Girish Saran Agarwal facts for kids

Girish S. Agarwal, born on July 7, 1946, is a brilliant scientist who studies theoretical physics. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society UK, which is a very high honor. He is known for his work in quantum optics, which is about how light and matter interact at a tiny, atomic level. He also made big contributions to nonlinear optics, nanophotonics, and plasmonics.

Currently, he works at Texas A&M University in the USA. He is part of several departments there, including Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, and the Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering. Before that, he was a special professor at Oklahoma State University–Stillwater. In 2013, he wrote a popular textbook called "Quantum Optics," which many scientists use.

Life and Education

Early Life and Studies

Girish S. Agarwal was born in Bareilly, India. He loved physics from a young age. He studied physics at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University in India, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in 1964. He then continued his studies at Banaras Hindu University in India, getting his Master of Science degree in 1966.

Advanced Degrees and Research

In 1969, he earned his PhD from the University of Rochester in the USA. After his PhD, he continued his research as a post-doctoral scientist. This means he did more advanced studies and research after getting his doctorate. He worked at the University of Rochester, the University of Stuttgart in Germany, and The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India.

Important Publications

When he was only 28 years old, in 1974, he published his first major book. It was called "Quantum Statistical Theories of Spontaneous Emission and their Relation to other Approaches." This book explained how light and matter interact and how light is given off naturally. It quickly became a very important book for quantum optics scientists all over the world.

Career and Leadership Roles

After working at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Institute of Science in Mumbai, India, he became a full professor in 1977. This was at the University of Hyderabad in India. He had a big job there: helping to set up the School of Physics.

In 1995, Girish S. Agarwal became the Director and a Distinguished Scientist at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, India. For several years, he also served as an Honorary Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. From 2001 to 2005, he held a special position called the Einstein Centenary Research Professorship.

Global Collaborations

Professor Agarwal has traveled to many places around the world. He has been a guest professor at major centers for optics and quantum optics. These include the University of Rochester, Texas A&M University, the University of Colorado, and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Germany. He also visited universities in Essen, Ulm, and Erlangen in Germany, the Technical University of Vienna in Austria, and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Contributions to Science

Beyond his research, Professor Agarwal has helped the global science community. He organized special schools and meetings, for example, at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Italy. These events helped scientists from developing countries. He also led efforts by the Indian Government to improve physics departments in Indian universities. He has also been on the editorial boards of important science journals, like Physical Review A.

Awards and Honors

Girish S. Agarwal has received many awards for his amazing work in optics and quantum optics.

• In 1982, he received the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award in Physical Sciences from the Government of India. This is a very prestigious award in India.
• In 1988, he won the Max-Born Award from the Optical Society of America in the USA.
• He received the Einstein Medal from the Optical and Quantum Electronics Society in the USA in 1994.
• Also in 1994, he was given The World Academy of Sciences Prize in Physics.
• In 1997, he received the Humboldt Research Award from Germany.
• He has also received honorary degrees (Honoris causa) from the University of Liege, Belgium (2007), and the University of Hyderabad, India (2011).
• In 2022, he received the Charles Hard Townes Award.

Professor Agarwal is also an elected fellow of many important scientific groups. These include The World Academy of Sciences (1997), the Indian National Science Academy (1985), the Optical Society of America (1986), the Indian Academy of Sciences (1981), and the American Physical Society (1981). In 2012, Oklahoma State University recognized him with the "Eminent Faculty Award."

Key Books and Publications

Professor Agarwal has written and edited several important books that are used by scientists.

• Quantum statistical theories of spontaneous emission and their relation to other approaches, Springer Tracts in Modern Physics Band 70, 1974
• Quantum Optics, Cambridge University Press 2012
• Publisher Selected Papers on Fundamentals of Quantum Optics, SPIE Press 1995
• Publisher Selected Papers on Resonant and Collective Phenomena in Quantum Optics, SPIE Press 1995