Frank's curiosity has earned him the Nobel Prize and several fruitful collaborations
Professor Frank Wilczek's was interested in mathematics and big numbers even as a child. His father was an electrical technician who fixed radios and tvs when they were broken. Frank was inspired and liked to take apart and put together things to see how they worked. This was the beginning of a fantastic career in Physics. In 2004, Wilczek received the highest honor in science — the Nobel Prize in Physics — for his discovery of asymptotic freedom and the development of the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Since 2016 he has been working at the Department of Physics.
Wilczek received a Bachelor in Science at the University of Chicago in 1970, and a Doctor in Philosophy in physics at Princeton University in 1974.
Enjoying part of the year in Sweden
Frank and his wife, Betsy Devine, came to Stockholm in 2008.
"I was born in New York City and now we live in Concord, Massachussets. We love to be here in Stockholm part of the year. My wife has been a curator for the Nobel Museum and I received a grant from the Swedish Research Council that made it possible for us to stay here part of the year since then. I work at the Department of Physics and also at Nordita. The Wilczek group explores several frontiers of quantum theory where new or hitherto impractical theoretical concepts are making contact with experimenters’ increasing ability to explore and control the quantum world. Our special areas of focus include (strategies for) detecting axions, manipulating anyons, characterizing time crystals, sculpting long-range forces, and accessing delicate quantum information."
1973 and 2004 were good years
In 1973 Frank Wilczek, David Gross, and David Politzer came up with a theory postulating that when quarks come really close to one another, the attraction abates and they behave like free particles. This is called asymptotic freedom and the motivation for the Nobel Prize was "for the discovery of asymptotic freedom in the theory of the strong interaction". The field was particle physics.
"I met my wife Betsy Devine at Princeton and we have two daughters. In 2023 we will celebrate 50 years of marriage on July 3. It's also 50 years since me and my colleagues came up with the theory that later was rewarded with the Nobel Prize. 1973 was a good year, as well as 2004. But the present time is also exciting. I'm thinking about using time reversal symmetry as a way to think about biological activities. Perhaps that would be useful in medicine in the future."
The Templeton Prize and several popular books
Last year Frank was awarded the Templeton Prize with the motivation that he used his exceptionally fertile scientific imagination to unveil previously hidden realities. The Templeton Prize, valued at more than $1.3 million, is one of the world's largest annual individual awards.
"We are delighted that Frank, with his extraordinary depth and breadth of knowledge, is contributing to the Physics research community, says Jan Conrad, Head of the Department of Physics at the Stockholm University. The Templeton Prize recognizes not only achievements in Physics, but more generally contributions to the deepest questions about the Universe and their relationship to humanity. It is truly an exclusive group that Frank now joins."
He has written several popular books, including A Beautiful Question (2015) and The Lightness of Being (2008). In his most recent book, Fundamentals (2021), Wilczek presents a set of ten distilled insights drawn from physics and harmonized with artistic and philosophical sources to illuminate characteristics of physical reality. As a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, he reflects on scientific subjects for a broad readership.
"Apart from the physics I like to juggle, play the piano and I'm learning Swedish. Perhaps next year we can have another interview in Swedish."
Frank's recommendations for Physics students
Frank Wilczek initiated the Quantum Connections Summer School about 5 years ago. It's a big event arranged in Stockholm in June every year and it's organized for graduate students and postdocs, both theoretical and experimental, in all aspects of quantum frontiers.
"My recommendations for the students are that they should explore widely and find role models for inspiration. It's necessary to aquire basic skill in algebra, mathematics and it's also good to have broad awareness of chemistry, electronics and biology. You also learn a lot from attending colloquia, group meetings and of course the Summer School."
More information
Frank Wilzcek - Nobel Prize 2004
Frank Wilzcek receives the Templeton Prize
Grant for recruiting Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics to Stockholm University
Quantum Frontiers - Frank Wilczek's research group
Quantum Connections Summer School 2023
Frank Wilczek - Stockholm University
Last updated: October 2, 2023
Source: Gunilla Häggström, Communication Officer, Fysikum