Edward Witten

American theoretical physicist · United States · On the map · Scientists · Born 1951 · age 75

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.

Edward Witten is read about 832 times a day, in 52 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 10 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 408 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2025Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of WalesAward2016Albert Einstein World Award of ScienceAwardHonorary Doctor of the Chinese Academy of SciencesAward2013Fellow of the American Mathematical SocietyAward2010Isaac Newton MedalAward2006Henri Poincaré PrizeAward2005Harvey PrizeAward2002Clarivate Citation LaureatesAward2000Nemmers Prize in MathematicsAward1999“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...”In their words30 June 1999Foreward, written 30 June 1999, to Supersymmetry: Unveiling the Ultimate Laws of Nature (2000) by Gordon KaneRead the whole statement

1998Oskar Klein MedalAward1997Golden Plate AwardAward1996“Good wrong ideas are extremely scarce... and good wrong ideas that even remotely rival the majesty of string theory have never been seen.”In their wordsas quoted by John Horgan, The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge in the Twilight of the Scientific Age (1996)Read the whole statement

1995“String theory is extremely attractive because gravity is forced upon us.”In their wordsas quoted by Michio Kaku, Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension (1995)Read the whole statement

1992“Most people who haven't been trained in physics probably think of what physicists do as a question of incredibly complicated calculations, but that's not really the essence of it.”In their words"Edward Witten" interview, Superstrings: A Theory of Everything? (1992) ed. P.C.W. Davies, Julian BrownRead the whole statement

“String theory at its finest is, or should be, a new branch of geometry.”In their words"Edward Witten" interview, Superstrings: A Theory of Everything? (1992) ed. P.C.W. Davies, Julian BrownRead the whole statement

“It's been said that string theory is part of the physics of the twenty-first century that fell by chance into the twentieth century.”In their words"Edward Witten" interview, Superstrings: A Theory of Everything? (1992) ed. P.C.W. Davies, Julian BrownRead the whole statement

1990Fields medalAward1985ICTP Dirac MedalAward1982MacArthur Fellows ProgramAward1951Born26 August 1951

People around Edward

David Gross Taught Edward

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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 4

Edward Witten

4 statements, newest first

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.
1996 · as quoted by John Horgan, The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge in the Twilight of the Scientific Age (1996), Own words
Generally speaking, all the really great ideas of physics are really spin-offs of string theory...
1996 · as quoted by John Horgan, The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge in the Twilight of the Scientific Age (1996), Own words
Quantum mechanics... developed through some rather messy, complicated processes stimulated by experiment.
1992 · "Edward Witten" interview, Superstrings: A Theory of Everything? (1992) ed. P.C.W. Davies, Julian Brown, Own words

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Awards

Honorary Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales2025

Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science2019

Albert Einstein World Award of Science2016

Honorary Doctor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences2016

APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research2016

Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences2014

Fellow of the American Mathematical Society2013

Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics2012

Isaac Newton Medal2010

Lorentz Medal2010

Crafoord Prize in Mathematics2008

Henri Poincaré Prize2006

Harvey Prize2005

Honorary Doctor of Harvard University2005

National Medal of Science2002

Clarivate Citation Laureates2002

Clay Research Award2001

Nemmers Prize in Mathematics2000

Foreign Member of the Royal Society1999

Oskar Klein Medal1998

Josiah Willard Gibbs Lectureship1998

Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics1998

Golden Plate Award1997

James Madison Medal1993

Fields medal1990

Alan T. Waterman Award1986

Albert Einstein Medal1985

ICTP Dirac Medal1985

MacArthur Fellows Program1982

Fellow of the American Physical Society

Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Crafoord Prize

About this person

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.

Country

United States