Edward Witten

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American theoretical physicist

United States ScientistsBorn 1951 · age 75

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Fame61.2

Momentum10.0

Languages31

Peak2000s

In century#4,026

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Also inDeutsch

Photos 3

Edward Witten (left) with mathematician Shigefumi Mori, probably at the ICM in 1990, where they received the Fields Medal

Edward Witten (center) with David Gross and Stephen Hawking at Strings 2001 at TIFR in Mumbai, India

In their own words 10

Edward Witten

said · Jun 30, 1999

Own words

If supersymmetry plays the role in physics that we suspect it does, then it is very likely to be discovered by the next generation of particle accelerators, either at Fermilab...

Foreward, written June 30, 1999, to Supersymmetry: Unveiling the Ultimate Laws of Nature (2000) by Gordon Kane

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Edward Witten

said · 1996

Own words

It was clear that if I didn't spend the rest of my life concentrating on string theory, I would simply be missing my life's calling.

as quoted by John Horgan, The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge in the Twilight of the Scientific Age (1996)

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Edward Witten

said · 1996

Own words

Good wrong ideas are extremely scarce... and good wrong ideas that even remotely rival the majesty of string theory have never been seen.

as quoted by John Horgan, The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge in the Twilight of the Scientific Age (1996)

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards 32

2025Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales

2019Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

2016Albert Einstein World Award of Science

2016honorary doctor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

2016APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research

2014Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences

2013Fellow of the American Mathematical Society

2012Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

2010Isaac Newton Medal

2010Lorentz Medal

2008Crafoord Prize in Mathematics

2006Henri Poincaré Prize

2005Harvey Prize

2005honorary doctor of Harvard University

2002National Medal of Science

2002Clarivate Citation Laureates

2001Clay Research Award

2000Nemmers Prize in Mathematics

1999Foreign Member of the Royal Society

1998Oskar Klein Medal

1998Josiah Willard Gibbs Lectureship

1998Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics

1997Golden Plate Award

1993James Madison Medal

1990Fields medal

1986Alan T. Waterman Award

1985Albert Einstein Medal

1985ICTP Dirac Medal

1982MacArthur Fellows Program

Fellow of the American Physical Society

Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Crafoord Prize

In their orbit 4

Connected to Edward 6

Terence TaoAlso won Alan T. Waterman Award

David DeutschAlso won Isaac Newton Medal

Julia GillardAlso won Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales

Maryam MirzakhaniAlso won Clay Research Award

Ahmed ZewailAlso won Albert Einstein World Award of Science

David GrossAlso won honorary doctor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

About this person

Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist known for his contributions to string theory, topological quantum field theory, and various areas of mathematics. He is a professor emeritus in the school of natural sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Witten is a researcher in string theory, quantum gravity, supersymmetric quantum field theories, and other areas of mathematical physics. Witten's work has also significantly impacted pure mathematics. In 1990, he became the first physicist to be awarded a Fields Medal by the International Mathematical Union, for his mathematical insights in physics, such as his 1981 proof of the positive energy theorem in general relativity, and his interpretation of the Jones invariants of knots as Feynman integrals. He is considered the practical founder of M-theory.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Country

United States