Rate My Professor Nathan Seiberg

Nathan Seiberg is the Charles Simonyi Professor in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study, where he has served as a faculty member since 1997. He previously held positions as a member or visitor at the Institute in 1982–1985, 1987–1989, 1993–1994, and 1994–1995. Seiberg earned a B.Sc. from Tel Aviv University in 1977 and a Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1982. His earlier appointments include roles at the Weizmann Institute of Science from 1985 to 1991, progressing from senior scientist to professor, and at Rutgers University from 1989 to 1997 as professor.

Seiberg’s research focuses on various aspects of string theory, quantum field theory, particle physics, and condensed matter physics. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of the dynamics of quantum field theories, particularly in two-dimensional conformal field theories, three-dimensional topological field theories, and supersymmetric quantum field theories in various dimensions. His exact solutions of supersymmetric systems have uncovered many new and unexpected phenomena, including the fundamental role of electric-magnetic duality in these theories, with applications in physics and mathematics. More recently, he has generalized the notion of symmetries with implications across quantum field theory, particle physics, string theory, condensed matter physics, and quantum information theory. Among his honors are the Frontiers of Science Award of the International Congress of Basic Science in 2024 and 2025, the Dirac Medal in 2016, the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in 2012, the Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics in 1998, and the MacArthur Fellowship in 1996. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.