Richard A.
Tapia, an American mathematician, died on May 23, 2026. He was known for his work in mathematical optimization and iterative methods for nonlinear problems, with more recent research focused on algorithms for constrained optimization and interior point methods for linear and nonlinear programming.
Tapia was a University Professor at Rice University in Houston, Texas, the university’s highest academic title. In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Award for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Mentoring, and in 2011, President Obama awarded him the National Medal of Science.
Richard A. Tapia, 88, American mathematician. (death announced on this date)