Abdus Salam Autograph

Profession:
(1926-1996) theoretical physicist - he shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution to electroweak unification

Year of Birth: 1926

Abdus Salam was a Pakistani theoretical physicist who was born on January 29, 1926, in Jhang, British India. He is best known for his contribution to the electroweak unification theory, which explains the unity of two of the four fundamental forces of nature - electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force.

Salam completed his undergraduate studies at Government College University in Lahore before obtaining a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Cambridge in 1952. He later went on to hold various academic positions at institutions such as Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy.

In 1979, Salam was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Glashow, for his work on electroweak unification. He was the first Pakistani and the first Muslim to receive this prestigious award.

Throughout his career, Salam was a strong advocate for science education and worked diligently to promote scientific research in developing countries. He founded the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, to provide opportunities for physicists from developing nations to conduct research and collaborate with their peers.

Despite his many achievements, Salam faced discrimination in his home country of Pakistan due to his religious beliefs. He eventually moved to Europe, where he continued his groundbreaking research until his death on November 21, 1996.

Abdus Salam's legacy lives on through the countless scientists he inspired and the significant contributions he made to the field of theoretical physics.