RIP David Pines: Physics Giant Who Could Have Won Nobel Prize

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SUMMARY

David Pines, a prominent figure in condensed matter physics, significantly contributed to the theory of superconductivity and Fermi Liquid theory, co-authoring a pivotal book with Pierre Nozieres. His groundbreaking papers on spin-fluctuation in high-temperature superconductors during the early 1990s have had a lasting impact on the field. Despite his influential work, Pines was never awarded a Nobel Prize, a fact lamented by peers who recognize his contributions alongside giants like John Bardeen and David Bohm. His advocacy for emergent phenomena has shaped contemporary understanding in physics.

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ZapperZ
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This is someone you may never have heard of, but in the field of condensed matter physics, he is a GIANT.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/...nsightful-and-influential-physicist-dies.html

He could have won the Nobel Prize for the theory of superconductivity, but timing worked against him in the history of physics. He and Bardeen laid the ground work for the BCS theory.

The book on Fermi Liquid theory that he co-authored with Nozieres was practically my "bible" during my graduate school years. And then this two PRL papers on spin-fluctuation in high-Tc superconductors in the early 1990's were ground-breaking and had major impact on my own research work.

And of course, he became one of my "heroes" when he (along with other prominent condensed matter physicists such as Laughlin and Anderson) brought up the significance of emergent phenomena (mentioned in the NY Times article).

His work has already impacted many of the things we know of today, especially in the physics of materials. He truly is a giant in the field of physics.

Zz.
 
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Thanks Zz. I had never heard of him before but he certainly kept company with the major players Bardeen, and Bohm.

Too bad about the Nobel too. He should have been nominated.
 
jedishrfu said:
Too bad about the Nobel too. He should have been nominated.
Maybe he was, we won't know for another decade or so...
 
“Emergent Behavior in Quantum Matter” (14 Nov 2016)
http://physics.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/_/colq-pines_poster.pdf
audio improves when David Pines begins @ #t=3m23s


"Gateways to Emergent Behavior in Science and Society"
http://ias.ust.hk/web/ias/eng/event_detail.php?p=&tid=0&id=991
HKUST Jockey Club IAS Distinguished Lecture: Prof David Pines (12 Dec 2016)
starts @ #t=3m10s


David Pines, John David Jackson Award for Excellence in Graduate Physics Education (AAPT Meeting 2013)
skip to @ #t=7m00s (first of 4 parts)


https://www.santafe.edu/news-center/news/memoriam-david-pines
 
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