Chinese-American physicist Tsung-Dao Lee, a Nobel laureate known for his groundbreaking work in particle physics, passed away at his home in San Francisco at the age of 97. Lee, who was born in Shanghai in 1926, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1962 and was a professor emeritus at Columbia University in New York.
Lee's contributions to the field of physics were widely recognized, with Robert Oppenheimer praising him as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists of his time. His research spanned various areas including elementary particles, statistical mechanics, astrophysics, and field theory.
After studying under Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago, Lee joined Columbia University in 1953 and quickly rose to become the youngest-ever full professor at the age of 29. In 1957, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics alongside Chen-Ning Yang for their work on the symmetry of subatomic particles.
Throughout his career, Lee received numerous accolades, including the Albert Einstein Award in Science, the Galileo Galilei Medal, and the G. Bude Medal. He also held honorary doctorates and titles from organizations worldwide.
As China began to open up to international exchanges in the 1970s, Lee made several visits to his home country to give lectures and support the development of sciences. His legacy as a pioneering physicist and educator continues to inspire future generations in the field of physics.
