Yudell Leo Luke (26 June 1918 – 6 May 1983) was an American mathematician who made significant contributions to MRIGlobal, was awarded the N. T. Veatch award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity in 1975, and appointed as Curator's Professor at the University of Missouri in 1978, a post he held until his death.
Luke published eight books and nearly 100 papers in a wide variety of mathematical areas, ranging from aeronautics to approximation theory.
[1] Soon after Luke moved to Kansas City, he was appointed to MRIGlobal (formerly Midwest Research Institute).
After the mathematics group of MRIGlobal was disbanded in 1971, Luke was appointed professor at the University of Missouri, and in 1975, received the N. T. Veatch award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity.
Luke had a wide range of interests outside mathematics, including basketball, baseball, bridge, and cribbage.