Peter van Nieuwenhuizen
Encyclopedia
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen (born October 26, 1938 in Utrecht
, the Netherlands) 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. Freedman
.
where he obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of later Nobel laureate Martinus Veltman. After his studies in Utrecht he went to CERN
(Geneva), the University of Paris in Orsay, and Brandeis University
(Waltham), each for two years. In 1975 he joined the Institute for Theoretical Physics, now named C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics
, of the State University of New York at Stony Brook
,
where he succeeded Nobel laureate C. N. Yang as its director from 1999 till 2002.
He is married to Marie de Crombrugghe, and they have three children, Adrienne, Olivia, and Patrick.
, the first supersymmetric extension of Einstein's theory of general relativity
, and for their central role in its subsequent development
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen, Sergio Ferrara
and Daniel Z. Freedman
received 1993 the Dirac medal from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics
in Trieste (Italy) and 2006 the Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
of the American Physical Society
.
He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, and a corresponding member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, and of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He was made a Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion in 2004, and Honorary professor of the Technical University of Vienna (Austria) in 2005.
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, the Netherlands) is a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. He is now a distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Van Nieuwenhuizen is best-known for his 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...
with 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...
and 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:...
.
Vita
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen studied physics and mathematics at the University of Utrecht,where he obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of later Nobel laureate Martinus Veltman. After his studies in Utrecht he went to CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
(Geneva), the University of Paris in Orsay, and Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
(Waltham), each for two years. In 1975 he joined the Institute for Theoretical Physics, now named C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics
C. N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics
The C. N. Yang Institute of Theoretical Physics 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...
, of the State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
,
where he succeeded Nobel laureate C. N. Yang as its director from 1999 till 2002.
He is married to Marie de Crombrugghe, and they have three children, Adrienne, Olivia, and Patrick.
Awards and honors
For constructing supergravitySupergravity
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...
, the first supersymmetric extension of Einstein's theory of general relativity
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...
, and for their central role in its subsequent development
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen, 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...
and 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:...
received 1993 the Dirac medal from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics
International Centre for Theoretical Physics
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics was founded in 1964 by Pakistani scientist and Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam after consulting with Munir Ahmad Khan. It operates under a tripartite agreement among the Italian Government, UNESCO, and International Atomic Energy Agency...
in Trieste (Italy) and 2006 the Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
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...
of 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...
.
He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, and a corresponding member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, and of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He was made a Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion in 2004, and Honorary professor of the Technical University of Vienna (Austria) in 2005.
External links
- http://insti.physics.sunysb.edu/physics/forms/profilesearch.cgi?lastname=van%20nieuwenhuizen
- http://positron3.aps.org/praw/heineman/06winner_peter.cfm