Gordon Walter Semenoff
Encyclopedia
Gordon Walter Semenoff is a theoretical physicist and Professor of Physics at University of British Columbia. He is known for his research on quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics and string theory and is particularly famous for his co-invention, together with Antti Niemi
, of the parity anomaly
in odd-dimensional gauge field theories and for his pioneering work on graphene
. He is also well-known for development of thermal field theory, the application of index theorems and their generalizations in quantum field theory and string theory
, particularly with respect to the duality between string theories and gauge field theories
, Canada
where he attended Matthew Halton High School, graduating in the Class of 1971. After completing Bachelor of Science (1976) and Doctor of Philosophy (1981) Degrees at the University of Alberta
in Edmonton
, Canada
, Gordon spent one year, 1981–1982, as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta and a subsequent year, 1982–1983, as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1983 he was appointed a University Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia
and has spent the remainder of his career to date at that institution, being promoted to Full Professor in 1990. He has held a number of prestigious visiting appointments, including membership at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey in 1984, 1985 and 2000, and visiting professorships at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland in 1986, Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan in 1989, the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1989 and 1999, Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden in 2000, the Institut Henri Poincare in Paris, France in 2001 and 2011, the Institut des Hautes Etudes (IHES) in Bures sur Yvette, France in 2005 and 2006, the Isaac Newton Institute in Cambridge, U.K. in 2007 and the University of Tours in Tours, France in 2008.
Antti Niemi
Antti Mikko Niemi is a Finnish football goalkeeper, who is currently a free agent. He has spent much of his career in the UK , and in 2008 announced his retirement due to injury...
, of the parity anomaly
Parity anomaly
In theoretical physics a quantum field theory is said to have a parity anomaly if its classical action is invariant under a change of parity of the universe, but the quantum theory is not invariant....
in odd-dimensional gauge field theories and for his pioneering work on graphene
Graphene
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon, whose structure is one-atom-thick planar sheets of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. The term graphene was coined as a combination of graphite and the suffix -ene by Hanns-Peter Boehm, who described single-layer...
. He is also well-known for development of thermal field theory, the application of index theorems and their generalizations in quantum field theory 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...
, particularly with respect to the duality between string theories and gauge field theories
Education and Career
Gordon Walter Semenoff was born on July 11, 1953 in Pincher Creek, AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he attended Matthew Halton High School, graduating in the Class of 1971. After completing Bachelor of Science (1976) and Doctor of Philosophy (1981) Degrees at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Gordon spent one year, 1981–1982, as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta and a subsequent year, 1982–1983, as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1983 he was appointed a University Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
and has spent the remainder of his career to date at that institution, being promoted to Full Professor in 1990. He has held a number of prestigious visiting appointments, including membership at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey in 1984, 1985 and 2000, and visiting professorships at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland in 1986, Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan in 1989, the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1989 and 1999, Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden in 2000, the Institut Henri Poincare in Paris, France in 2001 and 2011, the Institut des Hautes Etudes (IHES) in Bures sur Yvette, France in 2005 and 2006, the Isaac Newton Institute in Cambridge, U.K. in 2007 and the University of Tours in Tours, France in 2008.
Awards
- Doctor of Science, honoris causa, University of Lethbridge, Canada, 2011.
- Brockhouse Medal for Achievement in Condensed Matter and Material Physics (Canadian Association of Physicists) 2010.
- Majorana Prize (presented by Electronic Journal of Theoretical Physics) 2007.
- CAP/CRM Medal for Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, 2000.
- Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2000.
- Macdowell Medal of the University of British Columbia in 1989.
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship, 1989.
- Killam Research Prize, University of British Columbia, 1989.
- NSERC University Research Fellowship, 1983
- NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1982
- Alberta Graduate Fellowship 1980-1981.
- NSERC Postgraduate Fellowship 1976-1980.