Leo P. Kadanoff

Biography

Abstract

Leo P. Kadanoff was Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago (1978-2015). Other institutional affiliations included Brown University and the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Copenhagen. His research interests included phase transitions and superconductivity.

Important Dates

January 14, 1937Birth, New York (N.Y.).

1957Obtained AB, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1958Obtained MA, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1960Obtained PhD in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1960 – 1962Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Copenhagen.

1962 – 1969Assistant Professor of Physics (1962); Associate Professor of Physics (1963-1964); and Professor of Physics (1965-1969), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana (Ill.).

1965Visiting Professor, Cambridge University.

1969 – 1978University Professor and Professor of Physics and Engineering, Brown University, Providence (R.I.).

1977Awarded Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, American Physical Society.

1978Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1978 – 1981Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1978 – 2015Professor of Physics (1978-2015); Director, Materials Research Laboratory (1981-1984); John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Distinguished Service Professor of Physics and Mathematics (1982-2003); and Director, Materials Research Laboratory (1994-1997), University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1980Awarded Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics.

1981 – 1986Member, Advisory Committee, Statistical Physics Program, Schlumberger-Doll Research Laboratory.

1983 – 1984Member, Board of Governors, Argonne National Laboratory.

1983 – 1986Member, Board of Physics and Astronomy, National Research Council.

1988 – 1993Member, Advisory Board, Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science, University of California, Berkeley.

1994 – 1998Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Niels Bohr Institute.

1998Awarded Lars Onsager Prize, American Physical Society.

1999Awarded National Medal of Science.

1999 – 2003Member, Scientific Advising Board, NEC Laboratories America (now NEC Research Institute).

2007President, American Physical Society.

October 26, 2015Death, Chicago (Ill.).

Occupation

Theoretical physicist.

Places

Birth

New York (N.Y.)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Graduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Employment

Urbana (Ill.)

Providence (R.I.)

Chicago (Ill.)

Death

Chicago (Ill.)

Subjects

Applied mathematics.

Phase transformations (Statistical physics).

Quantum theory.

Statistical mechanics.

Theoretical physics.

Relationships

People

Family

Ditzian, Michal

Step-daughter.

Ditzian-Kadanoff, Ruth

Second wife.

Kadanoff, Betsy

Daughter.

Kadanoff, Diane Gordon

First wife. Divorced.

Kadanoff, Felice

Daughter.

Kadanoff, Marcia

Daughter.

Advisors & Collaborators

Baym, Gordon

Co-wrote "Quantum statistical mechanics; Green's function methods in equilibrium and nonequilibrium problems" and both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Brenner, Michael B.

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago in Fluid Dynamics.

Dai, Hui

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Asymptotics of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of Toeplitz matrices and non-equilibrium transport in nanostructures."

Daugherty, Debra

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Elaborating the crystal concept: Scientific modeling and ordered states of matter."

Glauber, Roy J., 1925-

PhD advisor at Harvard University.

Goldstein, Raymond E.

Advised by Kadanoff while post-doc at University of Chicago.

Hohman, Moses M.

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "A physical theory of the instabilities of electrically driven jets."

Hosoi, Annette Peko

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Reduced Dimension Models for Various Hydrodynamic Systems."

Martin, Paul Cecil, 1931-

PhD advisor at Harvard University.

Oikonomou, Panagiotis

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Application of stochastic processes in random growth and evolutionary dynamics."

Pruisken, Aad M. M.

Advised by Kadanoff at Brown University, "Marginality, Universality and Expansion Techniques for Critical Lines in Two-Dimensional Systems."

Wang, Jane

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago in physics of living organisms.

Yang, Cheng

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Dynamic point-formation in dielectric fluids."

Zhang, Zhitong M.

Advised by Kadanoff at University of Chicago, "Cycle length distribution and Hamming distance behavior of time-reversible Boolean network model."

Colleagues

Almy, Gerald Marks, 1904-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Anderson, A. C. (Ansel Cochran), 1933-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Bardeen, John

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Cardona, Manuel, 1934-

Both employed at Brown University.

Cohen, Morrel H.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Cooper, Leon N. (Leon Neil), 1930-

Both employed at Brown University.

Coppersmith, Susan Nan

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Crewe, Albert V.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Cronin, James W., 1931-2016

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Duke, Charles B.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Fano, Ugo

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Feibelman, Peter J.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Frauenfelder, Hans, 1922-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Fritzsche, Hellmut

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Ginsberg, Donald M.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Hartle, J. B. (James B.)

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Klein, Miles V., 1933-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Lazarus, David, 1921-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Lederman, Leon M.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Leggett, A. J. (Anthony J.)

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Libchaber, Albert J.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Loomis, F. W. (Francis Wheeler), 1889-1976

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Lubensky, T. C.

Both employed at Brown University.

Massey, Walter E.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Brown University, and University of Chicago.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Nagel, Sidney R.

Both employed at Brown University and University of Chicago.

Nambu, Yoichiro, 1921-2015

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Parker, E. N. (Eugene Newman), 1927-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Pines, David, 1924-2018

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Prager, William, 1903-1980

Both employed at Brown University.

Sachs, Robert Green, 1916-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Schrieffer, J. R. (John Robert), 1931-

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Shochet, Melvyn J.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Simmons, Ralph Oliver

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Simpson, John A. (John Alexander), 1916-2000

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Slichter, Charles P.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Stiles, Phillip J.

Both employed at Brown University.

Sullivan, Jeremiah D.

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Tauc, J. (Jan)

Both employed at Brown University.

Wald, Robert M.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Wentzel, Gregor, 1898-1978

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Wheatley, John Charles

Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Institutions

Major Positions

Brown University. Department of Physics

University Professor and Professor of Physics and Engineering.

Brown University. Division of Engineering

University Professor and Professor of Physics and Engineering.

University of Cambridge. Department of Physics

Visiting Professor.

University of Chicago. Department of Mathematics

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Distinguished Service Professor of Mathematics.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Director, Materials Research Laboratory and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Distinguished Service Professor of Physics.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Physics

Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; and Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

President and received 1977 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize and 1998 Lars Onsager Prize.

Argonne National Laboratory

Member, Board of Governors.

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1957), MA (1958) and PhD in Physics (1960).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

National Research Council (U.S.)

Member, Board of Physics and Astronomy.

NEC Laboratories America

Member, Scientific Advising Board.

Niels Bohr institutet

Postdoctoral Fellow and Member, Scientific Advisory Board.

Schlumberger-Doll Research Center

Member, Advisory Committee, Statistical Physics Program.

University of California, Berkeley. Miller Institute for Basic Research

Member, Advisory Board.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

Wolf Foundation Prizes

Received 1980 Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics.

Resources

Published Resources

Author

Quantum statistical mechanics; Green's function methods in equilibrium and nonequilibrium problems [by] Leo P. Kadanoff [and] Gordon Baym.

Subject

"Conservation Laws and the Quantum Theory of Transport: The Early Days" (pdf)

Leo Philip Kadanoff Physics Today obituary.