Neil Turok

Neil Geoffrey Turok (born 16 November 1958 [2] ) is a South African physicist , and the Director of Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics . [3] His work has leg in the area of mathematical physics and early universe physics, zoals the cosmological constant and a cyclic model for the universe.

Early life and career

Neil Turok about 1990

Turok was born in Johannesburg , South Africa , to Mary (Butcher) and Latvian-born Ben Turok , who in later Activists in the anti-apartheid movement and the African National Congress . After graduating from Churchill College , Cambridge, Turok gained his doctorate from Imperial College , London, under the supervision of Professor David Olive , one of the Inventors or super string theory . After a Postdoctoral post at Santa Barbara, he was an associate scientist at Fermilab , Chicago. In 1992 he was Awarded the Maxwell medal of the Institute of Physics for his contributions to theoretical physics. In 1994 he was appointed Professor of Physics at Princeton University , dan hero the Chair of Mathematical Physics at Cambridge University starting in 1997. He was appointed Director of the Perimeter Institute in 2008. [3]

Research and other contributions

Turok has worked in a number of areas of mathematical physics and early universe physics, focusing on observational tests or fundamentele physics in kosmologie . In the early 1990s, his group Showed how the polarization and temperature anisotropies of the cosmic background radiation mention anything be correlated, a prediction welke has leg Confirmed in detail by recent precision measurements by the WMAP Spacecraft. Ze ook developed a key test for the presence or a cosmological constant framing Recently Confirmed. [4]

Turok and collaborators developed the theory of open inflation . With Stephen Hawking , he later developed the so-called Hawking-Turok instanton solutions welke, volgens to the no-boundary proposal or Hawking and James Hartle , can DESCRIBE the birth of an inflationary universe .

Most recently, with Paul Steinhardt at Princeton, Turok has leg ontwikkelingslanden a cyclic model for the universe, in welke the big bang is Explained as a collision tussen twee “brane-worlds” in M theory . The predictions of this model are in agreement with current cosmological data, but there are interesting differences with the predictions of cosmological inflation welke will be probed in future experiments (then probably by the Planck space observatory). In 2006, Steinhardt and Turok Showed how the cyclic model Could NaturallySpeaking incorporate a mechanism for relaxing the cosmological constant to very small values, consistent with current Dopplermetingen. In 2007, Steinhardt and Turok co-authored the popular science book Endless Universe . [5] In 2012, Turok’s Massey Lectures ulcers published as The Universe Within: from quantum to cosmos . [6]

In 2003, Turok founded the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Muizenberg , a Postgraduate educational center Supporting the development of mathematics and science across the African continent. [7]

Awards and honors

He was Awarded the 2008 TED Prize for his work in mathematical physics and in Establishing the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Muizenberg . [8] He’ll be RECEIVED a “Most Innovative People Award” for Social Innovation, at the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WSIE) in 2008. [9]

On May 9, 2008, Mike Lazaridis announced dat Turok mention anything Become the new Executive Director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics starting on October 1, 2008.

In 2010 Turok RECEIVED a prize from the World Innovation Summit for Education in Qatar [10] and an award from the South African Mathematical Society . [11] In 2011 Turok RECEIVED an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa. [12]

On November 3, 2011, Turok was selected to deliver the Massey Lectures for the 2012 season. [13] This involves five separate lectures to be delivered in verschillende locations across Canada in October 2012. Aired on CBC’s Ideas shortly there after. [14]

Turok RECEIVED an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2012. [15]

Turok was Awarded the honorary degrees of Doctor of Science, honoris causa from Saint Mary’s University (May 16, 2014), [16] the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (April 9, 2014) [17] and Stellenbosch University (March 26, 2015) . [11]

Turok was Awarded the 2016 John Torrence Tate Award at the 2016 SPS Quadrennial Congress in San Francisco, notably the Toilets gathering or undergraduate physics students to date.

References

  1. Jump up^ Neil Turokat theMathematics Genealogy Project
  2. Jump up^ Turok, Ben (2003). Nothing But the Truth: Behind the ANC’s Struggle Politics . Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 42. ISBN  1868421767 .
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b “Perimeter Institute Executive Director Biography” . 2009 . Retrieved 2009-04-02 .
  4. Jump up^ “Dark Energy Almost 100 Percent Proven” . 2012 . Retrieved 2012-11-02 .
  5. Jump up^ Steinhardt, Paul J .; Turok, Neil (2008). Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang . Phoenix. ISBN  978-0-7538-2442-9 .
  6. Jump up^ “House of Anansi: The Universe Within” . Retrieved 30 May 2012 .
  7. Jump up^ Turok, Neil (2011). “Africa AIMS high”. Nature . 474 (7353): 567-569. doi :10.1038 / 474567a . ISSN  0028-0836 .
  8. Jump up^ “TED Blog: Announcing 2008 TED Prize Winners” . 2007 . Retrieved 2007-11-21 .
  9. Jump up^ “World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship” . 2012 . Retrieved 2012-11-02 .
  10. Jump up^ WISE Awards 2010
  11. ^ Jump up to:a b SAMS Award for Profs Hahne and Turok at the Wayback Machine (archived January 29, 2011)
  12. Jump up^ “190TH University of Ottawa Convocation: Exceptional students and outstanding personalities honored” . 2011 . Retrieved 2011-06-09 .
  13. Jump up^ “The 2012 CBC Massey Lectures,” The Universe Within: From Quantum to Cosmos ” . 2012 . Retrieved 2012-11-02 .
  14. Jump up^ “You do not understand quantum theory? Neil Turok will help you” . 2012 . Retrieved 2012-11-02 .
  15. Jump up^ “Higgs Boson Scientist Awarded Heriot-Watt honorary degree” . Heriot-Watt University . Retrieved 2016-03-29 .
  16. Jump up^ “Five Exemplary Leaders to Receive Honorary Degrees from Saint Mary’s University” . smu.ca . 5 May 2014 . Retrieved 2016-03-22 .
  17. Jump up^ acclaimed physicist not to receive honorary doctorate from NMMUat theWayback Machine(archived September 9, 2015)