David G. Luenberger is an American mathematician and engineer known for his contributions to the fields of optimization and control theory. He has authored several influential books and research papers, particularly in areas such as linear and nonlinear programming, as well as dynamic systems. His work has significantly impacted both theoretical and applied mathematics. Luenberger earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University and has held academic positions at various institutions, including Stanford and University of California, Berkeley. He is recognized for developing the Luenberger observer, a key concept in control theory that helps estimate the internal state of a dynamic system.