Behram Kursunoglu
Encyclopedia
Behram Kurşunoğlu was a Turkish
physicist
and one of the founders of the University of Miami
's Center for Theoretical Studies. He was best known for his works on unified field theory
, energy and global issues. Moreover, he participated in the discovery of two different types of neutrino
s in late 1950s. During his University of Miami career, he hosted several Nobel Prize
laureates, including Paul Dirac
, Lars Onsager
and Robert Hofstadter
. He wrote several books on diverse aspects of physics, the most notable of which is Modern Quantum Theory (1962).
district of Bayburt
, Turkey
in 1922. While he was a third year student in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy of İstanbul Yüksek Öğretmen Okulu, he was sent to University of Edinburgh
through a scholarship of the Turkish Ministry of Education
, in 1945.
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh
, he completed his doctorate degree in physics at the University of Cambridge
. During the period of 1956–1958, he served as the dean of the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Technology at Middle East Technical University
and a counselor to the office of Turkish General Staff. He held teaching positions at several universities in the United States
, and starting from 1958, professorship at the University of Miami
.
In 1965, he acted as one of the founders of the Center for Theoretical Studies of the University of Miami
, of which he became the first director. During this period, he also worked in counseling positions for several research organizations and laboratories in Europe
. With the invitation of Russian Academy of Sciences
, he worked as a visiting professor in the USSR during 1968.
He continued his work at the Center for Theoretical Studies of the University of Miami until 1992, after which he became the director of the Global Foundation research organization.
Kursunoglu died on October 25, 2003 due to heart attack
, shortly before that year's Coral Gables Conference which was a festschrift for Paul Frampton
combined with a memorial for Kursunoglu in a conference series he had been organizing since 1964. He had three children, İsmet, Sevil and Ayda, from his wife Sevda Arif.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and one of the founders of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
's Center for Theoretical Studies. He was best known for his works on unified field theory
Unified field theory
In physics, a unified field theory, occasionally referred to as a uniform field theory, is a type of field theory that allows all that is usually thought of as fundamental forces and elementary particles to be written in terms of a single field. There is no accepted unified field theory, and thus...
, energy and global issues. Moreover, he participated in the discovery of two different types of neutrino
Neutrino
A neutrino is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle with a half-integer spin, chirality and a disputed but small non-zero mass. It is able to pass through ordinary matter almost unaffected...
s in late 1950s. During his University of Miami career, he hosted several Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
laureates, including Paul Dirac
Paul Dirac
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, OM, FRS was an English theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to the early development of both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics...
, Lars Onsager
Lars Onsager
Lars Onsager was a Norwegian-born American physical chemist and theoretical physicist, winner of the 1968 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.He held the Gibbs Professorship of Theoretical Chemistry at Yale University....
and Robert Hofstadter
Robert Hofstadter
Robert Hofstadter was an American physicist. He was the joint winner of the 1961 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his pioneering studies of electron scattering in atomic nuclei and for his consequent discoveries concerning the structure of nucleons."-Biography :Born in New York City, he entered City...
. He wrote several books on diverse aspects of physics, the most notable of which is Modern Quantum Theory (1962).
Biography
Behram Kurşunoğlu was born in AydıncıkAydincik
Aydıncık is a town and district of Mersin Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, from Mersin and from Antalya.Aydıncık has also been called Celenderis, Gilindire, Kelenderis....
district of Bayburt
Bayburt
Bayburt is a city in northeast Turkey lying on the Çoruh River, and is the provincial capital of Turkey's Bayburt Province.Bayburt was once an important center on the ancient Silk Road and it was visited by Marco Polo and Turkish excursionist Evliya Celebi. Remains of its Byzantine castle still...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1922. While he was a third year student in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy of İstanbul Yüksek Öğretmen Okulu, he was sent to University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
through a scholarship of the Turkish Ministry of Education
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, in 1945.
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, he completed his doctorate degree in physics at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. During the period of 1956–1958, he served as the dean of the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Technology at Middle East Technical University
Middle East Technical University
Middle East Technical University is a public technical university located in Ankara, Turkey...
and a counselor to the office of Turkish General Staff. He held teaching positions at several universities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and starting from 1958, professorship at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
In 1965, he acted as one of the founders of the Center for Theoretical Studies of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, of which he became the first director. During this period, he also worked in counseling positions for several research organizations and laboratories in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. With the invitation of Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
, he worked as a visiting professor in the USSR during 1968.
He continued his work at the Center for Theoretical Studies of the University of Miami until 1992, after which he became the director of the Global Foundation research organization.
Kursunoglu died on October 25, 2003 due to heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, shortly before that year's Coral Gables Conference which was a festschrift for Paul Frampton
Paul Frampton
Paul Frampton is a particle phenomenologist.Since 1996, he is the Louis D. Rubin, Jr. Distinguished Professor of physics and astronomy, at the University of North Carolina...
combined with a memorial for Kursunoglu in a conference series he had been organizing since 1964. He had three children, İsmet, Sevil and Ayda, from his wife Sevda Arif.
Awards
- Turkish Presidential Science Award
- American Physical SocietyAmerican Physical SocietyThe American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
Award - Award of Phi Kappa PhiPhi Kappa PhiThe Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education"...
honor society - Award of the Sigma XiSigma XiSigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
scientific research society - Sigma Pi SigmaSigma Pi SigmaSigma Pi Sigma is the National Physics Honor Society. It strives to promote physics at all stages, to promote fraternity between those who excel at physics, and to promote service among its members. It is closely associated with the Society of Physics Students .- External links :*...
award
External links
- The Work of Behram Kursunoglu, talk presented at the 2003 Coral Gables conference by Philip D. Mannheim.
- La Belle Epoque of High Energy Physics and Cosmology, webpage for the 2003 Coral Gables conference.