NIST Physicist David J. Wineland awarded 2007 National Medal of Science

29-Aug-2008 - USA

Physicist David J. Wineland of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been awarded the 2007 National Medal of Science. President George W. Bush announced the eight latest recipients of the medal. Wineland, 64, was cited for “outstanding leadership in developing the science of laser cooling and manipulation of ions, with applications in extremely precise measurements and standards, quantum computing, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics, and for his major impact on the international scientific community through training scientists and outstanding publications.” Wineland is internationally recognized for developing the technique of using lasers to cool ions to near absolute zero. Wineland achieved the first demonstration of laser cooling in 1978 and has built on that breakthrough with 30 years of experiments using trapped laser-cooled ions to test theories in quantum physics and demonstrate crucial applications such as new forms of computation. Wineland’s breakthroughs led to work by groups throughout the world on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms, culminating in the 1997 Nobel Prize to William D. Phillips of NIST, Steven Chu and Claude Cohen-Tannoudji for development of neutral atom laser cooling. In addition, Wineland’s research also helped make possible the work by Eric Cornell of NIST and JILA, a joint institute of NIST and the University of Colorado at Boulder, who with Wolfgang Ketterle and Carl Wieman received the 2001 Nobel Prize for using laser cooling to create the world’s first Bose-Einstein condensate. Wineland also helped launch the field of experimental quantum computing. Through experiments, his group was the first to successfully demonstrate the building blocks of a practical quantum computer, a device that could solve some problems, such as breaking the best encryption codes, that are intractable using today’s technology. He also helped train new generations of scientists working throughout the world and has published more than 250 refereed articles, many in the most prestigious research journals. The National Medal of Science honors individuals for pioneering scientific research in a range of fields, including physical, biological, mathematical, social, behavioral and engineering sciences, that enhances understanding of the world and leads to innovations and technologies that give the United States a global economic edge. The National Science Foundation administers the award, which was established by the Congress in 1959.

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