Prof. Yakir Aharonov

Yakir Aharonov has been studying the foundations of quantum mechanics for many years now. His research interests are very broad including: Time, nonlocality, topological effects, geometric phase, gauge symmetry, quantum measurements, interpretations of quantum mechanics and more. His main contributions are believed to be the discovery of Aharonov-Bohm effect (together with David Bohm) and weak measurements (together with Lev Vaidman and David Albert). He is also the father of Aharonov-Casher effect, Aharonov-Anandan phase, protective measurement, the Two-State-Vector formalism of quantum mechanics, as well as many other quantum effects. His discoveries have led to fruitful theoretical and experimental research worldwide.

• B.Sc., Technion, Haifa, 1956

• Ph.D., Bristol University, England, 1960

• Professor of Theoretical Physics and the James J. Farley Professor of Natural Philosophy at Chapman University, USA, 2008-Present

• Professor at George Mason University, USA, 2006-2008

• Joint professorship at the Tel Aviv University, Israel and the University of South Carolina, USA, 1973-2006

• Joint professorship at the Tel Aviv University, Israel and the Yeshiva University, USA, 1967-1973

• Associate Professor, Yeshiva University, USA, 1964-1967

• Assistant Professor, Yeshiva University, USA, 1961-1964

• Research Associate, Brandeis University, USA, 1960-1961

• Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society, 1981

• Weizmann Prize in Physics, 1984

• Rothschild Prize in Physics, 1984

• Israel Prize in exact science, 1989

• Elected to the National Academy of Science of Israel, 1990

• The Elliott Cresson Medal – The Franklin Institute, 1991

• Honorary Doctor of Science, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 1992

• Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 1993

• Honorary Doctor of Science, University of South Carolina, USA, 1993

• Hewlett–Packard Europhysics Prize, 1995

• Honorary Doctor of Science, Bristol University, UK, 1997

• Wolf Prize in Physics, 1998

• Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1999

• EMET Prize in Exact Science, 2006

• Receiving the National Medal of Science, USA from president Obama, 2010

• Honorary Doctor of Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 2012