Three Cam Alumni win Nobel Prize in Physics
Their pioneering work on phase transitions won them the esteemed prize whose laureates include Albert Einstein and Paul Dirac
Three Cambridge University alumni have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics today, “for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter”, as stated in the announcement of the award.
David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz were awarded the prize for using “mathematical methods to study unusual phases, or states, of matter”. The prize, awarded by the The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, was split between the winners, with half going to Thouless (Trinity Hall, 1952) and the other split equally between Haldane (Christ’s, 1970) and Kosterlitz (Gonville and Caius, 1962).
The latest news brings the number of prizes affiliated with the university up to ninety five, with thirty two being awarded in Physics.
In the award’s press release, there was hope for further progress in the field: “Thanks to their pioneering work, the hunt is now on for new and exotic phases of matter. Many people are hopeful of future applications in both materials science and electronics.”
Professor Sir Alan Fersht, the Master of Caius, was a student with Kosterlitz and stated that the news was “fantastic” and that “Mike was obviously an exceptionally clever guy”. Professor Nigel Cooper of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory also stated that the prize “is richly deserved” and that the awardees “took a visionary approach to understanding how topology plays a role in novel materials.”
All three of the alums’ colleges also took to Twitter to announce the news.
- News / Trinity reportedly votes to divest from arms companies 12 May 2024
- News / Clare porter’s ‘upsetting’ tweets spark student outrage12 May 2024
- News / Cambridge journal faces backlash for dropping ‘Anglo-Saxon’ from title 11 May 2024
- Lifestyle / Trial and Error: Bryan Johnson’s anti-ageing routine10 May 2024
- News / Colleges cancel Eurovision parties following concerns over Israel’s inclusion13 May 2024