 1941, Wangen im Allgäu, Germany
- PhD Thesis Year: 1968
- Habilitation Year: 1971
- Academic Focus: Inverse problems and imaging
- Honorary Doctorate: Saarland University (1992)
- Spouse: Renate Natterer
- Professional Membership: German Proust Society
Questions readers ask
What specific imaging techniques did Natterer influence?
His work has been vital to the development of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonic imaging, and positron emission tomography (PET).
Did Natterer receive formal recognition for his contributions?
Yes, in 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Saarland University for his leadership and achievements in mathematical imaging methods.
Achievements
- Held posts at Saarland University and University of Münster
