Eugene Wigner

Summary

Eugene Wigner is a human^[1]. His place of birth was Budapest^[2]. He died in Princeton^[3]. He worked as a mathematician^[4], physicist^[5], university teacher^[6], theoretical physicist^[7], and nuclear physicist^[8]. He ranks in the top 0.69% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,349 views/month, #6,868 of 1,000,298).^[9]

Key Facts

• Eugene Wigner was born in Budapest^[2].
• Eugene Wigner passed away in Princeton^[3].
• Eugene Wigner is buried at Princeton Cemetery^[10].
• Among Eugene Wigner's spouses was Amelia Frank^[11].
• Among Eugene Wigner's spouses was Mary Annette Wheeler^[12].
• Among Eugene Wigner's spouses was Eileen Clare-Patton Hamilton^[13].
• A child of Eugene Wigner was David Wheeler Wigner^[14].
• Eugene Wigner held citizenship in Hungary^[15].
• Eugene Wigner held citizenship in United States^[16].
• Hungarian was Eugene Wigner's native language^[17].
• Eugene Wigner is identified as part of the Jewish people ethnic group^[18].
• Eugene Wigner worked as a mathematician^[4].
• Eugene Wigner worked as a physicist^[5].
• Eugene Wigner's professions included university teacher^[6].
• Eugene Wigner worked as a theoretical physicist^[7].
• Eugene Wigner's professions included nuclear physicist^[8].
• Eugene Wigner's field of work was physics^[19].
• Eugene Wigner was employed by Princeton University^[20].
• Among Eugene Wigner's employers was Technische Universität Berlin^[21].
• Among Eugene Wigner's employers was University of Wisconsin–Madison^[22].
• Eugene Wigner was employed by University of Göttingen^[23].
• Eugene Wigner was employed by Leiden University^[24].
• Eugene Wigner was employed by Princeton University^[25].
• Eugene Wigner's education included a stint at Fasori Gimnázium^[26].
• Eugene Wigner's education included a stint at Technische Universität Berlin^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Eugene Wigner's place of birth was Budapest^[2]. He is identified as part of the Jewish people ethnic group^[18]. Hungarian was his native language^[17].

Education

Educated at Fasori Gimnázium^[26], a high school^[28], in Hungary^[29], founded in 1823^[30] and Technische Universität Berlin^[27], a public research university^[31], in Germany^[32], founded in 1946^[33], headquartered in Technische Universität Berlin, Hauptgebäude^[34]. Eugene Wigner's doctoral advisor was Michael Polanyi^[35].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician^[4], physicist^[5], university teacher^[6], theoretical physicist^[7], and nuclear physicist^[8]. Eugene Wigner's field of work was physics^[19]. Employers include Princeton University^[20], a private university^[36], in United States^[37], founded in 1746^[38], headquartered in Princeton^[39]; Technische Universität Berlin^[21], a public research university^[40], in Germany^[41], founded in 1946^[42], headquartered in Technische Universität Berlin, Hauptgebäude^[43]; University of Wisconsin–Madison^[22], a public research university^[44], in United States^[45], founded in 1848^[46]; University of Göttingen^[23], a campus university^[47], in Germany^[48], founded in 1734^[49], headquartered in Göttingen^[50]; Leiden University^[24], a university^[51], in Netherlands^[52], founded in 1575^[53], headquartered in Leiden^[54]; and Manhattan Project^[55], a military project^[56], in United States^[57], headquartered in Oak Ridge^[58]. Doctoral students include John Bardeen^[59], Victor Weisskopf^[60], Marcos Moshinsky^[61], Abner Shimony^[62], Fred Tappert^[63], and William Tout Sharp^[64].

Recognition

Awards received include Nobel Prize in Physics^[65], a physics award^[66], in Sweden^[67], founded in 1901^[68]; Max Planck Medal^[69], a medallion^[70], in Germany^[71], founded in 1929^[72]; Enrico Fermi Award^[73], a science award^[74], in United States^[75], founded in 1956^[76]; Albert Einstein Award^[77], a science award^[78], in United States^[79], founded in 1951^[80]; National Medal of Science^[81]; and Wigner Medal^[82].

Personal Life

Spouses include Amelia Frank^[11], 1907–1937^[83]; Mary Annette Wheeler^[12]; and Eileen Clare-Patton Hamilton^[13]. A child of Eugene Wigner was David Wheeler Wigner^[14].

Death and Burial

Eugene Wigner passed away in Princeton^[3]. He is buried at Princeton Cemetery^[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Eugene Wigner include Wigner's friend^[84], Wigner–Eckart theorem^[85], Wigner effect^[86], relativistic Breit–Wigner distribution^[87], Wigner's theorem^[88], Wigner–Seitz cell^[89], Consciousness causes collapse^[90], and Wigner Research Centre for Physics^[91].

Why It Matters

Eugene Wigner ranks in the top 0.69% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,349 views/month, #6,868 of 1,000,298).^[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 29 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[92] He is known by 59 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[93]

He has been cited as an influence by Pavel Winternitz^[94], a physicist^[95], 1936–2021^[96], of Canada^[97], awarded the CAP-CRM Prize in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics^[98], specialised in mathematical physics^[99].

He is credited with the discovery of Wigner crystal^[100] and superselection^[101]. Works attributed to him include The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences^[102], an academic journal article^[103]. Entities named for him include Wigner's friend^[84], Wigner–Eckart theorem^[85], Wigner effect^[86], relativistic Breit–Wigner distribution^[87], Wigner's theorem^[88], and Wigner–Seitz cell^[89].

His notable doctoral advisees include John Bardeen^[104], a physicist^[105], 1908–1991^[106], of United States^[107], awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics^[108], specialised in physics^[109]; Victor Weisskopf^[110], a physicist^[111], 1908–2002^[112], of Cisleithania^[113], awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship^[114], specialised in quantum electrodynamics^[115]; Edwin Thompson Jaynes^[116]; Frederick Seitz^[117]; Marcos Moshinsky^[118]; and Abner Shimony^[119].

FAQs

Where was Eugene Wigner born?

Eugene Wigner was born in Budapest^[2].

Where did Eugene Wigner die?

Eugene Wigner passed away in Princeton^[3].

Who was Eugene Wigner married to?

Eugene Wigner's spouses include Amelia Frank^[11], Mary Annette Wheeler^[12], and Eileen Clare-Patton Hamilton^[13].

What did Eugene Wigner do for work?

Eugene Wigner worked as mathematician^[4], physicist^[5], university teacher^[6], theoretical physicist^[7], and nuclear physicist^[8].

Where did Eugene Wigner go to school?

Eugene Wigner was educated at Fasori Gimnázium^[26] and Technische Universität Berlin^[27].

What awards did Eugene Wigner receive?

Honors received include Nobel Prize in Physics^[65], Max Planck Medal^[69], Enrico Fermi Award^[73], and Albert Einstein Award^[77].

Who did Eugene Wigner influence?

Eugene Wigner has been cited as an influence by Pavel Winternitz^[94].

What did Eugene Wigner discover?

Eugene Wigner is credited as discoverer of Wigner crystal^[100] and superselection^[101].