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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as Subject

Sidney Coleman

Photo

Dates

March 7, 1937 – November 18, 2007

Authorized Form of Name

Coleman, Sidney, 1937-2007

Biography

Abstract

Sidney Coleman was a theoretical physicist and member of Harvard University's faculty for over forty years (1961-2007). He was well-known for his contributions to quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.

Important Dates

March 7, 1937Birth, Chicago (Ill.).

1957Obtained BS, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (Ill.).

1961 – 2007Corning Glass Research Fellow (1961-1963); Assistant Professor to Associate Professor of Physics (1963-1969); Professor of Physics (1969-2003); Donner Professor of Science (2003-2006); and Professor Emeritus of Physics (2006-2007), Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1962Obtained PhD in Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1980Member, National Academy of Sciences.

2000Awarded Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, American Physical Society.

November 18, 2007Death.

Occupation

Theoretical physicist.

Places

Birth

Chicago (Ill.)

Undergraduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Graduate Education

Pasadena (Calif.)

Employment

Cambridge (Mass.)

Subjects

Quantum chromodynamics.

Quantum field theory.

Theoretical physics.

Relationships

People

Family

Coleman, Diana

Wife.

Coleman, Robert L.

Brother.

Advisors & Collaborators

Gell-Mann, Murray

Ph.D. advisor at California Institute of Technology, "The Structure of Strong Interaction Symmetries."

Politzer, H. David, 1949-

Advised by Coleman at Harvard University, "Asymptotic freedom; an approach to strong interactions," and both employed at Harvard University.

Steinhardt, Paul J.

Advised by Coleman at Harvard University, "Lattice Theory of SU(N) Flavor Quantum Electrodynamics in (1+1)-Dimensions," and both employed at Harvard University.

Weinberg, Erick J.

Advised by Coleman at Harvard University, "Radiative corrections as the origin of spontaneous symmetry breaking."

Colleagues

Adler, Stephen L.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Bainbridge, Kenneth T. (Kenneth Tompkins), 1904-1996

Both employed at Harvard University.

Bloembergen, N.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Bridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams), 1882-1961

Both employed at Harvard University.

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Both employed at Harvard University.

Furry, W. H. (Wendell Hinkle), 1907-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Gabrielse, Gerald

Both employed at Harvard University.

Gallagher, Thomas F., 1944-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Gates, S. James

Both employed at Harvard University.

Georgi, Howard

Both employed at Harvard University.

Glashow, Sheldon L.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Glauber, Roy J., 1925-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Gross, David J. (David Jonathan)

Both employed at Harvard University.

Halperin, Bertrand I.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Haroche, S.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Hooft, G. 't

Both employed at Harvard University.

Huth, John Edward

Both employed at Harvard University.

Jackiw, Roman W.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Jaffe, Arthur, 1937-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Kemble, Edwin C. (Edwin Crawford), 1889-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Kleppner, Daniel

Both employed at Harvard University.

Leggett, A. J. (Anthony J.)

Both employed at Harvard University.

Maldacena, Juan Martin, 1968-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Martin, Paul Cecil, 1931-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Nelson, Ann E. (Ann Elizabeth)

Both employed at Harvard University.

Nelson, David R., 1951-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Polchinski, Joseph Gerard

Both employed at Harvard University.

Pound, Robert V.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Purcell, Edward M.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Quinn, Helen R.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Ramsey, Norman, 1915-2011

Both employed at Harvard University.

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at Harvard University.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at Harvard University.

Shapiro, Marjorie

Both employed at Harvard University.

Spencer, Thomas, 1946-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Street, Jabez Curry, 1906-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Stubbs, Christopher

Both employed at Harvard University.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at Harvard University.

Vafa, Cumrun

Both employed at Harvard University.

Van Vleck, J. H. (John Hasbrouck), 1899-1980

Both employed at Harvard University.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Weitz, David A.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Wilson, Kenneth G. (Kenneth Geddes), 1936-2013

Both employed at Harvard University.

Wise, Mark B., 1953-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Witten, E.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Wu, Tai Tsun

Both employed at Harvard University.

Additional

Deser, S. (Stanley)

Pickering, Andrew, 1948-

Institutions

Major Positions

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Corning Glass Research Fellow; Assistant Professor to Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; Donner Professor of Science; and Professor Emeritus of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Physical Society

Received 2000 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics.

Aspen Center for Physics

California Institute of Technology. Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Obtained PhD (Physics) in 1962.

Illinois Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Obtained BS in 1957.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Oral history interview with Sidney Coleman, 1977 January 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

QFT and QCD: past, present, and future [videorecording], 2005 March 18 and 19.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Andrew Pickering interviews conducted for his book CONSTRUCTING QUARKS, 1978-1982.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Joseph Polchinski, 2009 March 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Stanley Deser, 2011 March 12.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Filmed Lectures on Quantum Field Theory at Harvard University, 1975-1976.

Video: "Quantum Mechanics in Your Face" (1994).

Subject

Sidney Coleman: 1937-2007, Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences.

Sidney Richard Coleman Physics Today obituary.