Louise Dolan facts for kids

Louise Ann Dolan (born April 5, 1950) is an American scientist. She is a professor of physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She studies tiny particles and how they interact. Her work helps us understand the universe at its most basic level. Many people see her as a top expert in her field.

Life and Education

Louise Dolan finished her physics degree at Wellesley College in 1971. After that, she received a special scholarship called a Fulbright scholarship. This allowed her to study in Germany at the University of Heidelberg.

She earned her Ph.D. in theoretical physics in 1976. This was from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From 1976 to 1979, she was a junior fellow at Harvard University. She then worked at Rockefeller University in New York City. She became an assistant professor there in 1980. In 1990, Professor Dolan joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is now a distinguished professor there.

Important Discoveries

Professor Dolan has made many important discoveries. These discoveries have helped us learn more about elementary particles. These are the smallest building blocks of everything around us.

In 1974, she co-wrote a paper called "Symmetry Behavior at Finite Temperature." This paper is very important in physics. It helped scientists understand how the early universe changed. It also explained how different states of matter can transform into each other.

In 1981, she started using special math called affine algebras in particle physics. Her work has also greatly helped string theory. String theory suggests that tiny strings are the basic parts of the universe. Her ideas have changed how scientists think about string theory. She is seen as one of the people who started this field.

She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. This is a group for leading physicists. She has written over 80 scientific papers. Professor Dolan also leads a project at Chapel Hill. This project studies string theory and gets funding from the Department of Energy.

Teaching and Mentoring

Professor Dolan teaches advanced physics classes at UNC Chapel Hill. She teaches students who are studying for their master's or Ph.D. degrees. Her classes include quantum mechanics, field theory, and electromagnetism.

Awards and Honors

• 1971: Wellesley Alumnae Scholarship
• 1971: Woodrow Wilson Fellowship
• 1987: Fellow of the American Physical Society
• 1987: Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award of the American Physical Society
• 1988: Guggenheim Fellow
• 2004: Wellesley College Alumnae Achievement Award

See also

In Spanish: Louise Dolan para niños