N. David Mermin

Biography

Abstract

David Mermin is Horace White Professor of Physics Emeritus at Cornell University (2006-present). His research interests include solid-state physics, quantum bayesianism and quantum computing.

Important Dates

March 30, 1935Birth, New Haven (Conn.).

1956Obtained AB, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

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

1961Obtained PhD in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1961 – 1963National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow, University of Birmingham.

1963 – 1964Research Associate, University of California, San Diego.

1964 – presentAssistant Professor to Associate Professor (1964-1972); Professor of Physics (1972-2006); Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (1984-1990); and Horace White Professor of Physics Emeritus (2006-present), Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).

1984Walker-Ames Professor, University of Washington.

1986 – 1989Member, Advisory Board, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara.

1989Awarded Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize, American Physical Society.

1991Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Occupation

Solid state physicist.

Places

Birth

New Haven (Conn.)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Graduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Employment

Ithaca (N.Y.)

Subjects

Quantum computing.

Solid state physics.

Theoretical physics.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Ashcroft, Neil W.

Both employed at Cornell University and co-wrote textbook called Solid state physics.

Kohn, Walter, 1923-2016

Post doctoral advisor at University of California, San Diego in physics and both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Martin, Paul Cecil, 1931-

PhD advisor at Harvard University, "Thermodynamic correlation functions and the gas-liquid transition."

Peierls, Rudolf E. (Rudolf Ernst), 1907-1995

Post-doctoral advisor at University of Birmingham.

Colleagues

Alfvén, Hannes

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Beasley, Malcolm

Both employed at Cornell University.

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

Both employed at Cornell University.

Brueckner, Keith A.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Corson, Dale R.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Davis, J. C. Séamus

Both employed at Cornell University.

Drell, Persis S.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Feher, George, 1924-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Feigenbaum, Mitchell, 1944-2019

Both employed at Cornell University.

Greisen, Kenneth

Both employed at Cornell University.

Kinoshita, T. (Toichiro)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Kroll, Norman Myles, 1922-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Krumhansl, J. A. (James A.)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Lee, David M.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Matthias, Bernd T., 1918-1980

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

McDaniel, Boyce D. (Boyce Dawkins), 1917-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at Cornell University.

Orlov, Yuri, 1924-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Pandharipande, V. R.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Peoples, John, Jr.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Pohl, Robert O.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Reppy, John David

Both employed at Cornell University.

Richardson, Robert C. (Robert Coleman), 1937-2013

Both employed at Cornell University.

Rosenbluth, M. N.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Rostoker, Norman

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Sham, L. J.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Suhl, Harry

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Susskind, Leonard

Both employed at Cornell University.

Tedrow, Paul, 1940-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Teukolsky, Saul A. (Saul Arno), 1947-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Tigner, M.

Both employed at Cornell University.

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

Both employed at Cornell University.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Both employed at Cornell University.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

York, James W., Jr., 1939-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Additional

Pauli, Wolfgang, 1900-1958

Schrödinger, Erwin, 1887-1961

Institutions

Major Positions

Cornell University. Department of Physics

Assistant Professor to Associate Professor; Professor of Physics; Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics; and Horace White Professor of Physics Emeritus.

University of California, San Diego. Department of Physics

Research Associate.

University of Washington. Department of Physics

Walker-Ames Professor.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Received 1989 Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize.

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1956), AM (1957), and PhD (1961).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

University of Birmingham. Department of Physics

National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow.

University of California, Santa Barbara. Institute for Theoretical Physics

Member, Advisory Board.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Hans Bethe and David Mermin discuss the early history of solid state physics [videorecording] / 2003 February 25.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Remembering Hans Bethe [video recording], 2005.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Remembering Hans Bethe [videorecording]: conversations with Hans Bethe.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Boojums all the way through : communicating science in a prosaic age / N. David Mermin.

It's about time : understanding Einstein's relativity / N. David Mermin.

Quantum computer science : an introduction / N. David Mermin.

Solid state physics / Neil W. Ashcroft, N. David Mermin.

Space and time in special relativity / N. David Mermin.