The first successful synthesis of a Bose–Einstein condensate occurred in 1995, marking a transition for atomic physics research. Eric Allin Cornell, collaborating with Carl E. Wieman, utilized a combination of laser cooling and evaporative cooling techniques within a magnetic trap to achieve this state. This discovery established a new method for observing quantum phenomena in dilute gases of alkali atoms.
Academic Background
Born in 1961 in Palo Alto, California, Cornell moved to Massachusetts during his childhood. He attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School before completing his high school education at Lowell High School in San Francisco. He enrolled at Stanford University, where he gained early experience as a laboratory assistant in low-temperature physics groups. After a nine-month period in China and Taiwan teaching English and studying Chinese, he returned to Stanford to complete his undergraduate degree in 1985. He subsequently earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1990 under the supervision of David Pritchard.
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Following his doctoral studies, Cornell moved to the University of Colorado Boulder to join Carl Wieman as a postdoctoral researcher. During this tenure, he formulated the experimental proposal to utilize magnetic trapping for laser-cooled atoms to create a condensate. This work led to a permanent position at JILA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In 1997, his research group expanded to include Deborah S. Jin, who later directed the team that achieved the first fermionic condensate in 2003.
Recognition and Professional Status
Cornell shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics with Carl E. Wieman and Wolfgang Ketterle for the achievement of Bose-Einstein condensation. His professional honors include the Samuel Wesley Stratton Award in 1995, the Fritz London Award in 1996, the King Faisal International Prize in Science in 1997, and the Lorentz Medal in 1998. He holds membership in the National Academy of Sciences and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Personal Life and Recovery
Cornell married Celeste Landry in 1995. The couple has two daughters, born in 1996 and 1998. In October 2004, Cornell faced a significant health crisis when he required the amputation of his left arm and shoulder due to a severe infection of necrotizing fasciitis. He successfully completed his recovery and returned to part-time work in April 2005. He remains an active researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder and continues to participate in community events such as the Bolder Boulder.
Fast facts
- Born: 1961, Palo Alto
- Education: Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Major Achievement: Synthesis of Bose–Einstein condensate, 1995
- Nobel Prize in Physics: 2001
- Primary Affiliation: JILA, University of Colorado Boulder
- Notable Recognition: Benjamin Franklin Medal, 2000
Questions readers ask
What scientific breakthrough is Cornell known for?
He is recognized for synthesizing the first Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995.
Where does Cornell conduct his research?
His laboratory is located at JILA, a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Achievements
- Lorentz Medal — 1998
- Nobel Prize in Physics — 2001
- Benjamin Franklin Medal — 2000
- Held posts at JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Stanford University
- Educated at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University
- Fields of research: physics
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