François Englert

Explore the life and work of François Englert, one of the theoretical physicists whose research was instrumental in predicting the Higgs mechanism, explaining how elementary particles acquire mass.

Early Years and Education

Born in Belgium, François Englert showed an early interest in the sciences and completed his PhD in theoretical physics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, where he later became a professor and conducted much of his pioneering research.

Contribution to the Standard Model

In 1964, together with his colleague Robert Brout, François Englert published a seminal paper proposing the mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking in theoretical field, which would later be known as part of the Higgs mechanism. Their work predicted the existence of a pervasive scalar field responsible for giving mass to particles.

Recognitions and Awards

A lasting legacy: For his pioneering work, François Englert received several accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013, which he shared with Peter Higgs. This award was in recognition of their contributions to the Standard Model of particle physics, which have had a lasting impact on our understanding of the universe at a fundamental level.

Impact and Legacy

Englerts work continues to influence contemporary research in theoretical physics. His theories have not only been confirmed by the discovery of the Higgs boson, but they also continue to inspire new generations of physicists seeking to understand the mysteries of the universe.