Ian Affleck
{{Short description|Canadian physicist (1952–2024)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Ian Affleck
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|FRS}}
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1952|07|02}}
| birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|10|04|1952|07|02}}
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| fields = Condensed matter theory, superconductivity, quantum magnetism, quantum impurities
| workplaces =
| alma_mater = Trent University
Harvard University
| thesis_title =
| thesis_url =
| thesis_year =
| doctoral_advisor = Sidney R. Coleman
| academic_advisors =
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students =
| known_for = Affleck–Dine mechanism
Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki model
| influences =
| influenced =
| awards = {{Plainlist|
:Fellow (1987–2001)
:Associate (2001–2008)
:Fellow (2008–)
- National Research Council Steacie Prize (1988)
- Canadian Association of Physicists Herzberg Medal (1990)
- Royal Society of Canada Rutherford Medal in Physics (1991)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada/Canadian Academy of Sciences (1991–)
- UBC Senior Killam Research Prize (1992)
- UBC Jacob Biely Prize (1992)
- Canadian Association of Physicists/Centre de Recherche Mathematique Prize for Mathematics/Theoretical Physics (1997)
- B.C. Science Council New Frontiers in Research Award (1998)
- Fellow of the American Physical Society (2002)
- Canadian Association of Physicists Medal for Achievement in Physics (2006)
- Fellow of the Royal Society (2010)
- Onsager Prize, American Physical Society (2012){{cite web|title=Ian Affleck|url=https://www.phas.ubc.ca/users/ian-affleck|publisher=The University of British Columbia Department of Physics & Astronomy|access-date=29 September 2012}}}}
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
| spouse =
}}
Ian Keith Affleck (July 2, 1952 – October 4, 2024) was a Canadian physicist specializing in condensed matter physics. He was Killam University Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia.
Life and career
Ian Affleck was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on July 2, 1952.{{cite web|title=Ian Keith Affleck|url=http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=24&pg=3|access-date=29 September 2012}} He studied theoretical aspects of condensed matter physics, including high temperature superconductivity, low dimensional magnetism, quantum dots and quantum wires.{{cite web|url = http://www.phas.ubc.ca/~iaffleck/|title= Ian Affleck |publisher= University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy|access-date = 11 March 2014}}
Affleck made many important contributions to theoretical and mathematical physics.{{cite web|url = http://royalsociety.org/people/ian-affleck/|title=Professor Ian Affleck FRS|publisher= The Royal Society|access-date = 11 March 2014}}{{Cite web |title=In Memoriam: Ian Affleck (1952-2024) {{!}} UBC Physics & Astronomy |url=https://phas.ubc.ca/memoriam-ian-affleck-1952-2024 |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=phas.ubc.ca |language=en}} He began his career in high energy theory (HEP), and has successfully applied many techniques from HEP to condensed matter. In particular, he has applied conformal field theory techniques to low dimensional magnetism, Kondo effects and quantum impurity problems. In doing so, he enjoyed finding "mathematically elegant solutions" to problems.{{cite web|url = http://www.aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/prizerecipient.cfm?last_nm=Affleck&first_nm=Ian&year=2012|title= 2012 Lars Onsager Prize Recipient|publisher= American Physical Society Sites|access-date = 11 March 2014}}
He was also a member of the CIFAR's Superconductivity Program and the Cosmology and Gravity Program.{{cite web|url = http://www.cifar.ca/ian-affleck-qmt|title = Ian Affleck|publisher = CIFAR Canadian Institute for advanced Research|access-date = 11 March 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140312211908/http://www.cifar.ca/ian-affleck-qmt|archive-date = 12 March 2014|url-status = dead}}
Affleck held numerous awards including the 2006 CAP Medal for Lifetime Achievement and the 2014 DCMMP Brockhouse Medal.{{cite web|url = http://www.phas.ubc.ca/faculty-and-staff-awards|title= New Fellows 2010|publisher= Royal Society|access-date = 30 July 2013}}
He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2002 {{cite web|url=https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=&year=2002&unit_id=&institution=|title=APS Fellow Archive|publisher=APS|access-date=17 September 2020}} and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2010.{{cite web|url = http://royalsociety.org/about-us/fellowship/new-fellows-2010/|title= New Fellows 2010|publisher= Royal Society|access-date = 30 July 2013}}
Affleck died on October 4, 2024, at the age of 72.{{cite web |title=In Memoriam: Ian Affleck (1952–2024) |url=https://phas.ubc.ca/memoriam-ian-affleck-1952-2024 |website=The University of British Columbia |access-date=10 October 2024 |date=8 October 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{FRS 2010}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Affleck, Ian}}
Category:Scientists from Vancouver
Category:Academic staff of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Science
Category:Sloan Research Fellows
Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Category:Trent University alumni
Category:Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
Category:Canadian fellows of the Royal Society
{{physicist-stub}}