Profile
Timo Heister
Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
Professor
Martin Hall O14 [Office]
Profile/About Me
I received my PhD from the University of Göttingen in Germany in 2011 and started as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Texas A&M. I joined Clemson University as an Assistant Professor in 2013. I was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018 and Professor in 2024.
Research Interests
My research focuses on developing efficient numerical algorithms for partial differential equations, particularly high-performance implementations of the finite element method used across scientific and engineering disciplines. Achieving predictive simulations of such systems requires sophisticated algorithms that leverage large-scale computing resources. I have designed, implemented, analyzed, and optimized scalable methods that enable accurate computations on modern supercomputers.
A major contribution is over a decade of leadership as a principal developer and maintainer of the widely-used open-source finite element library deal.II. The algorithms I developed in deal.II now form the infrastructure enabling large-scale simulations across disciplines. I also co-created and co-led the development of the open-source geodynamics code ASPECT. Today, the software is widely used to study planetary evolution, mantle convection, and tectonic processes, and it exemplifies community-driven scientific software development. Its 11 principal developers span 10 institutions across 5 countries, with over 150 contributors. This collaborative model, sustained
through annual workshops and open development, has transformed how software is developed in geodynamics, inspiring similar approaches in other projects in the field.
Through software development, algorithmic innovation, and community engagement, my research advances computational science methodologies, trains the next generation of computational scientists, and enables discoveries across scientific fields.
Honors and Awards
2026 Clemson Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievements in Research
2025 Clemson College of Science Excellence in Discovery Award
2025 SIAM/ACM Prize in Computational Science and Engineering for the deal.II library
2016 Mathematical Sciences Departmental Teaching Award, Clemson University
