Edward Witten Receives Basic Science Lifetime Award in Theoretical Physics

Edward Witten, Professor Emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences, has received the Basic Science Lifetime Award in Theoretical Physics from the International Congress of Basic Science. 

The citation notes that Witten "stands as a monumental figure in theoretical physics, particularly known for his pivotal contributions to string theory and quantum field theory." He is further recognized for his advancements in the understanding of quantum gravity through string theory which have been critical for understanding reality and have led to his development of M-theory. Additionally, Witten’s discovery of new connections between physics and geometry has deeply impacted mathematics and created what is known as topological quantum field theory, for which he won the Fields Medal in 1990. 

Also recognized this year were Alexei Kitaev, Distinguished Visiting Professor (2019) in the School of Natural Sciences, and Andrew John Wiles, frequent Visitor in the School of Mathematics. Kitaev received the Basic Science Lifetime Award in Theoretical Physics for his groundbreaking contributions to quantum computing and condensed matter physics, which laid the groundwork for creating topological quantum computers and qubits (quantum bits). Wiles was given the Basic Science Lifetime Award in Mathematics for his monumental proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem and his efforts to unify various aspects of number theory. 

The Basic Science Lifetime Awards are presented to scientists whose work in basic science has been both “outstanding and innovative” and has brought about fundamental change in their disciplines. The award “attempts to encourage scientists to remain bold and curious in their scientific endeavors and pursuit of the truth.”