Samson Shatashvili Awarded 2025 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics

Samson Shatashvili, Member (1992–94) in the School of Natural Sciences, has been awarded the 2025 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and American Physical Society (APS). 

The prize, established in 1959, honors exceptional published work in the field of mathematical physics. It is named for Dannie N. Heineman, an engineer, business executive, and philanthropic sponsor of the sciences.

In their announcement, the selection committee recognized Shatashvili “for clever use of various techniques in studying symmetry in quantum field theory,” including his work with Cumrun Vafa, Member (1994) in the Schools of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, on exceptional holonomy compactifications of superstrings. The citation also highlighted Shatashvili’s co-discovery of Bethe/gauge correspondence between supersymmetric vacua and quantum integrability. 

Shatashvili, who has been working on problems in quantum field theory and string theory since the 1980s, completed some of this groundbreaking research while at the Institute.

“This award is particularly notable now as the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology,” noted Michael Moloney, CEO of AIP. “From his work on quantum field theory, [Shatashvili] has proven to be an influential force in the fields of mathematics and physics, integrating the two disciplines together with his research.”

Shatashvilli accepted the award at the APS Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, California, on March 17, 2025.

Read more about the Dannie Heineman Prize on the APS website.