Rob Myers graduated in Physics at 蓝莓视频 in 1982. Unknown to him at the time was the journey that would bring him touring the best academic institutions around the world and that he would be brought back to 蓝莓视频 in 2001 as founding member of the Perimeter Institute. Rob is a global leader in theoretical physics. He has made seminal contributions to efforts to explain the deep apparent contradictions between the two pillars of modern physics --- Einstein鈥檚 theory of general relativity, which describes the dynamics and structures of the very large, and quantum mechanics, which dominates the very small --- both of which present theoretical frameworks that have been exquisitely tested in their respective regimes. Since the discovery of 鈥淗awking radiation鈥�, the putative quantum mechanical thermal emissions from black holes, it has become clear that black holes are a natural place to look for a resolution.
Rob has pioneered the study of black holes within the broad context motivated by string theory. Among his landmark contributions are the discovery of the first higher-dimensional rotating black hole solution (now known as the Myers-Perry metric); key progress on understanding the statistical interpretation of black hole entropy; a string theory analog of the dielectric effect 鈥� the 鈥淢yers effect鈥� 鈥� with applications to many phenomena in string theory, ranging from the resolution of singularities in general relativity to holography and the meaning of space-time itself; and most recently, the relationship between quantum entanglement and space-time, which Myers played a role in initiating and remains a world leader. Myers has also forged connections between theory and experiment, from cosmology to particle collider experiments and recently condensed matter phenomenology.
At the same time, Rob has been instrumental in the development of a world-leading theoretical physics community within Canada generally and 蓝莓视频 specifically, most visibly through his leadership at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Since Perimeter鈥檚 inception, Myers has shaped every aspect of Perimeter鈥檚 development 鈥� from the selection of research foci right down to the design of its building. He has served as Perimeter鈥檚 interim Scientific Director, and, in 2011, was elected to Faculty Chair.
Myers has been repeatedly recognized for his research excellence and contributions to the physics community. For the past four consecutive years (2014--2017), Myers has been named among the 鈥渨orld鈥檚 most influential scientific minds鈥� by Thompson Reuters, the only Canadian listed in those years, and the only physicist worldwide to be named in each of the past four years. He has been awarded the QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal, the 2012 CAP Vogt Medal, the 2005 CAP-CRM Prize in mathematical and theoretical physics, the 1999 CAP Herzberg Medal, and was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2006. He has supervised over 130 postdocs, PhD, and master鈥檚 students over his career; 43 now hold faculty positions around the world, including at Princeton, Cambridge, and Oxford.
