John J. Hopfield

Biography

Abstract

Ph.D. in Physics, Cornell University, 1958. Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley (1961-64); Professor of Physics, Princeton University (1964-80); Member of technical staff, Bell Telephone Laboratories (1973-89); Roscoe Gilkey Dickinson Professor of Chemistry and Biology, California Institute of Technology (1980-97); and Professor of Molecular Biology, Princeton University (1997-present).

Important Dates

July 15, 1933Birth, Chicago (Ill.).

1954Obtained A.B. in Physics, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore (Pa.).

1958Obtained Ph.D. in Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).

1958 – 1960Technical Staff, Theoretical Physics Group, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).

1960 – 1961Visiting Research Physicist, Ecole Normale Superieure.

1961 – 1964Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley.

1964 – 1980Professor of Physics (1964-1979) and Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics (1979-1980), Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1965 – 1967Member, Tycho Study Group, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1969Awarded the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, American Physical Society.

1971 – 1973Member, Strategic Military Panel, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1973 – 1984Technical Staff, Molecular Biophysics Group, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).

1980 – 1997Roscoe Gilkey Dickinson Professor of Chemistry and Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1982 – presentMember, Board of Trustees, Battelle Memorial Institute.

1983Fellowship, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

1983 – 1986Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1984 – 1989Member, Technical Staff, AT & T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).

1985Awarded Max Delbruck Prize in Biological Physics, American Physical Society.

1990 – 1996Member, Board of Trustees, Harvey Mudd College.

1995 – 1998Chair, Committee on Publication, National Academy of Sciences.

1997 – presentProfessor of Molecular Biology (1997-2001) and Howard A. Prior Professor of Molecular Biology (2001-present), Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

2006President, American Physical Society (APS).

Occupation

Biophysicist, neuroscientist, and computer scientist.

Places

Birth

Chicago (Ill.)

Undergraduate Education

Swarthmore (Pa.)

Graduate Education

Ithaca (N.Y.)

Employment

Princeton (N.J.)

Murray Hill (N.J.)

Pasadena (Calif.)

Subjects

Biophysics.

Computer science.

Neurosciences.

Relationships

People

Family

Hopfield, Alison

Daughter.

Hopfield, Jessica

Daughter.

Hopfield, Natalie

Daughter.

Advisors & Collaborators

Beratan, D. (David)

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology on the theory of long distance electron transfer reactions.

Brody, Carlos

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Downs, Oliver B., 1976-

Advised by Hopfield at Princeton University.

Girvin, Steven M.

Advised by Hopfield at Princeton University.

Halperin, Bertrand I.

Advised by Hopfield at University of California, Berkeley. Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

MacKay, David J. C.

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Mjolsness, Eric

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Onuchic, José

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology, "New aspects of the theory of electron transfer reaction dynamics."

Overhauser, Albert Warner, 1925-

Ph.D. advisor at Cornell University on quantum theory of crystals.

Roweis, Sam

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Sahani, Maneesh

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Sejnowski, Terrence J. (Terrence Joseph)

Advised by Hopfield at Princeton University on nonlinearly interacting neurons.

Winfree, Erik, 1969-

Advised by Hopfield at California Institute of Technology.

Wittenberg, Gayle Marie, 1973-

Advised by Hopfield at Princeton University.

Colleagues

Adelberger, Eric G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Aeppli, Gabriel

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ahlers, G. (Günter)

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Aizenman, Michael

Both employed at Princeton University.

Alivisatos, P.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-

Both employed at Princeton University and Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Appelbaum, J. A. (Joel A.)

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ashkin, Arthur, 1922-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Aspnes, D. E.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Austin, Robert H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bargmann, V. (Valentine), 1908-1989

Both employed at Princeton University.

Birge, Raymond T. (Raymond Thayer), 1887-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Bishop, David John, 1951-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Bleakney, Walker, 1901-1992

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bode, Hendrik W. (Hendrik Wade), 1905-1982

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Boyle, Willard S., 1924-2011

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Brinkman, William F. (William Frank), 1938-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Brown, G. E. (Gerald Edward), 1926-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Buchsbaum, Solomon J.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Bucksbaum, Philip H.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Callan, Curtis G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Cava, Robert J.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Chabal, Yves Jean, 1952-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Chamberlain, O. (Owen)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chemla, D. S.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Christ, Norman

Both employed at Princeton University.

Christy, Robert F.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Chu, Steven

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Chynoweth, A. G.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Clogston, Albert McCavour

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Cohen, Marvin L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Commins, Eugene D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Coppersmith, Susan Nan

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Cronin, James W., 1931-2016

Both employed at Princeton University.

Cutler, Cassius Chapin

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Darlington, Sidney, 1906-1997

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

David, Edward E.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Delbrück, Max

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Dicke, Robert H. (Robert Henry)

Both employed at Princeton University.

DiSalvo, Francis

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Dolan, Gerald

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Dynes, Robert C.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Eigler, Donald

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Eisenstein, James P. (James Philip)

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Emery, V. J. (Victor J.)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Everhart, Thomas E.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Feher, George, 1924-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Fetter, Alexander L., 1937-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fleury, Paul A.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Freedman, Stuart J.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fulton, Theodore Alan

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Glaser, D. A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at Princeton University and California Institute of Technology.

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Gossard, A. C.

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Greene, Laura H.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Gross, David J. (David Jonathan)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hagstrum, Homer D.

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Haldane, F. Duncan M.

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Hamann, Donald, 1939-

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Hartle, J. B. (James B.)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Heeger, Alan J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hellman, Frances

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Herring, William Conyers, 1914-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Hohenberg, Pierre C.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Isaacs, Eric D.

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Jackson, Shirley Ann, 1946-

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Jeffries, C. D., 1922-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Johnson, Peter D., 1952-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Kelly, Mervin Joe

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Kittel, Charles

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kompfner, Rudolf, 1909-1977

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Lander, James J., 1914-1996

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Loeb, Leonard B. (Leonard Benedict), 1891-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Matthias, Bernd T., 1918-1980

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Millis, Andrew J.

Both employed at AT & T Bell Laboratories.

Moyer, Burton J., 1912-1973

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Murray, Cherry Ann

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Narath, Albert, 1933-

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Nierenberg, William Aaron, 1919-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Osheroff, Douglas D.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Patel, C. Kumar N.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Penzias, Arno A.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Pfann, William G.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Phillips, J. C.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Phillips, Julia M.

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Pinczuk, Aron

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Pollock, Robert Elwood, 1936-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Raghavachari, Krishnan

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Raney, William P.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Reynolds, John Hamilton, 1923-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Rice, Thomas Maurice, 1939-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Rowell, John Martin, 1935-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ruderman, Malvin A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Schawlow, Arthur L., 1921-1999

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Schwarz, John H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Seaborg, Glenn T. (Glenn Theodore), 1912-1999

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Segrè, Emilio

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shank, C. V. (Charles V.)

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Shen, Y. R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Smith, George E., 1930-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Smith, Neville, 1942-2006

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Smyth, Henry De Wolf, 1898-1986

Both employed at Princeton University.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Stillinger, F. H.

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Störmer, Horst

Both employed at Bell Laboratories.

Tank, David William, 1953-

Both employed at Bell Laboratories and Princeton University.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Thomas, D. G. (David Gilbert), 1928-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Thomas, Gareth, 1932-2014

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Treiman, Sam B.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Tsui, D. C. (Daniel Chee), 1939-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Watson, Kenneth M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weeks, John David

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weiss, Rainer

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wightman, A. S. (Arthur Strong), 1922-2013

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902-1995

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilczek, Frank

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilkinson, David T.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilson, Robert Woodrow, 1936-

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Witherell, Michael S., 1949-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Yariv, Amnon

Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.

York, James W., Jr., 1939-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Additional

Shulman, R. G. (Robert Gerson)

Institutions

Major Positions

AT & T Bell Laboratories

Member, Technical staff.

Bell Telephone Laboratories

Member, Technical staff, Theoretical Physics Group and Technical staff, Molecular Biophysical Group.

California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology

Roscoe Gilkey Dickinson Professor of Chemistry and Biology.

California Institute of Technology. Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Roscoe Gilkey Dickinson Professor of Chemistry and Biology.

Princeton University. Department of Molecular Biology

Professor of Molecular Biology and Howard A. Prior Professor of Molecular Biology.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics and Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics.

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Physics

Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Chemical Society

American Philosophical Society

American Physical Society

President.

Battelle Memorial Institute

Member, Board of Trustees.

Biophysical Society

Cornell University. Department of Physics

Received Ph.D. in Physics in 1958.

École normale supérieure (France)

Visiting research physicist.

Harvey Mudd College

Member, Board of Trustees.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Chair, Committee on Publication.

Swarthmore College

Received A.B. in physics.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Member, Tycho Study Group.

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Member, Strategic Military Panel.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Selected talks from Corporate Associates Meetings [videorecording] : 1983-1987.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA