Frank Wilczek
Encyclopedia
Frank Anthony Wilczek is a theoretical physicist
from the United States
and a Nobel laureate. He is currently the Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
Wilczek, along with David Gross
and H. David Politzer, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 2004 for their discovery of asymptotic freedom
in the theory of the strong interaction
.
, New York
, of Polish and Italian origin, Wilczek was educated in the public schools of Queens, attending Martin Van Buren High School.
He received his Bachelor of Science
in Mathematics
at the University of Chicago
in 1970, a Master of Arts in Mathematics at Princeton University
, 1972, and a Ph.D.
in physics at Princeton University in 1974. Wilczek holds the Herman Feshbach
Professorship of Physics at MIT
Center for Theoretical Physics
. He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton and the Institute for Theoretical Physics
at the University of California, Santa Barbara
.
He was awarded the Lorentz Medal
in 2002. Wilczek won the Lilienfeld Prize
of the American Physical Society
in 2003. In the same year he was awarded the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics Commemorative Medal from Charles University in Prague. He was the co-recipient of the 2003 High Energy and Particle Physics Prize of the European Physical Society
. Wilczek was also the co-recipient of the 2005 King Faisal International Prize for Science.
He currently serves on the board for Society for Science & the Public
.
Wilczek was married to Betsy Devine
on July 3, 1973, and together have two daughters, Amity and Mira.
Wilczek has also appeared on an episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, where Penn
referred to him as "the smartest person [they have] ever had on the show."
at Princeton University
, discovered asymptotic freedom
, which holds that the closer quarks are to each other, the less the strong interaction
(or color charge
) between them; when quarks are in extreme proximity, the nuclear force between them is so weak that they behave almost as free particles. The theory, which was independently discovered by H. David Politzer, was important for the development of quantum chromodynamics
.
Wilczek has helped to reveal and develop axion
s, anyon
s, asymptotic freedom
, the color superconducting
phases of quark matter, and other aspects of quantum field theory
. He has worked on an unusually wide range of topics, ranging across condensed matter physics
, astrophysics
, and particle physics
.
Current research:
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and a Nobel laureate. He is currently the Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics 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).
Wilczek, along with David Gross
David Gross
David Jonathan Gross is an American particle physicist and string theorist. Along with Frank Wilczek and David Politzer, he was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of asymptotic freedom. He is currently the director and holder of the Frederick W...
and H. David Politzer, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
in 2004 for their discovery of asymptotic freedom
Asymptotic freedom
In physics, asymptotic freedom is a property of some gauge theories that causes interactions between particles to become arbitrarily weak at energy scales that become arbitrarily large, or, equivalently, at length scales that become arbitrarily small .Asymptotic freedom is a feature of quantum...
in the theory of the strong interaction
Strong interaction
In particle physics, the strong interaction is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature, the others being electromagnetism, the weak interaction and gravitation. As with the other fundamental interactions, it is a non-contact force...
.
Biography
Born in MineolaMineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, of Polish and Italian origin, Wilczek was educated in the public schools of Queens, attending Martin Van Buren High School.
He received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1970, a Master of Arts in Mathematics at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, 1972, and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in physics at Princeton University in 1974. Wilczek holds the Herman Feshbach
Herman Feshbach
Herman Feshbach was an American physicist. He was an Institute Professor Emeritus of physics at MIT. Feshbach is best known for Feshbach resonance and for writing, with Philip M...
Professorship of Physics at MIT
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...
Center for Theoretical Physics
MIT Center for Theoretical Physics
MIT Center for Theoretical Physics is a subdivision of MIT Laboratory for Nuclear Science and Department of Physics. Current research areas in the center include particle physics, string theory, nuclear physics, lattice QCD, cosmology and quantum computing...
. He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton and the Institute for Theoretical Physics
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics
The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics is a research institute of the University of California, Santa Barbara. KITP is one of the most renowned institutes for theoretical physics in the world. KITP programs bring theorists in physics and related fields together to work together on topics at...
at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
.
He was awarded the Lorentz Medal
Lorentz Medal
Lorentz Medal is a prize awarded every four years by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. It was established in 1925 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the doctorate of Hendrik Lorentz. This solid gold medal is given for important contributions to theoretical physics, though...
in 2002. Wilczek won the Lilienfeld Prize
Lilienfeld Prize
The Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize of the American Physical Society, to remember Julius Edgar Lilienfeld, has been awarded annually, since 1989. . The purpose of the Prize is to recognize outstanding contributions to physics....
of the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
in 2003. In the same year he was awarded the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics Commemorative Medal from Charles University in Prague. He was the co-recipient of the 2003 High Energy and Particle Physics Prize of the European Physical Society
European Physical Society
The European Physical Society is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote physics and physicists in Europe. Formally established in 1968, its membership includes the national physical societies of 41 countries, and some 3200 individual members. The Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft,...
. Wilczek was also the co-recipient of the 2005 King Faisal International Prize for Science.
He currently serves on the board for Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public , formerly known as Science Service, is a 5013 non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of science, through its science education programs and publications, including the weekly Science News magazine.Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization...
.
Wilczek was married to Betsy Devine
Betsy Devine
Betsy Devine is an American journalist, author and blogger. She earned a master's degree in engineering from Princeton University, and according to her self-description, has "many years of immersion in geek sociology, including both Slashdot and Wikipedia flame wars".She is co-author, with...
on July 3, 1973, and together have two daughters, Amity and Mira.
Wilczek has also appeared on an episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, where Penn
Penn Jillette
Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, comedian, illusionist, juggler, bassist and a best-selling author known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller, and advocacy of atheism, libertarian philosophy, free-market economics, and scientific skepticism.-Early...
referred to him as "the smartest person [they have] ever had on the show."
Research
In 1973 Wilczek, a graduate student working with David GrossDavid Gross
David Jonathan Gross is an American particle physicist and string theorist. Along with Frank Wilczek and David Politzer, he was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of asymptotic freedom. He is currently the director and holder of the Frederick W...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, discovered asymptotic freedom
Asymptotic freedom
In physics, asymptotic freedom is a property of some gauge theories that causes interactions between particles to become arbitrarily weak at energy scales that become arbitrarily large, or, equivalently, at length scales that become arbitrarily small .Asymptotic freedom is a feature of quantum...
, which holds that the closer quarks are to each other, the less the strong interaction
Strong interaction
In particle physics, the strong interaction is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature, the others being electromagnetism, the weak interaction and gravitation. As with the other fundamental interactions, it is a non-contact force...
(or color charge
Color charge
In particle physics, color charge is a property of quarks and gluons that is related to the particles' strong interactions in the theory of quantum chromodynamics . Color charge has analogies with the notion of electric charge of particles, but because of the mathematical complications of QCD,...
) between them; when quarks are in extreme proximity, the nuclear force between them is so weak that they behave almost as free particles. The theory, which was independently discovered by H. David Politzer, was important for the development of quantum chromodynamics
Quantum chromodynamics
In theoretical physics, quantum chromodynamics is a theory of the strong interaction , a fundamental force describing the interactions of the quarks and gluons making up hadrons . It is the study of the SU Yang–Mills theory of color-charged fermions...
.
Wilczek has helped to reveal and develop axion
Axion
The axion is a hypothetical elementary particle postulated by the Peccei-Quinn theory in 1977 to resolve the strong CP problem in quantum chromodynamics...
s, anyon
Anyon
In physics, an anyon is a type of particle that occurs only in two-dimensional systems. It is a generalization of the fermion and boson concept.-From theory to reality:...
s, asymptotic freedom
Asymptotic freedom
In physics, asymptotic freedom is a property of some gauge theories that causes interactions between particles to become arbitrarily weak at energy scales that become arbitrarily large, or, equivalently, at length scales that become arbitrarily small .Asymptotic freedom is a feature of quantum...
, the color superconducting
Color superconductivity
Color superconductivity is a phenomenon predicted to occur in quark matter if the baryon density is sufficiently high and the temperature is not too high...
phases of quark matter, and other aspects of quantum field theory
Quantum 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...
. He has worked on an unusually wide range of topics, ranging across condensed matter physics
Condensed matter physics
Condensed matter physics deals with the physical properties of condensed phases of matter. These properties appear when a number of atoms at the supramolecular and macromolecular scale interact strongly and adhere to each other or are otherwise highly concentrated in a system. The most familiar...
, astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
, and particle physics
Particle physics
Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...
.
Current research:
- "Pure" particle physics: connections between theoretical ideas and observable phenomena;
- Behavior of matter: phase structure of quark matter at ultra-high temperature and density; color superconductivityColor superconductivityColor superconductivity is a phenomenon predicted to occur in quark matter if the baryon density is sufficiently high and the temperature is not too high...
; - Application of particle physics to cosmologyPhysical cosmologyPhysical cosmology, as a branch of astronomy, is the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. For most of human history, it was a branch of metaphysics and religion...
; - Application of field theoryField (physics)In physics, a field is a physical quantity associated with each point of spacetime. A field can be classified as a scalar field, a vector field, a spinor field, or a tensor field according to whether the value of the field at each point is a scalar, a vector, a spinor or, more generally, a tensor,...
techniques to condensed matter physicsCondensed matter physicsCondensed matter physics deals with the physical properties of condensed phases of matter. These properties appear when a number of atoms at the supramolecular and macromolecular scale interact strongly and adhere to each other or are otherwise highly concentrated in a system. The most familiar...
; - Quantum theoryQuantum gravityQuantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics which attempts to develop scientific models that unify quantum mechanics with general relativity...
of black holes.
For lay readers
- 2008. The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces. Basic BooksBasic BooksBasic Books is a book publisher founded in 1952 and located in New York. It publishes books in the fields of psychology, philosophy, economics, science, politics, sociology, current affairs, and history.-History:...
. ISBN 978-0465003211. - 2007. La musica del vuoto. Roma: Di Renzo Editore.
- 2006. Fantastic Realities: 49 Mind Journeys And a Trip to Stockholm. World Scientific. ISBN 978-9812566553.
- 2002, "On the world's numerical recipe (an ode to physics)," DaedalusDaedalusIn Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skillful craftsman and artisan.-Family:...
131(1): 142-47. - 1989 (with Betsy DevineBetsy DevineBetsy Devine is an American journalist, author and blogger. She earned a master's degree in engineering from Princeton University, and according to her self-description, has "many years of immersion in geek sociology, including both Slashdot and Wikipedia flame wars".She is co-author, with...
). Longing for the Harmonies: Themes and Variations from Modern Physics. W W Norton. ISBN 978-0393305968.
Technical
- 1988. Geometric Phases in Physics.
- 1990. Fractional Statistics and Anyon Superconductivity.
See also
- coupling unification
- Quantum chromodynamicsQuantum chromodynamicsIn theoretical physics, quantum chromodynamics is a theory of the strong interaction , a fundamental force describing the interactions of the quarks and gluons making up hadrons . It is the study of the SU Yang–Mills theory of color-charged fermions...
- black holes
- axionAxionThe axion is a hypothetical elementary particle postulated by the Peccei-Quinn theory in 1977 to resolve the strong CP problem in quantum chromodynamics...
- dark matterDark matterIn astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
- WIMP
- quantum numberQuantum numberQuantum numbers describe values of conserved quantities in the dynamics of the quantum system. Perhaps the most peculiar aspect of quantum mechanics is the quantization of observable quantities. This is distinguished from classical mechanics where the values can range continuously...
- solitonSolitonIn mathematics and physics, a soliton is a self-reinforcing solitary wave that maintains its shape while it travels at constant speed. Solitons are caused by a cancellation of nonlinear and dispersive effects in the medium...
- fractional statistics
- Hall effectHall effectThe Hall effect is the production of a voltage difference across an electrical conductor, transverse to an electric current in the conductor and a magnetic field perpendicular to the current...
- MIT Physics DepartmentMIT Physics DepartmentThe Physics Department at MIT has over 120 faculty members. It offers academic programs leading to the S.B., S.M., Ph.D. and Sc.D. degrees.As of 2006, the department counts four Nobel Prize winners among its faculty: Samuel C.C. Ting , Jerome I. Friedman , Wolfgang Ketterle and Frank Wilczek...
- List of Poles
External links
- Biography and Bibliographic Resources, from the Office of Scientific and Technical InformationOffice of Scientific and Technical InformationThe Office of Scientific and Technical Information is a component of the Office of Science within the U.S. Department of Energy...
, United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material... - Longer biography at Lifeboat Foundation website
- Frank Wilczek explains Einstein's massive contributions to science
- Papers in ArXiv
- Frank Wilczek discusses his book "The Lightness of Being" on the 7th Avenue Project Radio Show
- The World's Numerical Recipe
- Scientific articles by Wilczek in the SLAC database
- Wilczek on anyons and superconductivity
- Blog of the Wilczek family's Nobel adventures
- Freeman DysonFreeman DysonFreeman John Dyson FRS is a British-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician, famous for his work in quantum field theory, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering. Dyson is a member of the Board of Sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists...
, "Leaping into the Grand Unknown: Review of The Lightness of Being," The New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
56(6), April 9, 2009. - ForaTV: The Large Hadron Collider and Unified Field Theory
- A radio interview with Frank Wilczeck Aired on the Lewis Burke FrumkesLewis Burke FrumkesLewis Frumkes is an American humorist and writer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. Frumkes attended a number of institutions such as New York University, Trinity College, Columbia University, and Pace University. He earned his B.A...
Radio Show the 10th of April 2011.