C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics
Encyclopedia
The C. N. Yang Institute of Theoretical Physics (YITP) is a research center at Stony Brook University. In 1965, it was the vision of then University President J.S. Toll
and Physics Department chair T.A. Pond to create an institute for theoretical physics and invite the famous physicist Chen Ning Yang from Institute for Advanced Study
to serve as its director with the Albert Einstein Professorship of Physics. While the center is often referred to as "YITP", this can be confusing as YITP also stands for the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics
in Japan.
The active research areas of the institute include: Quantum Field Theory
, String Theory
, Mathematical Physics
and Statistical Mechanics
. The YITP is situated on top of the Math Tower, home to the Department of Mathematics which is connected to the Department of Physics and the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
-- therefore the physicists enjoy intimate interactions with the mathematicians. This close relationship dates back to the friendship of C.N. Yang and the mathematician James Harris Simons
.
Founded in 1967, YITP celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007. During the time span, the YITP has produced significant results in different areas, most notably was the discovery of Supergravity
in 1976 by Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
, Daniel Z. Freedman
, and Sergio Ferrara
, who were all working there at the time.
John S. Toll
John Sampson Toll was an American physicist and educational administrator.Toll received his bachelor's degree in physics from Yale in 1944, after which he served in the Navy in World War II. He finished his Ph.D...
and Physics Department chair T.A. Pond to create an institute for theoretical physics and invite the famous physicist Chen Ning Yang from 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...
to serve as its director with the Albert Einstein Professorship of Physics. While the center is often referred to as "YITP", this can be confusing as YITP also stands for the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics
Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics
The is a research institute in the field of theoretical physics, attached to Kyoto University in Japan. It was inaugurated in 1952.While the center is often referred to as "YITP", this can be confusing as YITP also stands for the C. N...
in Japan.
The active research areas of the institute include: 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...
, String Theory
String theory
String theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything , a manner of describing the known fundamental forces and matter in a mathematically complete system...
, Mathematical Physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
and Statistical Mechanics
Statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...
. The YITP is situated on top of the Math Tower, home to the Department of Mathematics which is connected to the Department of Physics and the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics is a center for theoretical physics and mathematics at Stony Brook University in New York. The focus of the center is mathematical physics and the interface of geometry and physics. It was founded in 2007 by a gift from the James and Marilyn Simons...
-- therefore the physicists enjoy intimate interactions with the mathematicians. This close relationship dates back to the friendship of C.N. Yang and the mathematician James Harris Simons
James Harris Simons
James Harris "Jim" Simons is an American hedge fund manager, mathematician, and philanthropist.In 1982, Simons founded Renaissance Technologies, a private investment firm based in New York with over $15 billion under management; Simons is still at the helm, as CEO, of what is now one of the...
.
Founded in 1967, YITP celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007. During the time span, the YITP has produced significant results in different areas, most notably was the discovery of 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...
in 1976 by 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...
, Daniel Z. Freedman
Daniel Z. Freedman
Daniel Z. Freedman is an American theoretical physicist. He is a Professor of Physics and Applied Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . He is known for his work in supergravity.-Education:...
, and Sergio Ferrara
Sergio 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...
, who were all working there at the time.
Directors
- Chen Ning Yang - first director (1967-1999) and 1957 Nobel Laureate.
- Peter van NieuwenhuizenPeter van NieuwenhuizenPeter 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...
- second director (1999-2002) and co-discoverer of supergravity. - George StermanGeorge StermanGeorge Franklin Sterman is an American theoretical physicist and the Director of the C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics at Stony Brook University where he holds the rank Distinguished Professor.-Background:...
- third director (2002-) and noted field theorist
Notable tenants
- Gerald E. BrownGerald E. BrownGerald Edward "Gerry" Brown is an American theoretical physicist who works on nuclear physics and astrophysics. Since 1968 he has been a professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is currently a distinguished professor emeritus of the C. N...
- nuclear physics, theoretical astrophysics - Michael CreutzMichael CreutzMichael John Creutz is an American theoretical physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory specializing in lattice gauge theory and computational physics.-Background:Creutz was born in 1944 in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
- lattice gauge theory, computational physics - Michael DouglasMichael R. DouglasMichael R. Douglas is an American theoretical physicist and professor currently at Stony Brook University.Michael R. Douglas was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the son of Nancy and Ronald G. Douglas, a mathematician specializing in operator algebras. He received his bachelor's degree in physics...
- string theory (joint position with SCGP) - Vladimir KorepinVladimir KorepinVladimir Korepin is a Russian-American physicist and mathematician. He is a professor at the C. N. Yang Institute of Theoretical Physics of the State University of New York at Stony Brook...
- mathematical physics - 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...
- statistical mechanics and conformal field theory - Martin RocekMartin RocekMartin Rocek is a professor of theoretical physics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a member of the C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics. He received A.B. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University in 1975 and 1979...
- mathematical physics, string theory - Warren SiegelWarren SiegelWarren Siegel is a theoretical physicist specializing in supersymetric quantum field theory and string theory. He is a professor at the C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics at Stony Brook University in New York.-Background:...
- field theory, string theory