Ezra T. Newman
Encyclopedia
Ezra Ted Newman is an American physicist, known for his many contributions to general relativity
theory. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh
. Newman was awarded the 2011 Einstein Prize
from the American Physical Society
:
. He showed an early interest in science, pondering magnets, match flames, and science books. He was admitted to the Bronx High School of Science
, where he excelled at physics. Ted's father hoped that he would follow him into dentistry, but instead Ted enrolled at NYU to further his study of physics.
(roughly 1960-1975). In 1962, together with Roger Penrose
, he introduced the powerful Newman-Penrose formalism
for working with spinor
ial quantities in general relativity. In 1963, Newman and two coworkers discovered the NUT vacuum, an exact vacuum solution to the Einstein field equation which has become a famous "counterexample to everything". In 1965, he discovered the Kerr-Newman electrovacuum
, one of the best known of all exact solutions. Newman has continued to make important contributions. Some of his most interesting recent work has involved the problem of reconstructing the gravitational field within some region from observations of how optical images are lensed
as light rays pass through the region. An email he forwarded to John C. Baez
help to touch off the Bogdanov Affair
.
and his daughter, Dara Newman, is raising a family following a career in quantitative genetics and conservation biology.
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
theory. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. Newman was awarded the 2011 Einstein Prize
Einstein Prize (APS)
The Einstein Prize is a biennial prize, awarded by the American Physical Society since 2003. The recipient is chosen for "outstanding accomplishments in the field of gravitational physics". The prize is named after Albert Einstein , who authored the theories of special and general relativity. The...
from 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...
:
For outstanding contributions to theoretical relativity, including the Newman-Penrose formalism, Kerr-Newman solution, Heaven, and null foliation theory. For his intellectual passion, generosity and honesty, which have inspired and represented a model for generations of relativists.
Early History
Newman was born in the Bronx, New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He showed an early interest in science, pondering magnets, match flames, and science books. He was admitted to the Bronx High School of Science
Bronx High School of Science
The Bronx High School of Science is a specialized New York City public high school often considered the premier science magnet school in the United States. Founded in 1938, it is now located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx...
, where he excelled at physics. Ted's father hoped that he would follow him into dentistry, but instead Ted enrolled at NYU to further his study of physics.
Career in physics
Newman was a prominent contributor to the golden age of general relativityGolden age of general relativity
The golden age of general relativity is the period roughly from 1960 to 1975 during which the study of general relativity, which had previously been regarded as something of a curiosity, entered the mainstream of theoretical physics...
(roughly 1960-1975). In 1962, together with Roger Penrose
Roger Penrose
Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS is an English mathematical physicist and Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College...
, he introduced the powerful Newman-Penrose formalism
Newman-Penrose Formalism
The Newman-Penrose Formalism is a set of notation developed by Ezra T. Newman and Roger Penrose for General Relativity. Their notation is an effort to treat General Relativity in terms of spinor notation, which introduces complex forms of the usual variables used in GR.The NP formalism is itself a...
for working with spinor
Spinor
In mathematics and physics, in particular in the theory of the orthogonal groups , spinors are elements of a complex vector space introduced to expand the notion of spatial vector. Unlike tensors, the space of spinors cannot be built up in a unique and natural way from spatial vectors...
ial quantities in general relativity. In 1963, Newman and two coworkers discovered the NUT vacuum, an exact vacuum solution to the Einstein field equation which has become a famous "counterexample to everything". In 1965, he discovered the Kerr-Newman electrovacuum
Kerr-Newman metric
The Kerr–Newman metric is a solution of the Einstein–Maxwell equations in general relativity, describing the spacetime geometry in the region surrounding a charged, rotating mass. It is assumed that the cosmological constant equals zero...
, one of the best known of all exact solutions. Newman has continued to make important contributions. Some of his most interesting recent work has involved the problem of reconstructing the gravitational field within some region from observations of how optical images are lensed
Gravitational lens
A gravitational lens refers to a distribution of matter between a distant source and an observer, that is capable of bending the light from the source, as it travels towards the observer...
as light rays pass through the region. An email he forwarded to John C. Baez
John C. Baez
John Carlos Baez is an American mathematical physicist and a professor of mathematics at the University of California, Riverside in Riverside, California. He is known for his work on spin foams in loop quantum gravity. More recently, his research has focused on applications of higher categories...
help to touch off the Bogdanov Affair
Bogdanov Affair
The Bogdanov Affair is an academic dispute regarding the legitimacy of a series of theoretical physics papers written by French twins Igor and Grichka Bogdanov . These papers were published in reputable scientific journals, and were alleged by their authors to culminate in a proposed theory for...
.
Family
His son, David E. Newman, is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of Alaska FairbanksUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
and his daughter, Dara Newman, is raising a family following a career in quantitative genetics and conservation biology.