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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as Subject

Cumrun Vafa

Photo

Dates

August 1, 1960 – present

Authorized Form of Name

Vafa, Cumrun

Additional Forms of Names

Vafa, C. (Cumrun)

Biography

Abstract

Cumrun Vafa is Donner Professor of Science at Harvard University (2003-present). His research interests include string theory, theoretical high energy physics, nature of quantum gravity, and the relation between geometry and quantum field theories.

Important Dates

August 1, 1960Birth, Tehran (Iran).

1981Obtained BS in Physics and Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).

1985Obtained PhD in Physics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1985 – presentJunior Fellow, Society of Fellows (1985-1988); Associate Professor of Physics (1988-1990); Professor of Physics (1990-2003); and Donner Professor of Science (2003-present), Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

2005Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

2009Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Occupation

String theorist.

Places

Birth

Tehran (Iran)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (Mass.)

Graduate Education

Princeton (N.J.)

Employment

Cambridge (Mass.)

Subjects

Quantum field theory.

Quantum gravity.

String theory.

Theoretical physics.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Witten, E.

PhD advisor at Princeton University "Symmetries, inequalities and index theorems."

Colleagues

Bloembergen, N.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Coleman, Sidney, 1937-2007

Both employed at Harvard University.

Gabrielse, Gerald

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.

Halperin, Bertrand I.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Huth, John Edward

Both employed at Harvard University.

Maldacena, Juan Martin, 1968-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Murray, Cherry Ann

Both employed at Harvard University.

Nelson, Ann E. (Ann Elizabeth)

Both employed at Harvard University.

Nelson, David R., 1951-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Pound, Robert V.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Purcell, Edward M.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Ramsey, Norman, 1915-2011

Both employed at Harvard University.

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at Harvard University.

Shapiro, Marjorie

Both employed at Harvard University.

Street, Jabez Curry, 1906-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Strominger, Andrew Eben

Both employed at Harvard University.

Stubbs, Christopher

Both employed at Harvard University.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at Harvard University.

Weitz, David A.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Wu, Tai Tsun

Both employed at Harvard University.

Additional

Polchinski, Joseph Gerard

Institutions

Major Positions

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Junior Fellow, Society of Fellows; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Donner Professor of Science.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Fellow.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematics

Obtained BS (1981).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Obtained BS (1981).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD (1985).

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

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