Congratulations! Prof. Yoichiro Nambu awarded 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics

Prof. Yoichiro Nambu, a graduate of the Department of Physics, the University of Tokyo, Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, and Professor Emeritus at Osaka City University, was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics sharing the prize with Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Masukawa. He has contributed to the development of Physics by making a great deal of achievements reaching beyond the walls of many branches of Physics, including ‘The Discovery of Spontaneous Broken Symmetry’, which is common in various physical phenomena: the origin of elementary particle masses, superconducting phenomena, etc.

After receiving a B.S. from the University of Tokyo (Department of Physics) in 1942, Prof. Nambu joined the Faculty of Science as a researcher. In 1949, he worked as a research associate at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science for a short time.

Prof. Nambu comes to visit the Graduate School of Science almost every year and he also recently has impressed us through his intensive courses and lectures. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to him on winning the Nobel Prize.

See more

• Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo
• Research Center for the Early Universe, the University of Tokyo / Article
• The Nobel Prize in Physics 2008 (Information for the Public)
• The Nobel Prize in Physics 2008 (Information for Researchers)
• The Nobel Foundation

Profile of Prof. Yoichiro Nambu

Academic Background

1942 : Graduated from the University of Tokyo (Department of Physics, Faculty of Science)

Academic Degree

1952 : Received his D.Sc. from the University of Tokyo

Affiliation / Current Position

Professor Emeritus, The University of Chicago

Professor Emeritus, Osaka City University

Qualifications

1984 : Became an honorary member of The Japan Academy (as a U.S. Citizen)

Became a member of The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Position / Career

1942 - 1949 : Researcher at Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo

1949 : Research Assistant at Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo

1949 : Associate Professor at Osaka City University

1950 : Professor at Osaka City University

1952 : Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, USA

1956 : Associate Professor, The University of Chicago

1958 : Professor at The University of Chicago

1991 : Professor Emeritus at The University of Chicago

Previous Honors

1970 : The Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics

1977 : The J. Robert Oppenheimer Prize

1978 : The Order of Culture from the Government of Japan

1983 : The National Medal of Science (USA)

1985 : Max Planck Medal (Germany)

1986 : Dirac Prize

1994 : The Wolf Prize in Physics (Israel)