Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

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Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Type Research institute
Location Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Website www.perimeterinstitute.ca
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Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is an independent research centre in foundational, theoretical physics located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1999.

In addition to research, Perimeter also provides scientific training and educational outreach activities to the general public. This is done in part through Perimeter’s Educational Outreach team.[1]

Contents

History and mission [edit]

Mike Lazaridis' initial donation of $100 million was announced on October 23, 2000. A subsequent personal donation of $50 million was made on June 4, 2008.[2] Research operations began in 2001. Along with its research activities, Perimeter Institute operates an international outreach program. It hosts the International Summer School for Young Physicists every summer, which is a physics camp for high school students.

Under the stewardship of Howard Burton, the Institute's first Executive Director, PI initially operated out of Waterloo's historic post office on King Street. In October 2004, it moved into its custom-built facility on Caroline Street, across Silver Lake from Waterloo Park. The building was designed by Montreal architect firm Saucier + Perrotte, which received a Governor General's Medal for Architecture for the design in May 2006. The building next to PI, housing the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, won the same award for its architects in 1997. Perimeter Institute's building features an open glass facade along the north and west sides, contrasting with the slate-black metal walls of much of the rest of the building. Each researcher's office, as well as various lounge areas, features a full-wall blackboard for working out and theorizing in solo or group efforts. The Ontario budget, announced in March 2006, included a commitment to provide $50 million in funding to PI from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

In May 2008, Dr. Neil Turok, a renowned cosmologist, was appointed as Perimeter Institute's Director replacing Howard Burton.

In November 2008, it was announced that prominent physicist Stephen Hawking would take the position of Distinguished Research Chair, a visiting position, at the Institute.[3][4]

Research [edit]

Perimeter's research encompasses eight fields:

Perimeter Institute Recorded Seminar Archive (PIRSA) [edit]

Research activities at PI are accessible to the public via the internet through the Perimeter Institute Recorded Seminar Archive (PIRSA). PIRSA is a permanent, free, searchable, and citable archive of recorded seminars, conferences, workshops, and outreach events.

On-demand seminars with video and timed presentation materials can be accessed in Windows and Flash formats and offer MP3 audio files and PDFs of the supporting materials.

Educational Outreach [edit]

Perimeter Institute's educational outreach activities include a monthly public lecture series, a two-week summer camp for the world’s top science students, a series of in-class resources, week-long professional development workshops for science teachers, cultural activities with local and international artists, an online archive of educational resources, an extensive network of science teachers to share content across Canada, and many other special events and science festivals.[5][6]

Perimeter Public Lectures [edit]

Past lecturers have included: Sir Roger Penrose, Leonard Susskind, Seth Lloyd, Freeman Dyson, Gerard ‘t Hooft, Jay Melosh, Jay Ingram, Anton Zeilinger, Michael Peskin, and Frank Wilczek.[7]

ISSYP [edit]

The International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) brings approximately 40 Canadian and international students aged 16 – 18 to Perimeter for two weeks each year.

Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future festival [edit]

Held in October, 2009, the Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future festival (Q2C Festival) was a science outreach event held in Canada. The festival included events and activities spanning: lectures, panel discussions, pub talks, cultural activities, a PI documentary premiere (The Quantum Tamers: Revealing Our Weird and Wired Future), sci-fi film festival, an art exhibit and the hugely popular Physica Phantastica exhibit centre, a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) space filled with demonstrations, hands-on activities, experiments and an immersive 3D tour of the universe narrated by Stephen Hawking.[8]

The Q2C Festival attracted some 40,000 attendees (including over 6,000 in the secondary school program that brought students from Ontario and New York State and nearly one million viewers – and counting – through online streaming, video-on-demand services and special television broadcasts. Special editions of TVO’s “The Agenda with Steve Paikin”, filmed live in PI’s Atrium in Waterloo attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers from across Canada with just five broadcasts.

Training [edit]

Joint masters-level program [edit]

In partnership with the University of Waterloo, PI launched Perimeter Scholars International (PSI), a Masters level course in theoretical physics. The 10-month course started in August 2009, and is expected to eventually draw 50 scholars per year. The Masters degree is issued by the nearby University of Waterloo.

The convocation of the inaugural pilot class of 28 was held at Perimeter Institute on June 20, 2010.[9]

Doctoral studies [edit]

Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics also hosts PhD students wishing to pursue full-time graduate studies under the supervision of a PI faculty member. PhD students receive their doctoral degrees from a university partner, such as the University of Waterloo.

Courses [edit]

Perimeter Institute offers a number of planned courses each year, including cross-listed programs with universities and mini-courses given by PI Faculty, Associate Faculty, and Visiting Researchers. The courses are made available to all students enrolled in surrounding universities. The popular courses are attended by students from University of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario, McMaster University, University of Guelph, University of Toronto, York University, and other centres.

Expansion [edit]

Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute [edit]

Designed by Teeple Architects, a new 55,000 square feet (5,000 m2) expansion, the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute, completed in September 2011 and is the first building to which Stephen Hawking, a Perimeter Institute Distinguished Research Chair[10] has ever lent his name.[11] The Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute was the first-ever Gold Seal-managed project in Ontario. It is planned to attain LEED Silver certification.[12] The Centre's grand opening was in September 2011 and was not attended by Stephen Hawking.[13]

Past and present researchers [edit]

Notable past and present members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) [edit]

Notable Board Members [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Physics in Canada – Mission: Outreach". [2010]. Retrieved 2011-12-08. 
  2. ^ "Mike Lazaridis Donates Additional $50 Million to Perimeter Institute - Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics". Perimeterinstitute.ca. Retrieved 2008-12-06. 
  3. ^ "TheStar.com | sciencetech | Physicist Stephen Hawking accepts post at Waterloo institute". Toronto: Thestar.com. 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2008-12-06. 
  4. ^ Hand, Eric (23 September 2009). "The Edge of Physics". Nature 461 (7263): 462–465. doi:10.1038/461462a. PMID 19779427. Retrieved 25 December 2009. 
  5. ^ "PI Outreach Continues to Grow Across Ontario, Canada and Beyond". [2010]. Retrieved 2011-12-27. 
  6. ^ "Outreach Overview - Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics". Perimeterinstitute.ca. Retrieved 2008-12-06. 
  7. ^ "Perimeter Institute – View Past Public Lectures". [2012]. Retrieved 2012-01-08. 
  8. ^ [2009 "Looking Back on Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future"]. Retrieved 2012-01-08. 
  9. ^ Perimeter Scholars International Graduates Inaugural Class
  10. ^ Stephen Hawking to Regularly Visit Perimeter Institute as Distinguished Research Chair 2008-11,
  11. ^ Expanding the Perimeter with The Stephen Hawking Centre at PI: Canada’s Perimeter Institute announces bold plans for the future 2009-10-17
  12. ^ PI Expansion Achieves First Gold Seal Rating in Ontario 2010-07
  13. ^ "Stephen Hawking to visit Canada in September". CBC News. 2011-07-27. 
  14. ^ "ALUMNI WINS PI'S JOHN BRODIE MEMORIAL AWARD". [2008-2-7]. Retrieved 2012-01-03. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Perimeter Institute

Coordinates: 43°27′55″N 80°31′41″W / 43.46535°N 80.52800°W / 43.46535; -80.52800

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