Tai Tsun Wu
Encyclopedia
Tai Tsun Wu is an Chinese American
physicist and applied physicist well known for his contributions to high-energy nuclear physics
and statistical mechanics
.
Born in Shanghai
, he studied electrical engineering
at University of Minnesota
and became a William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
fellow (1953). He obtained an S.M. (1954) and Ph.D.
(1956) in applied physics
from Harvard University
.
His thesis concerned I. The Concept of Impedance II. High Frequency Scattering and was advised by Ronold W. P. King
.
At Harvard, he continued as Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows (1956-59),
joined the faculty of applied physics (1959) and is currently the
Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics & Professor of Physics.
Wu has also had visiting appointments with
Rockefeller University
(1966),
at the DESY
in Hamburg, Germany (1971),
at CERN
in Geneva, Switzerland and
Utrecht University
(1977)
He has studied statistical mechanics
on Bose-Einstein condensation in an external potential, classical electromagnetic theory
(1960).
With Hung Cheng
, he used gauge quantum field theory
to predict the unboundedly increasing
total scattering cross sections at very high energies,
experimentally verified at CERN
and Tevatron collider.
Wu studied production processes for the Large Hadron Collider
, in particular to predict the production cross section of a Higgs particle with low momentum together with two forward jets.
With Chen Ning Yang he studied CP violation
and what not such as globalization of the gauge theory. More recently, Wu has studied quantum information processing based on the Schrödinger equation
without any spatial dimension in the modeling and application of quantum memories.
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
physicist and applied physicist well known for his contributions to high-energy nuclear physics
High-energy nuclear physics
High-energy nuclear physics is a field of study that examines nuclear matter in energy regimes typicallydelegated to high energy physics. The primary focus of this field is the study of heavy-ion collisions....
and statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...
.
Born in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, he studied electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
at University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and became a William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, often abbreviated to the Putnam Competition, is an annual mathematics competition for undergraduate college students of the United States and Canada, awarding scholarships and cash prizes ranging from $250 to $2,500 for the top students and $5,000...
fellow (1953). He obtained an S.M. (1954) and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(1956) in applied physics
Applied physics
Applied physics is a general term for physics which is intended for a particular technological or practical use.It is usually considered as a bridge or a connection between "pure" physics and engineering....
from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
His thesis concerned I. The Concept of Impedance II. High Frequency Scattering and was advised by Ronold W. P. King
Ronold W. P. King
Ronold Wyeth Percival King was an American applied physicist, known forhis contributions to the theory and application of microwave antennas....
.
At Harvard, he continued as Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows (1956-59),
joined the faculty of applied physics (1959) and is currently the
Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics & Professor of Physics.
Wu has also had visiting appointments with
Rockefeller University
Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is a private university offering postgraduate and postdoctoral education. It has a strong concentration in the biological sciences. It is also known for producing numerous Nobel laureates...
(1966),
at the DESY
DESY
The DESY is the biggest German research center for particle physics, with sites in Hamburg and Zeuthen....
in Hamburg, Germany (1971),
at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
in Geneva, Switzerland and
Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
(1977)
He has studied statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...
on Bose-Einstein condensation in an external potential, classical electromagnetic theory
(1960).
With Hung Cheng
Hung Cheng
Hung Cheng is a professor of Applied Mathematics in the theoretical physics group of the Department of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ....
, he used gauge 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...
to predict the unboundedly increasing
total scattering cross sections at very high energies,
experimentally verified at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
and Tevatron collider.
Wu studied production processes for the Large Hadron Collider
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing the understanding of the deepest laws of nature....
, in particular to predict the production cross section of a Higgs particle with low momentum together with two forward jets.
With Chen Ning Yang he studied CP violation
CP violation
In particle physics, CP violation is a violation of the postulated CP-symmetry: the combination of C-symmetry and P-symmetry . CP-symmetry states that the laws of physics should be the same if a particle were interchanged with its antiparticle , and left and right were swapped...
and what not such as globalization of the gauge theory. More recently, Wu has studied quantum information processing based on the Schrödinger equation
Schrödinger equation
The Schrödinger equation was formulated in 1926 by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger. Used in physics , it is an equation that describes how the quantum state of a physical system changes in time....
without any spatial dimension in the modeling and application of quantum memories.
Awards
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, 1977 - The Humboldt PrizeThe Humboldt PrizeThe Humboldt Prize, also known as the Humboldt Research Award, is an award given by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to internationally renowned scientists and scholars, and is currently valued at € 60,000 with the possibility of further support during the prize winner's life. Up to one...
1985 - 1999 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical PhysicsDannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical PhysicsDannie 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...
with Barry M. McCoyBarry M. McCoyBarry M. McCoy is an American physicist, known for his contributions to classical statistical mechanics, integrable models and conformal field theories.He earned a B.Sc. from California Institute of Technology ,and a Ph.D...
and Alexander ZamolodchikovAlexander ZamolodchikovAlexander Borissowitsch Zamolodchikov is a Russian physicist, known for his contributions to condensed matter physics and string theory.Born near Dubna,...
Books
- The Scattering and Diffraction of Waves (Harvard University PressHarvard University PressHarvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
, 1959). With Ronold W. P. KingRonold W. P. KingRonold Wyeth Percival King was an American applied physicist, known forhis contributions to the theory and application of microwave antennas....
. - The two-dimensional Ising modelIsing modelThe Ising model is a mathematical model of ferromagnetism in statistical mechanics. The model consists of discrete variables called spins that can be in one of two states . The spins are arranged in a graph , and each spin interacts with its nearest neighbors...
(Harvard University PressHarvard University PressHarvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
, 1973). With Barry M. McCoyBarry M. McCoyBarry M. McCoy is an American physicist, known for his contributions to classical statistical mechanics, integrable models and conformal field theories.He earned a B.Sc. from California Institute of Technology ,and a Ph.D... - Expanding Protons: Scattering at High Energies (MIT PressMIT PressThe MIT Press is a university press affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts .-History:...
, 1987). With Hung ChengHung ChengHung Cheng is a professor of Applied Mathematics in the theoretical physics group of the Department of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .... - The Ubiquitous PhotonPhotonIn physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction and the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force...
: HelicityHelicityThe term helicity has several meanings. In physics, all referring to a phenomenon that resembles a helix. See:*helicity , the extent to which corkscrew-like motion occurs...
Methods for QEDQuantum electrodynamicsQuantum electrodynamics is the relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. In essence, it describes how light and matter interact and is the first theory where full agreement between quantum mechanics and special relativity is achieved...
and QCDQuantum 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...
(Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1990). With Raymond Gastmans - Lateral Electromagnetic Waves: Theory and Applications to Communications, Geophysical Exploration, and Remote Sensing (Springer-Verlag, 1992). With Ronold W. P. KingRonold W. P. KingRonold Wyeth Percival King was an American applied physicist, known forhis contributions to the theory and application of microwave antennas....
and Margaret Owens