The University of California, Berkeley, a world leader in theoretical physics since J. Robert Oppenheimer planted the seed nearly 100 years ago, will share with four other institutions the largest gift ever to the field — $90 million.
The gift from the Leinweber Foundation in Michigan will establish four Leinweber Institutes for Theoretical Physics at the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and UC Berkeley, and the Leinweber Forum for Theoretical and Quantum Physics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.
The funds will strengthen existing programs and create a network to foster collaboration among faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and students across all the institutions.
“This gift is a commitment to America’s scientific future,” said Larry Leinweber, founder and president of the foundation. “Theoretical physics may seem abstract to many, but it is the tip of the spear for innovation. It fuels our understanding of how the world works and opens the door to new technologies that can shape society for generations. As someone who has had a lifelong fascination with theoretical physics, I hope this investment not only strengthens U.S. leadership in basic science, but also inspires curiosity, creativity and groundbreaking discoveries for generations to come.”
At UC Berkeley, the Berkeley Center for Theoretical Physics will be renamed the Leinweber Institute for Theoretical Physics (LITP) at Berkeley and expanded, primarily by attracting four new postdoctoral fellows — called Leinweber Physics Fellows — who will join the current 15. More than a dozen UC Berkeley faculty members and nearly a half dozen scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are affiliated with the institute, along with more than 30 graduate students.