Keith Brueckner
Encyclopedia
Keith Allen Brueckner is a theoretical physicist who has given important contributions in several areas of physics
, including many-body theory in condensed matter physics
, and laser fusion. He was born in Minneapolis on March 19, 1924. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in mathematics from the University of Minnesota
in 1945 and 1947 and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley
, in 1950.
After completing his Ph.D. he joined the physics faculty at Indiana University
(1951–1955) and then at the University of Pennsylvania
(1956–1959). In 1959, Brueckner was recruited by Roger Revelle
to come to University of California, San Diego
, where he became one of founders the Department of Physics.
As Dean of the faculty during the early years of UCSD he was influential in recruiting several of the founding academics of the university.
In a collaboration with Murray Gell-Mann
they showed that the random phase approximation
(RPA) can be derived by summing up a series of Feynmann diagrams. This was a seminal result at the time, since the relevance and correctness of RPA was heavily debated. This result is often considered to be the first major result of modern quantum many-particle theory and has been important inspiration for an entire field.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, including many-body theory in condensed matter physics
Condensed matter physics
Condensed matter physics deals with the physical properties of condensed phases of matter. These properties appear when a number of atoms at the supramolecular and macromolecular scale interact strongly and adhere to each other or are otherwise highly concentrated in a system. The most familiar...
, and laser fusion. He was born in Minneapolis on March 19, 1924. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in mathematics from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1945 and 1947 and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, in 1950.
After completing his Ph.D. he joined the physics faculty at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
(1951–1955) and then at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
(1956–1959). In 1959, Brueckner was recruited by Roger Revelle
Roger Revelle
Roger Randall Dougan Revelle was a scientist and scholar who was instrumental in the formative years of the University of California, San Diego and was one of the first scientists to study global warming and the movement of Earth's tectonic plates...
to come to University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
, where he became one of founders the Department of Physics.
As Dean of the faculty during the early years of UCSD he was influential in recruiting several of the founding academics of the university.
In a collaboration with Murray Gell-Mann
Murray Gell-Mann
Murray Gell-Mann is an American physicist and linguist who received the 1969 Nobel Prize in physics for his work on the theory of elementary particles...
they showed that the random phase approximation
Random phase approximation
The random phase approximation is an approximation method in condensed matter physics and in nuclear physics. It was first introduced by David Bohm and David Pines as an important result in a series of seminal papers. For decades physicists had been trying to incorporate the effect of microscopic...
(RPA) can be derived by summing up a series of Feynmann diagrams. This was a seminal result at the time, since the relevance and correctness of RPA was heavily debated. This result is often considered to be the first major result of modern quantum many-particle theory and has been important inspiration for an entire field.