Roberto Peccei facts for kids

Roberto Daniele Peccei (born January 6, 1942 – died June 1, 2020) was a brilliant scientist. He was a theoretical particle physicist. This means he used math and ideas to understand the smallest parts of the universe.

He was very interested in how tiny particles interact. He also studied how particle physics connects to the story of the universe, called physical cosmology.

Roberto Peccei is most famous for creating the Peccei–Quinn theory. He developed this idea with another scientist, Helen Quinn. This theory tries to solve a big puzzle in particle physics. It's called the "strong CP problem."

He also worked as a Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He held this important role from 2000 to 2010.

Early Life and Education

Roberto Peccei was born in 1942 in Torino, Italy. His father was Aurelio Peccei, who started the Club of Rome.

Roberto finished his high school studies in Argentina. Then, in 1958, he moved to the United States. He wanted to study physics at university.

He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), from MIT in 1962. He then got a Master of Science (M.S.) from New York University (NYU) in 1964. Finally, he completed his Ph.D. at the MIT Center for Theoretical Physics in 1969.

Peccei's Scientific Career

After finishing his studies, Roberto Peccei worked for a short time at the University of Washington. In 1971, he joined the faculty at Stanford University.

It was at Stanford that he and Helen Quinn came up with the Peccei–Quinn theory. This theory is still the most well-known idea to solve the "strong CP problem." This problem is about why certain interactions of particles don't behave as expected.

In 1978, he moved back to Europe. He worked at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Germany. Later, in 1984, he became the head of the Theoretical Group at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) Laboratory in Hamburg, Germany.

He returned to the United States in 1989. He joined the Physics Department at UCLA. Soon after, he became the head of the department. In 1993, he became the Dean of Physical Sciences.

Until his death in June 2020, Peccei was involved in many important scientific groups. He was a member of the Club of Rome. He also served on many advisory boards in Europe and the U.S.

Awards and Recognitions

Roberto Peccei received several honors for his important work.

• He was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society. This is a special recognition for physicists.
• In 2013, he received the J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics. This is a very important award for scientists who make big discoveries in theoretical particle physics.

See also

In Spanish: Roberto Peccei para niños