Richard Feynman

Richard Feynman
source
Name	Richard Feynman
Caption	Feynman at Oppenheimer's Los Alamos
Birth date	11 May 1918
Birth place	Queens, New York City, U.S.
Death date	15 February 1988
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Fields	Theoretical physics
Workplaces	Cornell University, California Institute of Technology, Manhattan Project
Alma mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS), Princeton University (PhD)
Doctoral advisor	John Archibald Wheeler
Known for	Feynman diagrams, Path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, Quantum electrodynamics, Parton model, Feynman–Kac formula, Feynman sprinkler, Voss–Feynman theorem, Feynman parametrization, Feynman point, Feynman–Hellmann theorem, Wheeler–Feynman absorber theory, Feynman–Stueckelberg interpretation, Feynman slash notation, One-electron universe, ''The Feynman Lectures on Physics'', Los Alamos security
Prizes	Albert Einstein Award (1954), E. O. Lawrence Award (1962), Nobel Prize in Physics (1965), Oersted Medal (1972), National Medal of Science (1979)
Spouse	Arline Greenbaum (m. 1941; died 1945), Mary Louise Bell (m. 1952; div. 1956), Gweneth Howarth (m. 1960)

Richard Feynman was a preeminent theoretical physicist whose revolutionary work fundamentally reshaped modern physics. He was a central figure in the development of quantum electrodynamics, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga. Renowned for his charismatic teaching and iconoclastic personality, his influence extended far beyond academia into popular culture through his lectures, writings, and investigations into scientific disasters like the Challenger accident.

Early life and education

Born in Queens to Lucille and Melville Feynman, he demonstrated an early aptitude for mathematics and engineering, famously maintaining a home laboratory. He attended Far Rockaway High School before enrolling at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1939. He then pursued his doctorate at Princeton University under the supervision of John Archibald Wheeler, completing a thesis on the principle of least action in quantum mechanics that foreshadowed his later work. His graduate studies were interrupted by the onset of World War II, leading to his recruitment for the Manhattan Project.

Career and research

During the war, he worked at the secret Los Alamos laboratory under Robert Oppenheimer, heading the theoretical division's computation group. After the war, he held professorships at Cornell University and then the California Institute of Technology, where he spent the majority of his career. His most celebrated contributions include the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the invention of Feynman diagrams for visualizing particle interactions, and his seminal work in quantum electrodynamics. Later, he proposed the parton model, which provided a foundational understanding of hadron structure instrumental to the development of quantum chromodynamics. He also conducted pioneering research in superfluidity and quantum gravity.

Personal life and popular legacy

His first marriage to Arline Greenbaum ended tragically with her death from tuberculosis in 1945. He later married Mary Louise Bell and then Gweneth Howarth, with whom he had two children. An accomplished bongo player and amateur safe-cracker, his adventurous spirit and narrative flair were captured in bestselling autobiographical works like *"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"*. He served on the Rogers Commission investigating the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, famously demonstrating the fatal effect of cold temperatures on O-ring seals during a televised hearing. His recorded lectures, particularly *The Feynman Lectures on Physics*, remain iconic educational resources.

Awards and honors

His numerous accolades include the Albert Einstein Award in 1954, the E. O. Lawrence Award in 1962, and the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. He was elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received the Oersted Medal for teaching in 1972 and was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. He was also a foreign member of the Royal Society and received honors from institutions like the University of Chicago and Yeshiva University.

Publications

Beyond his prolific research papers in journals like *Physical Review*, his publications for broader audiences have had a lasting impact. These include the definitive textbook *The Feynman Lectures on Physics*, the autobiographical *"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"* and *"What Do You Care What Other People Think?"*, and more specialized works such as *"QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter"* and *"The Character of Physical Law"*, based on his lectures at Cornell University.

Category:American theoretical physicists Category:Manhattan Project people Category:Nobel laureates in Physics