CAP Medal Press Release - 2012 Herzberg

The Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) is pleased to announce that the 2012 CAP Herzberg Medal is awarded to Freddy Cachazo, Perimeter Institute, in recognition of for deep new insights into the structure of quantum field theory, and the development of elegant mathematical techniques to simplify the analysis of high-energy particle scattering experiments. announcement

Dr. Freddy Cachazo is a theoretical physicist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of particle physics, many of which are widely characterized as breakthroughs. With collaborators, Cachazo has creatively drawn upon a variety of elegant mathematical ideas, including twistor theory, Grassmanians and algebraic geometry, to develop entirely new methods of calculating scattering processes in gauge theories and gravity. Beyond providing deep new insights into the structure of quantum field theory, these new methods have had a major impact on high-energy physics. In particular, Cachazo’s techniques have become essential in state-of-the-art calculations done to interpret the new data coming from experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, as well as the Tevatron at Fermilab. His work has already been incorporated into a textbook on quantum field theory, and his work has continued to open up entirely new research directions now being investigated all over the world. Cachazo’s contributions to quantum field theory range from applications of geometric engineering (in string theory) to understanding mysterious dualities relating theories in different dimensions to improved techniques to compute scattering amplitudes in Quantum Chromodynamics (and its generalizations). In a research career spanning less than a decade, Cachazo’s 41 papers have attracted well over 4,000 citations, attesting to the rapid, far-reaching impact of his new insights. The principles underlying Cachazo’s research are profound. Besides being of immediate utility to huge accelerator experiments, Cachazo’s works will have enduring and far-reaching impact in the search for a simpler, unified description of nature’s physical laws. nominator citation

The CAP Herzberg medal is awarded for outstanding achievement in any field of research by a Canadian physicist who has successfully defended their doctoral thesis within the last 12 years at the time of the award, excluding an allowance of one year per child for parental leave. The CAP Herzberg Medal was first introduced in 1970 and is awarded annually. Prior to 2011, the medal was awarded for outstanding achievement by a Canadian physicist under the age of 40.

Dr. Cachazo will be presented with the 2012 CAP Herzberg Medal at the 2012 CAP Congress (hosted by the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, from June 11-15) at the end of his plenary talk and will be recognized during the Congress banquet to be held on Thursday, June 14th, 2012. Please refer to the Congress program for the schedule of plenary talks by CAP medal winners. medal description

The Canadian Association of Physicists, founded in 1945, is a professional association representing over 1600 individual physicists and physics students in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, as well as a number of Corporate, Institutional, and Departmental Members. In addition to its learned activities, the CAP also undertakes a number of activities intended to encourage students to pursue a career in physics. cap description

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For more information, please contact:

Canadian Association of Physicists
Tel: (613) 562-5614
Fax: (613) 562-5615
E-mail: cap@uottawa.cacap contact and joint contact

The 2012 CAP Herzberg Medal

Freddy Cachazo