Daniel Z. Freedman
Encyclopedia
Daniel Z. Freedman is an American
theoretical physicist. He is a Professor of Physics
and Applied Mathematics
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT). He is known for his work in supergravity
.
and completed his Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. He was appointed Professor of Applied Mathematics
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) in 1980 and joint Professor of Physics
in 2001. Before joining MIT, he was a professor at Stony Brook University.
and Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
) supergravity
. Freedman, van Nieuwenhuizen and Ferrara were on the faculty of the Stony Brook University. Supergravity, which generalizes Einstein's theory of general relativity by incorporating the then-new idea of supersymmetry
, quickly became a pillar of theoretical physics
. In the following decades its many implications for physics beyond the Standard Model
, for superstring theory
and for mathematics have become more and more evident, so that now, nearly thirty years later, supergravity is as much a subject of interest as ever. For his work on supergravity, Freedman, a former Sloan and twice Guggenheim fellow, received in 1993 the Dirac Medal and Prize, gave the 2002 Andrejewski Lectures in Mathematical Physics, and received in 2006 the Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
(like the Dirac Medal together with Sergio Ferrara and Peter van Nieuwenhuizen) "for constructing supergravity."
, quantum gravity
, and superstring theory
with an emphasis on the role of supersymmetry
. His most recent area of concentration is the AdS/CFT correspondence in which results on the strong coupling limit of certain 4-dimensional gauge theories can be obtained from calculations in classical 5-dimensional supergravity
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theoretical physicist. He is a Professor of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and Applied Mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT). He is known for his work in supergravity
Supergravity
In theoretical physics, supergravity is a field theory that combines the principles of supersymmetry and general relativity. Together, these imply that, in supergravity, the supersymmetry is a local symmetry...
.
Education
Daniel Freedman completed his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
and completed his Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He was appointed Professor of Applied Mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT) in 1980 and joint Professor of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
in 2001. Before joining MIT, he was a professor at Stony Brook University.
Supergravity
In 1976, Daniel Z. Freedman codiscovered (with Sergio FerraraSergio Ferrara
Sergio Ferrara is an Italian physicist working on theoretical physics of elementary particles and mathematical physics. He is renowned for the discovery of theories introducing supersymmetry as a symmetry of elementary particles Sergio Ferrara (born 1945) is an Italian physicist working on...
and Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen is a Dutch physicist. He is now a distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University in the United States. Van Nieuwenhuizen is best-known for his discovery of supergravity with Sergio Ferrara and Daniel Z...
) supergravity
Supergravity
In theoretical physics, supergravity is a field theory that combines the principles of supersymmetry and general relativity. Together, these imply that, in supergravity, the supersymmetry is a local symmetry...
. Freedman, van Nieuwenhuizen and Ferrara were on the faculty of the Stony Brook University. Supergravity, which generalizes Einstein's theory of general relativity by incorporating the then-new idea of supersymmetry
Supersymmetry
In particle physics, supersymmetry is a symmetry that relates elementary particles of one spin to other particles that differ by half a unit of spin and are known as superpartners...
, quickly became a pillar of theoretical physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
. In the following decades its many implications for physics beyond the Standard Model
Standard Model
The Standard Model of particle physics is a theory concerning the electromagnetic, weak, and strong nuclear interactions, which mediate the dynamics of the known subatomic particles. Developed throughout the mid to late 20th century, the current formulation was finalized in the mid 1970s upon...
, for superstring theory
Superstring theory
Superstring theory is an attempt to explain all of the particles and fundamental forces of nature in one theory by modelling them as vibrations of tiny supersymmetric strings...
and for mathematics have become more and more evident, so that now, nearly thirty years later, supergravity is as much a subject of interest as ever. For his work on supergravity, Freedman, a former Sloan and twice Guggenheim fellow, received in 1993 the Dirac Medal and Prize, gave the 2002 Andrejewski Lectures in Mathematical Physics, and received in 2006 the Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics is an award given each year since 1959 jointly by the American Physical Society and American Institute of Physics. It is established by the Heineman Foundation in honour of Dannie Heineman...
(like the Dirac Medal together with Sergio Ferrara and Peter van Nieuwenhuizen) "for constructing supergravity."
Research interests
Daniel Freedman is a professor at the MIT. His research is in quantum field theoryQuantum field theory
Quantum field theory provides a theoretical framework for constructing quantum mechanical models of systems classically parametrized by an infinite number of dynamical degrees of freedom, that is, fields and many-body systems. It is the natural and quantitative language of particle physics and...
, quantum gravity
Quantum gravity
Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics which attempts to develop scientific models that unify quantum mechanics with general relativity...
, and superstring theory
Superstring theory
Superstring theory is an attempt to explain all of the particles and fundamental forces of nature in one theory by modelling them as vibrations of tiny supersymmetric strings...
with an emphasis on the role of supersymmetry
Supersymmetry
In particle physics, supersymmetry is a symmetry that relates elementary particles of one spin to other particles that differ by half a unit of spin and are known as superpartners...
. His most recent area of concentration is the AdS/CFT correspondence in which results on the strong coupling limit of certain 4-dimensional gauge theories can be obtained from calculations in classical 5-dimensional supergravity
Supergravity
In theoretical physics, supergravity is a field theory that combines the principles of supersymmetry and general relativity. Together, these imply that, in supergravity, the supersymmetry is a local symmetry...
.