Eric Allin Cornell

Eric Allin Cornell was born on December 19, 1961, in Palo Alto, California. He is an American physicist who, along with Carl E. Wieman and Wolfgang Ketterle, won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for the creation of Bose-Einstein condensate, a new state of matter. Cornell's early years set the stage for his future contributions to science, growing up in an environment that encouraged intellectual curiosity.

In 1990, Eric Cornell joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder and became a physicist at JILA, a joint institute of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado. At JILA, Cornell began working on laser cooling and atom trapping, which are crucial techniques for the experimental pursuit that later led to the realization of Bose-Einstein condensation.

On August 20, 1994, Eric Cornell and his colleagues achieved a milestone in laser cooling techniques using rubidium atoms. They developed a method known as single-photon cooling, which was critical in lowering the temperature of gases towards creating Bose-Einstein condensates. This technique contributed significantly to the successful creation of Bose-Einstein condensates the following year.

On June 5, 1995, Eric Cornell and his colleague Carl Wieman successfully created the first Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) using a gas of rubidium atoms cooled to a temperature close to absolute zero. This groundbreaking achievement not only confirmed a fundamental prediction of quantum statistics by Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose but also opened up a new field of research in quantum physics.

On October 10, 2001, Eric Allin Cornell, along with Carl E. Wieman and Wolfgang Ketterle, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their achievement in producing the first Bose-Einstein condensate in a dilute gas of alkali atoms, and for the fundamental studies of the properties of the condensates. This prize recognized their work's profound influence on the understanding of matter at extremely low temperatures.

On November 30, 2001, Eric Cornell was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics by the Franklin Institute. This award recognized his pivotal role in the experimental realization of Bose-Einstein Condensation, and emphasized the impact of his and his colleagues' work on advancing the boundaries of low-temperature physics and quantum mechanics.

In April 2003, Eric Cornell was appointed to the prestigious position of the Lorenzo N. Morton Chair of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. This chair is awarded to faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in their fields. Cornell's appointment was a recognition of his continuing contributions to physicist research and education.

In October 2004, Eric Cornell contracted a life-threatening case of necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease. This resulted in the amputation of his left arm and shoulder in order to save his life. Despite this severe setback, Cornell continued his scientific work with determination, adapting to his new physical condition and continuing to contribute to the field of physics.

On November 16, 2013, Eric Cornell received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Cambridge. This accolade was awarded in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of physics, particularly for his pioneering work in creating the first Bose-Einstein condensate. This honorary degree served to further acknowledge Cornell's impact in the scientific community.

In September 2018, Eric Cornell was inducted into the Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame. This honor was in recognition of his significant contributions to space and science through his research in physics, particularly in quantum gases and Bose-Einstein condensation. The Colorado Space Heroes Hall of Fame celebrates those who have advanced space exploration and scientific understanding.