The 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Robert Coleman Richardson for the discovery of superfluidity in helium-3 atoms. Conducting this research at the Cornell University Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics alongside David Lee and Douglas Osheroff, Richardson pushed the boundaries of experimental cryophysics to explore matter at sub-millikelvin temperatures.
Early Education and Academic Training
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1937, Richardson attended Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Virginia. His undergraduate and early postgraduate studies took place at Virginia Tech, where he earned a B.S. in 1958 and an M.S. in 1960. He completed his doctoral requirements at Duke University in 1966. Throughout his academic development, he focused on building the technical foundation necessary for high-level experimental physics.
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Richardson’s career was defined by his work in cryophysics, specifically the application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to investigate the quantum properties of liquids and solids. By examining these materials at extremely low temperatures, he and his team identified the superfluid state of helium-3 in 1972. This discovery was recognized internationally, earning him the Simon Memorial Prize in 1976 and the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize in 1981.
Administrative Service at Cornell
Beyond his laboratory research, Richardson held significant leadership roles at Cornell University. He served as the Floyd Newman Professor of Physics and transitioned into institutional governance, acting as vice provost for research from 1998 to 2007. Later, from 2007 to 2009, he functioned as the senior science adviser to the university president and provost. He remained an active member of the American Physical Society, the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
Fast facts
- Born: 1937, Washington, D.C.
- Died: 2013, Ithaca
- Field: Cryophysics
- Nobel Prize: Physics, 1996
- Education: Virginia Tech, Duke University
- Employer: Cornell University
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What specific discovery led to Richardson's Nobel Prize?
He shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics for the 1972 discovery of superfluidity in helium-3.
What administrative positions did Richardson hold at Cornell?
He served as the vice provost for research from 1998 to 2007 and as senior science adviser to the president and provost from 2007 to 2009.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physics — 1996
- Held posts at Cornell University and Duke University
- Educated at Duke University, Virginia Tech and Virginia Tech College of Science
- Fields of research: cryophysics
