All aspects of our modern society benefit from and are impacted by fundamental research in the mathematical sciences. Efficient and robust scientific computing, in particular, is driven by the design and implementation of theoretically sound numerical analysis and motivated by the need to simulate the ever--increasing complexity of the applied problems of interest to scientists and engineers. Scientific computing plays a crucial role in the aerospace, pharmaceutical, mineral and oil exploration industries (to name just a few).

Driven by striking increases in readily available compute power, the modelling and simulation of complex systems has become a ``research discovery tool''. Ironically, greater compute capacity has magnified expectations. This is driving the development of the next generation of numerical algorithms capable of taking advantage of emerging massively parallel hybrid GPU/CPU systems to process the unimaginable amounts of data collected and the ever-increasing complexity of physical, economic and social systems. The opportunity and potential for growth is dramatic and immediate!

The formation of the Memorial University Centre for Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing allows for the development of a critical mass of researchers in this area and will provide a valuable forum for the development of novel, theoretically sound scientific computing techniques and the transfer of fundamental mathematical and computational research to local resource--based industries. The formation of a centre would give the group the visibility required to attract world--class visitors, collaborators and students. Indeed the group would be the largest such group in eastern Canada and would place it as one of the top five groups in the country in an area of endeavour that will be at the forefront of science and engineering in the 21st century.

The centre is currently funded as a AARMS Collaborative Research Group, http://www.math.mun.ca/anasc/.