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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as Author

D. J. Thouless

Photo

Dates

September 21, 1934 – present

Authorized Form of Name

Thouless, D. J.

Additional Forms of Names

Thouless, D. J. (David J.)

Thouless, David J.

Thouless, David J., 1934-

Thouless, David James

Biography

Abstract

David Thouless is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Washington (2003-present) and 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics winner with F. Duncan Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz. Other institutional affiliations include the University of Birmingham. His research interests include statistical mechanics, superconductivity, liquid helium, magnetism, electrons in disordered materials, and the quantum Hall effect.

Important Dates

September 21, 1934Birth, Bearsden (Scotland).

1955Obtained BA, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1958Obtained PhD in Theoretical Physics, Cornell University., Ithaca (N.Y.).

1958 – 1959Physicist, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

1959 – 1961Research Fellow, University of Birmingham.

1961 – 1965Lecturer, Cambridge University.

1965 – 1978Professor of Mathematical Physics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham (England).

1979 – 1980Professor of Applied Science, Yale University.

1980 – presentProfessor of Physics (1980-2003) and Emeritus Professor of Physics (2003-present), University of Washington, Seattle (Wash.).

1983 – 1985Royal Society Research Fellow, Cambridge University.

1989 – 1992Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1990Awarded Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics.

1995Member, National Academy of Sciences.

2000Awarded Lars Onsager Prize, American Physical Society.

2016Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics with F. Duncan Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz "for their discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter".

Occupation

Theoretical physicist.

Places

Birth

Bearsden (Scotland)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (England)

Graduate Education

Ithaca (N.Y.)

Employment

Birmingham (England)

Seattle (Wash.)

Subjects

Liquid helium.

Magnetism.

Quantum Hall effect.

Statistical mechanics.

Superconductivity.

Theoretical physics.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005

PhD advisor at Cornell University, "The application of perturbation methods to the theory of nuclear matter."

Haldane, F. Duncan M.

Won 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics with J. Michael Kosterlitz "for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter."

Kosterlitz, J. Michael

Won 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics with F. Duncan Haldane "for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter."

Colleagues

Adelberger, Eric G.

Both employed at University of Washington.

Bardeen, James Maxwell, 1939-

Both employed at University of Washington.

Bernstein, Ira B.

Both employed at Yale University.

Bertsch, George F.

Both employed at University of Washington.

Dash, J. G., 1923-

Both employed at University of Washington.

Dehmelt, Hans

Both employed at University of Washington.

Diamond, R. M.

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Fortson, E. Norval

Both employed at University of Washington.

Furth, H. P.

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Gabrielse, Gerald

Both employed at University of Washington.

Grunder, Hermann

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Haxton, Wick C.

Both employed at University of Washington.

Henley, Ernest M.

Both employed at University of Washington.

McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Neddermeyer, Seth H. (Seth Henry), 1907-1988

Both employed at University of Washington.

Nelson, Ann E. (Ann Elizabeth)

Both employed at University of Washington.

Robertson, R. G. Hamish, 1943-

Both employed at University of Washington.

Rosenfeld, Arthur H., 1926-

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Stephens, F. S. (Frank Samuel)

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Stubbs, Christopher

Both employed at University of Washington.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Additional

Herring, William Conyers, 1914-

Institutions

Major Positions

Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

Physicist (Berkeley campus).

University of Birmingham. Department of Physics

Research Fellow and Professor of Mathematical Physics.

University of Cambridge. Department of Physics

Obtained BA (1955). Lecturer and Royal Society Research Fellow.

University of Washington. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Yale University. School of Engineering & Applied Science

Professor of Applied Science.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Received 2000 Lars Onsager Prize.

Cornell University. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD in Theoretical Physics (1958).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

Wolf Foundation Prizes

Received 1990 Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

50 years of Anderson localization [sound recording], 2009 March 19.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Oral history interview with William Conyers Herring, 1974 July 23, 29, and 31 October.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

The quantum mechanics of many-body systems / [by] D. J. Thouless.