Jürg Fröhlich
Encyclopedia
Jürg Martin Fröhlich is a Swiss mathematician
and theoretical physicist.
In 1965 Fröhlich began to study mathematics and physics at Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule Zürich. In 1969 he attained under Klaus Hepp
and Robert Schrader the Diplom
(“Dressing Transformations in Quantum Field Theory”), and 1972 he earned a PhD from the same institution under Klaus Hepp. After postdoctoral visits to the University of Geneva
and Harvard University
(with Arthur Jaffe
), he took an assistant professorship in 1974 in the mathematics department of Princeton University
. From 1978 until 1982 he was a professor at Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
in Bures-sur-Yvette
in Paris, and since 1982 he has been a professor for theoretical physics at ETH, where he founded the Center for Theoretical Studies.
In 1978, Fröhlich gave an invited address to the International Congress of Mathematicians
in Helsinki
(“On the mathematics of phase transitions”) and in 1994 at the plenary talk of the ICM in Zurich (“The FQHE
, Chern-Simons Theory
and Integral Lattices”). In 1991 he received with Thomas Spencer (mathematical physicist)
the Dannie Heineman prize
, in 1997 he received the Marcel Benoist Prize
, in 2001 he won the Max Planck Medal
of the Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, and in 2009 he was awarded the Henri Poincaré Prize. He is a member of the Academia Europaea
and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
.He also co-authored a book on quantum triviality
.
Fröhlich works on quantum field theory
(including axiomatic quantum field theory
, conformal field theory
, and topological quantum field theory
), on the precise mathematical treatment of models of statistical mechanics
, on theories of phase transition
, on the fractional quantum Hall effect
, and on non-commutative geometry.
Fröhlich has been married since 1972 and has two daughters.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and theoretical physicist.
In 1965 Fröhlich began to study mathematics and physics at Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule Zürich. In 1969 he attained under Klaus Hepp
Klaus Hepp
Klaus Hepp is a German-born Swiss theoretical physicist working mainly in quantum field theory. Hepp studied mathematics and physics at Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität in Münster and at the Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule in Zurich, where, in 1962, with Res Jost as thesis first...
and Robert Schrader the Diplom
Diplom
A Diplom is an academic degree in the German-speaking countries Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and a similarly named degree in some other European countries including Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Finland , Greece, Hungary, Russia, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Ukraine...
(“Dressing Transformations in Quantum Field Theory”), and 1972 he earned a PhD from the same institution under Klaus Hepp. After postdoctoral visits to the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(with Arthur Jaffe
Arthur Jaffe
Arthur Jaffe is an American mathematical physicist and a professor at Harvard University. Born on December 22, 1937 he attended Princeton University as an undergraduate obtaining a degree in chemistry, and later Clare College, Cambridge, as a Marshall Scholar, obtaining a degree in mathematics...
), he took an assistant professorship in 1974 in the mathematics department of Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. From 1978 until 1982 he was a professor at Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
The Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques is a French institute supporting advanced research in mathematics and theoretical physics...
in Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Bures-sur-Yvette are known as Buressois.-Geography:...
in Paris, and since 1982 he has been a professor for theoretical physics at ETH, where he founded the Center for Theoretical Studies.
In 1978, Fröhlich gave an invited address to the International Congress of Mathematicians
International Congress of Mathematicians
The International Congress of Mathematicians is the largest conference for the topic of mathematics. It meets once every four years, hosted by the International Mathematical Union ....
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
(“On the mathematics of phase transitions”) and in 1994 at the plenary talk of the ICM in Zurich (“The FQHE
Fractional quantum Hall effect
The fractional quantum Hall effect is a physical phenomenon in which the Hall conductance of 2D electrons shows precisely quantised plateaus at fractional values of e^2/h. It is a property of a collective state in which electrons bind magnetic flux lines to make new quasiparticles, and excitations...
, Chern-Simons Theory
Chern-Simons theory
The Chern–Simons theory is a 3-dimensional topological quantum field theory of Schwarz type, introduced by Edward Witten. It is so named because its action is proportional to the integral of the Chern–Simons 3-form....
and Integral Lattices”). In 1991 he received with Thomas Spencer (mathematical physicist)
Thomas Spencer (mathematical physicist)
Thomas C. Spencer is an American mathematical physicist, known in particular for important contributions to constructive quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, and spectral theory of random operators. Since 1986, he is professor of mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study...
the Dannie Heineman prize
Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics is an award given each year since 1959 jointly by the American Physical Society and American Institute of Physics. It is established by the Heineman Foundation in honour of Dannie Heineman...
, in 1997 he received the Marcel Benoist Prize
Marcel Benoist Prize
The Marcel Benoist Prize, offered by the Marcel Benoist Foundation, is a monetary prize that has been offered annually since 1920 to a scientist of Swiss nationality or residency who has made the most useful scientific discovery. Emphasis is placed on those discoveries affecting human life...
, in 2001 he won the Max Planck Medal
Max Planck medal
The Max Planck medal is an award for extraordinary achievements in theoretical physics. It is awarded annually by the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft , the world's largest organization of physicists.-List of recipients:...
of the Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft, and in 2009 he was awarded the Henri Poincaré Prize. He is a member of the Academia Europaea
Academia Europaea
Academia Europæa is a European non-governmental scientific academy founded in 1988. Its members are scientists and scholars who collectively aim to promote learning, education and research. It publishes European Review through Cambridge Journals....
and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften is the academy of sciences of the German states Berlin and Brandenburg. As the word "Wissenschaft", in German includes both the natural sciences and the humanities, the academy's title is best translated as Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of...
.He also co-authored a book on quantum triviality
Quantum triviality
In a quantum field theory, charge screening can restrict the value of the observable "renormalized" charge of a classical theory. Ifthe only allowed value of the renormalized charge is zero, the theory is said to be "trivial" or noninteracting...
.
Fröhlich works on 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...
(including axiomatic quantum field theory
Axiomatic quantum field theory
Axiomatic quantum field theory is a mathematical discipline which aims to describe quantum field theory in terms of rigorous axioms. It is strongly associated with functional analysis and operator algebras, but has also been studied in recent years from a more geometric and functorial...
, conformal field theory
Conformal field theory
A conformal field theory is a quantum field theory that is invariant under conformal transformations...
, and topological quantum field theory
Topological quantum field theory
A topological quantum field theory is a quantum field theory which computes topological invariants....
), on the precise mathematical treatment of models of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics or statistical thermodynamicsThe terms statistical mechanics and statistical thermodynamics are used interchangeably...
, on theories of phase transition
Phase transition
A phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase or state of matter to another.A phase of a thermodynamic system and the states of matter have uniform physical properties....
, on the fractional quantum Hall effect
Fractional quantum Hall effect
The fractional quantum Hall effect is a physical phenomenon in which the Hall conductance of 2D electrons shows precisely quantised plateaus at fractional values of e^2/h. It is a property of a collective state in which electrons bind magnetic flux lines to make new quasiparticles, and excitations...
, and on non-commutative geometry.
Fröhlich has been married since 1972 and has two daughters.
Selected works
- J.Fröhlich “The Pure phases (harmonic functions) of generalized processes or: mathematical physics of phase transitions and symmetry breaking”, Bulletin of the AMS, 1978, S.165-193
- Fröhlich, Spencer “Some recent rigorous results in the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena”, Seminar Bourbaki 586, 1982
- Driessler, Fröhlich “The reconstruction of local observable algebras from the euclidean Green's functions of relativistic quantum field theory”, Annales de l'Institut Henri Poincaré 1977, S.221-236
- Eckmann, Epstein, Fröhlich “Asymptotic perturbation expansion for the S-matrix and the definition of time ordered functions in relativistic quantum field models”, Annales de l'Institut Henri Poincaré 1976, S.1-34
- Fröhlich, Studer, Thiran “Quantum theory of large systems of non relativistic matter”, Les Houches Lectures 1994, 145 Seiten
- Fröhlich, Chen, Seifert “Renormalization Group Methods: Landau-Fermi liquid and BCS Superconductor”, Les Houches 1994, 50 Seiten
- Fröhlich, Grandjean, Recknagel „Supersymmetric quantum theory, non commutative geometry and gravitation, Les Houches Lectures 1995
- Fröhlich, Simon, Spencer „Infrared bounds, phase transitions and continuous symmetry breaking”, Communications in mathematical physics, Bd.50, 1976, S.79-95