| Citation | Edward Witten is one of the most outstanding theoretical physicists in the world. His output is enormous, wide-ranging, brilliantly inventive and incomparably influential. For nearly twenty years he has been the recognised leader in the development of unified theories of particle physics based on quantum field theory and string theory. He is particularly noted for the application of powerful topological and geometrical ideas in these areas of theoretical physics.
Witten's standing as a mathematician is unique amongst theoretical physicists. The impact of his work on mathematics has been revolutionary and was recognised by the award of the Fields Medal in 1990. His mathematical contributions include the development of topological quantum field theories, notably the Chern-Simons theory which provides invariants for knots and three-dimensional manifolds. His more recent work, based on deep ideas of electro-magnetic duality, has led to spectacular progress in the Donaldson theory of four dimensional manifolds. His discovery and exploitation of the now famous Seiberg-Witten equation exemplifies the deep connection between physics and geometry which Whitten has uncovered. |