First woman Physics Nobel winner in 55 years
Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:51:am World
3.6K By Obiaks Blog
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to a woman for the first time in 55 years.
Donna Strickland, from Canada, is only the third woman winner of the award, along with Marie Curie, who won in 1903, and Maria Goeppoert-Mayer, who was awarded the prize in 1963.
Dr Strickland shares this year's prize with Arthur Ashkin, from the US, and Gerard Mourou, from France.
It recognises their discoveries in the field of laser physics.
Dr Ashkin developed a laser technique described as optical tweezers, which is used to study biological systems.
Drs Mourou and Strickland came up with a way of generating high intensity and very short laser pulses, which have a variety of applications. One of these is in laser eye surgery.
The award is worth a total of nine million Swedish kronor (£770,686; $998,618).
Reacting to her win, Dr Strickland, who is based at the University of Waterloo in Canada, said: "First of all you have to think it's crazy, so that was my first thought. And you do always wonder if it's real.
"As far as sharing it with Gerard, of course he was my supervisor and mentor and he has taken CPA (Chirped Pulse Amplification) to great heights so he definitely deserves this award. And I'm so happy Art Ashkin also won."
She added: "I think that he made so many discoveries early on that other people have done great things with that it's fantastic that he is finally recognised.")
The last woman to win the physics prize, German-born American physicist Maria Goeppert-Mayer, shared the award for her discoveries about the nuclei of atoms.
Marie Curie, shared the 1903 award with two male scientists for research into radioactivity.
BBC
Donna Strickland, from Canada, is only the third woman winner of the award, along with Marie Curie, who won in 1903, and Maria Goeppoert-Mayer, who was awarded the prize in 1963.
Dr Strickland shares this year's prize with Arthur Ashkin, from the US, and Gerard Mourou, from France.
It recognises their discoveries in the field of laser physics.
Dr Ashkin developed a laser technique described as optical tweezers, which is used to study biological systems.
Drs Mourou and Strickland came up with a way of generating high intensity and very short laser pulses, which have a variety of applications. One of these is in laser eye surgery.
The award is worth a total of nine million Swedish kronor (£770,686; $998,618).
Reacting to her win, Dr Strickland, who is based at the University of Waterloo in Canada, said: "First of all you have to think it's crazy, so that was my first thought. And you do always wonder if it's real.
"As far as sharing it with Gerard, of course he was my supervisor and mentor and he has taken CPA (Chirped Pulse Amplification) to great heights so he definitely deserves this award. And I'm so happy Art Ashkin also won."
She added: "I think that he made so many discoveries early on that other people have done great things with that it's fantastic that he is finally recognised.")
The last woman to win the physics prize, German-born American physicist Maria Goeppert-Mayer, shared the award for her discoveries about the nuclei of atoms.
Marie Curie, shared the 1903 award with two male scientists for research into radioactivity.
BBC
Related News
Leave a comment...