Checkmate: The Rise Of The Supercomputers

Following a career at IBM, Dr. William Pulleyblank, formerly holder of the Class of 1950 Chair of Advanced Technology, is currently Professor of Operations Research in the West Point Department of Mathematical Sciences. In this interview, he provides a behind-the-scenes account of IBM's research division during the mid-1990s when the IBM computer "Deep Blue" played chess grand master Garry Kasparov. The computer’s initial loss and subsequent victory over Kasparov sent reverberations throughout the world. Then, in the mid-2000s, Pulleyblank led the team that developed "Blue Gene," the fastest supercomputer in the world. Pulleyblank discusses the wide-ranging applications of supercomputing, and offers his perspective on why they matter in national security applications as well as daily life.