Grandfather of Waltham Students Wins Nobel Prize

WALTHAM, MA – Genius runs deep for one Waltham family, as three students can count a Nobel Prize winner among their relatives.

J. Michael Kosterlitz, a professor of physics at Brown University, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics “for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.” He shares the honor with F. Duncan M. Haldane of Princeton University and David J. Thouless of the University of Washington in Seattle.

In a press release, the Royal Swedish Academy of the Sciences wrote:

This year’s Laureates opened the door on an unknown world where matter can assume strange states. They have used advanced mathematical methods to study unusual phases, or states, of matter, such as superconductors, superfluids or thin magnetic films. Thanks to their pioneering work, the hunt is now on for new and exotic phases of matter. Many people are hopeful of future applications in both materials science and electronics.

Kosterlitz has been a professor at Brown since 1982. He was identified as the grandfather of some of Waltham's own by One Waltham, a Twitter account that covers public education in the Watch City.

Photo Credit: Brown University